Newbie idiot. 1987 4runner electrical short.

2

2soon4hoon

New member
Hello, just thought id get that out of the way up front. Not sure how the forum works but on some forums I'm on people can be down right mean. So here goes. Yes I am an idiot. I knew i shouldn't have,.. I've gotten away with it in the past but not this time. I have an 87 4Runner with a 22re non turbo that I have killed due to my vanity. Tried pressure washing my engine bay and although I draped what I thought were the important parts with plastic I have got myself a short somewhere. I have been able to trace it down to the AM1 40A fuse in my fuse panel mounted on the passengers side fender well. The truck started and drove (me to the parts store) fine immediately after the wash but while I was trying to purchase a new top radiator hose my alarm went off. After I disarmed it with the key fob and tried to start it i got nothing. No dash or accessory lights, no buzzer. Poked around and found that the AM1 40A fuse was popped. Immediately Popped each new fuse I tried to install as soon as the posts touched its home. So my question is... what the hell do I do? I need my truck Monday morning and I'm not good with electrical. I dont think its a real option to just try and wait for things to dry out on their own. Please go easy with the expected hazing but please help me un-screw myself. I promise I will never clean my truck again. Randy
 
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Well I spent the day trying to eliminate the things I thought might be the problem but with no luck. I had read that the AM1 40A fuse was responsible for the starter, ignition and accessories. Please tell me if this is incorrect. I also have a few aftermarket things on the truck like an alarm system, auxiliary horns some stereo equipment and a cruse control that quit working years ago. I'm not even entirely sure which of these things are in the same circuit. First I tried taking the horn out of the system but still had a short. then I unplugged the alarm from the switch thinking it was telling the car someone was trying to steal it and killing the system. Nothing, still popped the fuse. Then I unplugged the switch harness under the steering column and nothing. At each step nothing helped. this was all while the key was off and not even in the ignition. The AM1 40 A fuse was still shorting out. I have not tried to bypass the starter yet but I have ran out of light and dont really have a good place to work on her. Through phone calls with friends I was told that I probably have a short somewhere between the key switch and the fuse and that I should open up the wiring harness and inspect for a break in the wiring insulation somewhere. Obviously I am missing something and most likely am doing something wrong or looking in the wrong place. I am feeling terribly defeated. Any thoughts?:help:
 
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2soon4hoon said:
Hello, just thought id get that out of the way up front. Not sure how the forum works but on some forums I'm on people can be down right mean.
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We're all complete *******s here, dumbass.

2soon4hoon said:
Well I spent the day trying to eliminate the things I thought might be the problem but with no luck. I had read that the AM1 40A fuse was responsible for the starter, ignition and accessories. Please tell me if this is incorrect. I also have a few aftermarket things on the truck like an alarm system, auxiliary horns some stereo equipment and a cruse control that quit working years ago. I'm not even entirely sure which of these things are in the same circuit. First I tried taking the horn out of the system but still had a short. then I unplugged the alarm from the switch thinking it was telling the car someone was trying to steal it and killing the system. Nothing, still popped the fuse. Then I unplugged the switch harness under the steering column and nothing. At each step nothing helped. this was all while the key was off and not even in the ignition. The AM1 40 A fuse was still shorting out. I have not tried to bypass the starter yet but I have ran out of light and dont really have a good place to work on her. Through phone calls with friends I was told that I probably have a short somewhere between the key switch and the fuse and that I should open up the wiring harness and inspect for a break in the wiring insulation somewhere. Obviously I am missing something and most likely am doing something wrong or looking in the wrong place. I am feeling terribly defeated. Any thoughts?:help:
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You're on the right track. Maybe a stupid question, but you have looked for water in the fuse box, right?

Check the stickies up top for a link to download the factory service manual. It'll have electrical diagrams in it that will show you what circuits run through that fuse.
 
I'll down load it today. Yes I looked in the fuse box for moisture. Had a light fog on the inside of the lid but nothing looked like it got down in the box. Had the cap off all day with the truck out in the sun. Was suggested to pull the positive leads off the starter and tape them together then see if it pops a fuse to try and take the starter out of the equation also. I have been very careful to put everything back correctly after I test it but in the middle of the night ones mind plays horrible loops and I feel like what if i made things worse. I'm going to try to get the truck towed to a shop here in town but am bracing myself for bad news. Any idea what kind or price range i should expect? There are a few automotive electrical shops with great ratings here in San Jose along with a huge Toyota junk yard that supposedly employes Toyota factory trained and certified mechanics called (the Toy Connection) i think. The owner Jeff seams like a good guy every time I have talked to him. And lets face it they only do Toyota so I am hopeful they could problem solve a ton faster than I am.
 
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Ive never been great at posting pics on forums but here goes.
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So you can see my baby. I'm the second owner and have had it since 91. I love this truck and it kills me to think its end may have been from my own hands.
 
She has been neglected the last 10 years (apartment living/ no garage to perform normal up keep) but I think for a 27 year old truck its beautiful. Now you can see why I'm so gutted. My wife, to her credit has too many wonderful qualities but the love of a classic is not one of them. lol I have told her on many occasions that this truck and I are "till death do us part"... But I better be careful with what I say, she might just kill me.
 
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Ive been un able to find the wiring diagram in the stickeys, looks like "THE MAN" has made it tougher for us to help eachother out. Every link I find is dead. I'm having the truck towed to a shop today and was hoping to be able to hand him a copy of it but it doesent look like I'll be able to. Am I missing a current link somewhere? Thanks
 
Dug through a ton of boxes from our last move (two years ago) and what do you know. I found my near perfect Haynes Manual. Pickups:1979 through 1995 4Runner: 1984 through 1995! I'm gonna scan the wiring harness pages asap and post them under something like "Hot spaghetti". You think if I listed them like that, that they wouldn't get pulled? Just a thought.
 
2soon4hoon said:
Ive been un able to find the wiring diagram in the stickeys, looks like "THE MAN" has made it tougher for us to help eachother out. Every link I find is dead. I'm having the truck towed to a shop today and was hoping to be able to hand him a copy of it but it doesent look like I'll be able to. Am I missing a current link somewhere? Thanks
Click to expand...

No, I guess they're down for good, I can't dig them up either.

Check your PMs. ;)
 
Sooo, towed it to a shop today after I ran out of things to test. SHE'S ALIVE! They tracked it down to a bad wire somewhere in the harness. I'll know more exact details on where it was when I pick it up tomorrow.

Thanks guy's for the advice and PM's.
 
2soon4hoon said:
Dug through a ton of boxes from our last move (two years ago) and what do you know. I found my near perfect Haynes Manual. Pickups:1979 through 1995 4Runner: 1984 through 1995! I'm gonna scan the wiring harness pages asap and post them under something like "Hot spaghetti". You think if I listed them like that, that they wouldn't get pulled? Just a thought.
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Like ^^^, we're all ***holes here, Dumb a$$! [Just kidding :)]

Sorry, came to the party late. Clean Runner!
Just have the schematic handy, or post "UNLISTED" on photobucket as needed.

And make sure to pick up a multi-meter. Next to our senses (including common), that's the most useful diagnostic tool for simple trucks.

Also, whwn you get the chance,
Inspect wires for other potential shorts, and try to understand what part of the circuit the alarm interrupts.
 
Electrical issues are sometimes brutal and it sounds like you have a good shop that was quick in finding the issue. That should reduce the pain ($$$). Very nice truck!
Please post where they found the short.
 
Well picked her up today and she runs great. Said they had to dig these out of a section of the harness. The white wire was fused to the black one. The white went to the stator and the other is a ground for the (Starter....or alternator?) The reason I waiver is because while I swear he said starter he also said after he replaced the both wires he re ran the harness so that it didn't run so close to the header. Thing is If I'm not wrong the harness that supplies the starter is on the opposite side of the engine. It was a busy night after work so I haven't even had a chance to pop the hood and poke around but you know I will tomorrow. I'll clarify when I get a bit more info.

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Good deal. That looks like something beyond just what a powerwash would do, am I wrong? So maybe the powerwash had little to nothing to do with it?

I hear ya on that though. My BIL tried to get me to powerwash the engine bay of my '90 22RE and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Plus I get a little extra gratification from sticking my hand all over the dirty spots and gouging my hands up on everything:D

Like you, my wife's appreciation of classics is for naught. She has been against this one ever since the 1st day I brought it home and it died for a moment (found the issue recently, no biggie). She's has even talked about keeping around a spare vehicle for when this one bites the dust. The woman is incredible, just wants the newer thing she doesn't have to think about. I don't know if I'll ever get her to warm up to it, but I'm not giving it up!:fencing:
 
that is one sensationally clean 4runner. i'll give you $4K for it sight unseen. lol.

glad the electrical problem appears to be diagnosed, but you shouldn't give up on it so easily in the future. you seemed ready to send it on its way for what in reality is a two-dollar repair.

i am very happy with my '87. my wife wasn't excited about it, either, but i've always had old vehicles, and i put lots of miles on them. i've put over 20K miles on it in the last year. the '87 replaced my old '95 subaru, which i had for 15 years and put 250K miles on (299K total). i'm far more confident about driving the '87 cross country than i would be with a 10 year old vehicle. it may not be as fancy, or cushy, or fast (22re), but it is reliable with regular maintenance.

don't get so discouraged by a minor electrical issue next time. with a little practice, and reading, and help, you can figure out a lot of those things and fix them reliably. in this case RAD4r is a VERY good resource for most things auto-electrical.

wally
 
Hey guys thanks for the pep talks. I may have embellished its "end" a bit. Beleive me there was never.. ever even a flashing moment that I really thought about getting rid of it. Like I previously said, till death do Us part. If I was being truthful in my posts it was with my limitations with wiring. I know that to some wiring comes as second nature but I have never been in a situation where I need to speak the language. I am actually going to be going over the rest of the wiring looking for potential problem wires and am motivated to get up to speed on my electrical.

I bought this truck when it was 4 years old with 113,000 miles on it and it has over 300,000 on it now even though I have replaced the engine a few transmissions and the friggin clutch cylindar every other week. I cannnot impress upon my wife enough that driving a truck for over 20 years without a car payment is imesurably cheaper than a new car payment, greater insurance and registration. Even she likes to keep cars for 10 years so I have at least saved the cost of two new cars. There is no way in hell that I have dumped more than10 grand into everything I have had to replace in that time so maybe I could ask if I could put the differance into my 4Runner instead?
 
i'm with you on the no monthly payments thing, and the low insurance/registration. other than paying cash for my runner last year, i've had no other car payments for over 14 years. i like that. my insurance is cheap, and registration is peanuts (3 of my vehicles combined cost less than $100) compared to several hundred for a new one.

you have to ask to maintain your vehicle, or add things to it? i feel sorry for you. my wife doesn't always like the things i buy for my vehicles, but she never complains about them. she knows that if i buy it, i probably need it anyway.
 
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