Fusible link funk.

[Greatvoid]

I've got an annoying problem with my 99 Limited that I suspect may be a bad termination or bum link between my battery's positive terminal and the main fuse box. Possibly a starter issue too, but I've already ordered terminals and the plunger to do address that angle.

Here's what's going on:

With increasing frequency, hitting the ignition results in a "chunk" sound and no joy. I initially pegged this as the starter.

Well, that's gotten worse. I've also had two very disconcerting episodes where I've hit the ignition and all power to the vehicle has outright died. That didn't sound like the kind of thing a starter could do by itself, and the logical points of failure are the battery, main fuse, and the cable linking the two. A little bit of research revealed that this is probably a fusible link. Well, it's not dead, because after a little prodding and poking over the span of 5 minutes or so, everything has lit up again both times. Even started up nicely.

Okay, not a big problem. I gave the local stealership a ring figuring they'd have them in stock. No joy. Even worse, they had about half a dozen different links. Well, I took it down since I needed a bunch of other minor stuff, and the answer I got was not especially helpful. After looking through things, the dealership says that the wire linking them is just that: a wire. The "fusible links" they pulled up just looked like large fuses.

Closer inspection of the wire itself makes me think it's just a wire. I'm also pretty sure it's not stock, so that doesn't really help me know what _should_ be there. Electrical system protections are not something I generally fool around with, so if there's a proper fusible link that is supposed to go there, I'd much prefer to have one in place.

So I suppose the real question is this: Were there '99 4Runners that only had the main fuse? If not, how the heck do I get the proper part number if Toyota is giving me bad info? What's the major risk of replacing that link with a heavy gauge wire? As I understand, most everything is behind the main fuse and individual fuses after that, and the couple things that aren't have their own fuses elsewhere. Is that correct?

The battery terminations are pretty lousy to begin with, so honestly I'm tempted to rip them out entirely and just drop some Big Three heavy wire on it and call it all done, but this one link is the sticky bit for me.

 

[JayRolla]

Don't replace link with a wire. That would be a safety concern. Pull link and take to dealer to buy same one. Replace terminals. Get out multimeter. Battery should be at 12v off. Running you should get 13.5-14.5v if alternator is good. If this all checks out and starter still clicks you could have bad starter terminals or its failing. Good way to test the starter is smack with a rod and hammer while someone turns it over. If it fires up that starter could be going out.

 

[Greatvoid]

Part of the problem there is that I already took the truck down to the dealership -- I had a few questions about that and needed parts for other stuff anyway. Turns out they didn't have most of the parts and gave me what I'm thinking is bad info on the truck even after looking at it. For instance, I inquired about O2 sensors and was told that I have one O2 and one AF sensor, but looking at the truck I only see 1 cat...which makes me think it's actually 2 O2 sensors. Then again, the cat is clearly aftermarket (welded on).

Point being, I'm not sure I can rely on the dealership. Especially since they couldn't even find a link that looks like what I've got, just ones that look like fuses.

 

[TXLX1]

I've got an annoying problem with my 99 Limited that I suspect may be a bad termination or bum link between my battery's positive terminal and t.........

Are you talking about the wire that goes from the positive terminal into the bottom of the fuse / relay box near the battery? Mine is just a wire straight from the battery to the box. The ring terminal end on mine was partially broken and hard to see it was almost broken in half. I just made a replacement for it with what I had lying around.

Your issue may be one or two things. Just based upon your description, sounds like a wire or fuse is partially broken, positive is grounding out somewhere, or you have a loose ground. If the starter is making a single clunk, it could be bad. You could try bumping the starter slowly and if it starts up normal eventually, probably a bad starter. You could also try swapping around relays and some new fuses and see if issues improves. I've had fuses before that were partially broken and would work fine at times.

 

[Greatvoid]

Are you talking about the wire that goes from the positive terminal into the bottom of the fuse / relay box near the battery? Mine is just a wire straight from the battery to the box. The ring terminal end on mine was partially broken and hard to see it was almost broken in half. I just made a replacement for it with what I had lying around.

Yep, that's exactly what I'm talking about, and it certainly looks like just a wire on mine. Then again, the clamps and terminations at the clamps are quite clearly not stock (and are pretty lousy). If it's just a wire, that's fine -- I'll pull it, step up to thicker wire, and solder + crimp a proper ring on it and reterminate it inside the fuse box. Probably do the same for the other cables as well either while I'm at it or shortly after. I've got a hunch that this will fix it, but since I've already ordered terminals for the starter and a new plunger I'll swap those out too.

I just don't want to swap in another wire if there's supposed to be a proper fusible link there -- I'd rather get the right link and drop it in. Of course, with the dealership seemingly ignorant of the part, I'm at a bit of an impasse: either they don't have the info right, or there were '99s that have just a wire there. Or I'm not understanding/misidentifying something -- can't rule myself out as a failure point.

 

[TheDurk]

My '99 has its factory cables and they are straight copper. The only 'fusible links' are the bigass fuses in the box. Here is a how-to on changing them:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/118678-how-replace-fusible-links-w-pics.html

This is confirmed by my 1999 paper EWD and the EPD. Here is the listing from the EPD when I search on 'fusible':

82210C FUSIBLE LINK
90982-08202 60A, TERMINAL:MALE 1
90982-08254 120A, TERMINAL:MALE, TAIHEIYO 1
90982-08274 120A, TERMINAL:MALE, YAZAKI 1
90982-08280 30A, TERMINAL:FEMALE, YAZAKI 1
90982-08281 40A, TERMINAL:FEMALE, YAZAKI 1
90982-08282 50A, TERMINAL:FEMALE, YAZAKI 2
90982-08283 30A, TERMINAL:FEMALE, TAIHEIYO 1
90982-08284 40A, TERMINAL:FEMALE, TAIHEIYO 1
90982-08285 50A, TERMINAL:FEMALE, TAIHEIYO 2

Those are all located in the fuse box and are what I call bigass fuses, not the wire kind.

So defunk.

Now, on the sensor issue. Look at the Emissions label on the underside of the hood. In the top left corner, right under where it says Engine Family.

If it says something like: SFI, A/F, TWC(2), HOS....it's a Cali and you need two cats and a Air/Fuel sensor before the cat.

If it says something like: SFI, HOS (2), TWC, it's a Federal, and you need an oxygen sensor before the cat and you only need one of them. If it says TWC+TWC that's still a Federal, that means a two-stage cat in one can.

If you have any doubt, post a pic.

Dealers are idiots.