HELP!!! I think I screwed up the electronics in my 1991 4runner..

[WildMountainBoy]

My Idler pulley bracket seized up. I was in a pinch and out of $ after buying the new bracket,

So to get my 4runner off the side of the road I took the battery out and put it in my other truck (I only had the 1 battery)

drove back to my 4runner replaced the bracket, jumped it off at the terminals and drove home(about 5mi) on alternator power with out the battery installed.

Now after the battery is back in I have no electronics I checked the fuses and there all fine. Where do I go from here?

 

[Bad_Vision]

you may have fried every electrical wire in your harness. without running a battery your alternator pushed 60amps to every wire in that takes power.
your harness fuzeblock and relays will ALL have to be replaced and your gauge cluster may be toast also.

without the battery as a power isolator 60 amps at all times to your power assembly.
im sorry you just cost yourself at least 500$ in 5 miles.
you never run a vehicle without a battery and im sure you never will again. i am really sorry.

 

[combatmedic]

 

[Bad_Vision]

dont make fun of him because he did something wrong he didnt know and in all respects the fuses should have blown instantly and render the vehicle useless but it didnt becasue toyota didnt place a breaker of main fuse on that power line.

 

[fourwd1]

My Idler pulley bracket seized up. I was in a pinch and out of $ after buying the new bracket,

So to get my 4runner off the side of the road I took the battery out and put it in my other truck (I only had the 1 battery)

drove back to my 4runner replaced the bracket, jumped it off at the terminals and drove home(about 5mi) on alternator power with out the battery installed.

Now after the battery is back in I have no electronics I checked the fuses and there all fine. Where do I go from here?

Make sure you check the fusible links in the engine bay fuse box.
Rectangular things that look like large fuses.

An alternator supplies current, up to 60A/80A (depending on model) under a full load.
It doesn't force current into circuits thereby frying them.

 

[Bad_Vision]

Alternator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[WildMountainBoy]

I had a feeling this was bad news. It made sense at the time that the alternator would run it, and I figured it was worth a shot to try. Looking back I would have rather walked.

Any tips for diagnostics to figure out everything that needs replaced?

 

[Bad_Vision]

well if your lucky only one wire is the issue. i would start by checking the main fuze block for melted wires and other stuff. does the vehicle run right now?

 

[WildMountainBoy]

It ran fine all the way home just a little weak on the top end.

I pulled in the drive way turned it off and put the battery back in.
And there was nothing, no radio door lights, ignition nothing at all when i turn the key.

The battery is fully charged and connected well, but it acts as if there is no battery in it at all.

 

[azshtr]

I'm guessing you blew a fuse or fuses. I'd think you'd smell burning stuff if you fried wires. I'm crossing my fingers for you.

 

[GonOvr]

First, not to test your intelligence but make sure you put the battery in correctly.

Second, test for power and continuity at the am2 fuse under the hood. It should be a 30A (one of the bigger ones). If you dont have power here with the battery hooked up, then its the wire between the fuse block and the battery that is bad. That fuse and wire feeds power to the ignition switch and the efi fuse.

A fuse might be bad without actually looking like it is. Usually a fuse will look blown when you short that circuit to ground.