Yes - another e-locker thread

[geohil]

Sorry to do this y'all but my searching has come up blank. I'm about ready to pull my hair out. Here is the deal. Broke the ring gear in my rear end about a year ago. Figured I'd take the opportunity to switch to 4.88 gears. Had it done professionally and now that it is re-assembled I cannot get the locker to turn on.
After reading on all the forum post I’ve run 3 volts directly to the locker and the locker engages and disengages as proved by a wheel spin and even the dash lights stop blinking. After that I thought there was a break in one of the wires so I re-ran all 7 wires just to check. Result is the locker button will disable the ABS but no mater how many slow turns forward or back the locker will never engage.
Additionally I’ve tried grounding out the speed sensor wire on the 4wd computer, AND even though I’ve had the grey wire mod done for 5+ years I even tried reversing that and engaging in 4 wheel low.
I want to get my 3rd gen sold – but I know value will go way down if the locker doesn’t work. Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[geohil]

This has nothing to do with this thread - but let me say we should all appreciate the knowledge we have here on T4R. I picked up a supercharged Tundra to replace my 3rd gen only because we have a 6000lbs boat to haul and I've joined 3 forums and no one could even answer an ADD differential question. Much more tech savvy people on the T4R side. So huge thank-you to you guys.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

Man, I feel your pain. I chased a non-locking locker with my '97, and I about pulled my hair out too. Probably not the same solution as mine was, but maybe I can help.

I re-ran all 7 wires just to check.

Can you elaborate on this?
On my '97, the locker worked without issue several times. One day, it just quit. I went over EVERYTHING. I pulled the actuator apart several times, I even opened up the ECU so I could test it with it plugged in. If you have a basic understanding of electronics, have a multimeter, and have a wiring diagram, opening up the ECU is actually a pretty good place to start.
Do the relays in the ECU click when you lock and unlock the locker?
My issue ended up being a dead wire in the pigtail between the body harness and the diff. It's a cable assembly. It wasn't damaged in any physical way, so I have no idea how one of the wires "went dead". I was at my wits-end, and decided to check continuity on each wire in the pigtail. One didn't have continuity. It was the weirdest thing, but that was the issue.

 

[rkntoy]

I was going to say check the 4x4 ECU and work from there since you replaced all the wires back to the locker.

 

[geohil]

Man, I feel your pain. I chased a non-locking locker with my '97, and I about pulled my hair out too. Probably not the same solution as mine was, but maybe I can help.

Can you elaborate on this?
On my '97, the locker worked without issue several times. One day, it just quit. I went over EVERYTHING. I pulled the actuator apart several times, I even opened up the ECU so I could test it with it plugged in. If you have a basic understanding of electronics, have a multimeter, and have a wiring diagram, opening up the ECU is actually a pretty good place to start.
Do the relays in the ECU click when you lock and unlock the locker?
My issue ended up being a dead wire in the pigtail between the body harness and the diff. It's a cable assembly. It wasn't damaged in any physical way, so I have no idea how one of the wires "went dead". I was at my wits-end, and decided to check continuity on each wire in the pigtail. One didn't have continuity. It was the weirdest thing, but that was the issue.

After finding this picture - my bypass wires that I was going to explain to you were all wrong. I do have a multi-meter and decent understanding of electronics so checking each component may be exactly what I need. Where did you find the schematic?

 

[geohil]

I was going to say check the 4x4 ECU and work from there since you replaced all the wires back to the locker.

Apparently I need to re-check them again. Along with the ECU.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

First of all- are the relays in your ECU clicking with the button actuation?

Where did you find the schematic?

Unfortunately, I found ZERO information on how the ECU actually works. The most helpful info I found was the factory EWD.
Here's my troubleshooting thread-
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/233937-my-wits-end-my-locker.html
And a thread I'm sure you've already looked at-
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...r-troubleshooting-|-bigfishallday-quoted.html
Factory EWD in the thread above are for Tacoma, so colors will vary.

 

[geohil]

First of all- are the relays in your ECU clicking with the button actuation?


Unfortunately, I found ZERO information on how the ECU actually works. The most helpful info I found was the factory EWD.
Here's my troubleshooting thread-
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/233937-my-wits-end-my-locker.html
And a thread I'm sure you've already looked at-
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...r-troubleshooting-|-bigfishallday-quoted.html
Factory EWD in the thread above are for Tacoma, so colors will vary.

I can hear the relay when the ABS is shut off. I don't recall if I remember hearing any more when it used to work?

And yes - even the pic I posed above is from one of those posts. Very frustrating! Close to just ordering a cable conversion.

 

[amalik]

This has nothing to do with this thread - but let me say we should all appreciate the knowledge we have here on T4R. I picked up a supercharged Tundra to replace my 3rd gen only because we have a 6000lbs boat to haul and I've joined 3 forums and no one could even answer an ADD differential question. Much more tech savvy people on the T4R side. So huge thank-you to you guys.

Honestly, I mainly drive a Civic and then my wife's Acura RDX together as a fam with the kids. But, I haven't junked or sold my 97' 4runner yet only because of T4R and the depth of knowledge that exists on this site. Just being honest. I know that even when its parked, whatever issues it could EVER go through, will be be on this forum and already answered in depth, and hell, probably a write-up or 3 to go with it.

I can't say the same for the Civic or RDX; can barely find any info online on either minus some DIY's here and there. It's freaking pathetic.