Light codes: 86 Toy PU

hwcurtice · Mar 6, 2007

Okay. Great day today. Started truck up. Left the house. Got about one block away. Dash board lights up like a Christmas tree. Now the last time this happened, I had lost a belt. This time, all belts are there and tight.

Now to be accurate, not all the dash lights lit up like last time. The three lights that came on are: AT Oil Temp, Oil, and Brake. :wtf: does this mean, other than I ain't driving the rig until payday?

This is why I have a motorcycle too. Great backup. Well, it will be once I get the exhaust repaired.

skrause · Mar 6, 2007

Not sure about the AT stuff, but it's likely just one thing and Toyota's funky wiring is making the other two lights glow. Kind of like the e-brake light and charge light when your alternator isn't charging.

hwcurtice · Mar 6, 2007

skrause said:
Not sure about the AT stuff, but it's likely just one thing and Toyota's funky wiring is making the other two lights glow. Kind of like the e-brake light and charge light when your alternator isn't charging.

mmm. I'll have to go and check when I get home. I don't think the Alt light came on, but it may have along with the other four.

Stay tuned. Home isn't for another 9 hours.

hwcurtice · Mar 6, 2007

hwcurtice said:
mmm. I'll have to go and check when I get home. I don't think the Alt light came on, but it may have along with the other four.

Stay tuned. Home isn't for another 9 hours.

Ya know, I am asking because I am not good at diagnosing electrical issues. I'm really hoping someone will give me some ideas as to what to look for. Easy ones, before I call a tow in to drag it into the local shop. Or before I just dig in and tear the rig apart.

Not really looking forward to that.

skrause · Mar 6, 2007

I said "kind of like" :flipoff: Start with your transmission, make sure it's got enough fluid and that it's not burnt. If that looks ok check it's temp sensor.

hwcurtice · Mar 6, 2007

skrause said:
I said "kind of like" :flipoff: Start with your transmission, make sure it's got enough fluid and that it's not burnt. If that looks ok check it's temp sensor.

Okay, home at last and I'm going to check the actual lights, and the tranny, as suggested by skrause.

Wish me luck.

If anyone wants to come over and help, let me know by PM.

hwcurtice · Mar 6, 2007

OKay, actual lights on dash are AT Oil Temp, Charge, and Brake.

Fluid is right at the 'Cool' mark. Is frothy upon pulling the stick out. Does not smell 'burnt. Checked while engine running.

Ideas?

hwcurtice · Mar 6, 2007

Did some searching, and this is what I found on About.com:

Toyota Truck Dash Warning Lights On

Q. I have a 1990 Toyota 4x4 truck with a 22RE fuel injected four cylinder. Tonight all of the sudden the A/T transmission temperature light came on along with the battery and brake lights. The fluid level is fine so I have no idea what is going on. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as my fiancÃ© and I are getting ready to drive several hundred miles in a week.

Thanks,
Tommy
Toyota Truck Dash Warning Lights On

A. This is being caused by a bad diode in the alternator. When tested it will probably still be charging normally, but the dash warning lights will come on. There will be no harm in driving it like this, but you won't know if the alternator stops charging until it's too late.

Replacing the alternator will correct this problem.

So, what do you think? Payday gets me a new alternator?

skrause · Mar 7, 2007

Ya, check battery for charging with a volt meter. Sounds like alternator brushes if you ask me. Pop that sucker open and see before replacing it, new brushes are cheap. The diodes rarely go bad.

hwcurtice · Mar 7, 2007

skrause said:
Ya, check battery for charging with a volt meter. Sounds like alternator brushes if you ask me. Pop that sucker open and see before replacing it, new brushes are cheap. The diodes rarely go bad.

I'm going to go for the new alternator fix, after a charging system check, of course. I don't have a voltmeter, nor know how to use one. I can watch real well though...

Not quite that mechanically advanced for replacing brushes. Unless someone wants to volunteer to show me?

Dang, I need to find a close by shop to have the charging system checked. Any thoughts for Sultan? No, not as a town. For a shop to do a charging system check.

skrause · Mar 7, 2007

hwcurtice said:
I'm going to go for the new alternator fix, after a charging system check, of course. I don't have a voltmeter, nor know how to use one. I can watch real well though...

Not quite that mechanically advanced for replacing brushes. Unless someone wants to volunteer to show me?

Dang, I need to find a close by shop to have the charging system checked. Any thoughts for Sultan? No, not as a town. For a shop to do a charging system check.

I think there's an old writeup on 4x4wire.com or offroad.com, easy and CHEAP fix. Trust me, you don't want a parts store "rebuilt" alt. Chances are it has old brushes in it still and will die quickly. Been there dealt with that.

hwcurtice · Mar 8, 2007

Okay, I'm not rich, but I am also streched for time. So no one shoot me for this.

Decided last night to take the rig in to get the charging system checked. Drove it in to the place I had the belts replaced, and funny thing, I think I was running on battery only. Wipers were really slow, headlights dim, dash lights dimmer than normal. My thought: Alternator was not charging the battery, and not putting out enough juice to power anything else. When I got to Monroe, the radio died. What I mean is, I wasn't running the radio, but the face plate screen, blinked out a few times.

So, I'm thinking the alternator is dead. I don't have time to replace it myself, and I really don't want to get into rebuilding one, at this time.

Okay Shawn, fire away....

skrause · Mar 8, 2007

hwcurtice said:
Okay Shawn, fire away....

Who's Shawn? :flipoff:

hwcurtice · Mar 8, 2007

skrause said:
Who's Shawn? :flipoff:

Crap... Shawn... Shane.... ::Closes eyes:: Nope, can't tell the difference...

Oops...

skrause · Mar 8, 2007

So do you still need help finding info or what? What's your plan of attack? Fix it or replace it? If you have to have it up and running to drive to work or whatever you're probably better off replacing it if you're not comfortable with tearing it open and doing a little soldering.

Arnold · Mar 8, 2007

If you buy the brushes from a Toyota dealer no soldering is necessary. It's pretty much plug and play.

skrause · Mar 8, 2007

Arnold said:
If you buy the brushes from a Toyota dealer no soldering is necessary. It's pretty much plug and play.

True, but they'll probably have to be ordered.

hwcurtice · Mar 8, 2007

Final plan of attack.

Just got the truck back from the shop. Only real problem is, my cab smells like an ashtray... Yes, I will talk to the guy. I understand smokers working on my truck, but being inside enough to make it reek like that? YUCK!

uke:

uke:

Other than that, everything is working as it should. Gonna drive into work tomorrow in my rig, not the wife's.

84Toyota4x4 · Mar 8, 2007

Put an alternator in it already, haha. If I wasnt so damn busy I would come do it with ya. Kind of a pain if you dont have a body lift though, I think you have to pull the lower coolant hose.

On my truck with the body lift, I can wiggle it out, although you have to hold it just right and stretch the engine around it to get it out. I have power steering too though.

~T.J.

84Toyota4x4 · Mar 8, 2007

hwcurtice said:
Final plan of attack.

Just got the truck back from the shop. Only real problem is, my cab smells like an ashtray... Yes, I will talk to the guy. I understand smokers working on my truck, but being inside enough to make it reek like that? YUCK!uke: uke: uke:

Other than that, everything is working as it should. Gonna drive into work tomorrow in my rig, not the wife's.

So what did they do? Oh, did you check the battery cables?

~T.J.