Relays/Gadgets - What is this one?

[lostmarbles]

First my question: - What is this "electrical gadget" that is hanging from my wiring here: (The round silver thingie".)



It is in the passenger floorwell area of my RHD BJ40 and would normally be hidden by that big rectangular plastic duct that connects the "blower unit" to the "heater unit". (This duct is removed for the photo.)

I'm fairly sure I can read the word "relay" on it and it has numbers that look like 80987-02001.

While I'm at it, I might as well post photos of the relays/gadgets that I can now identify (in case it helps others).

Here is my "blinker relay" for my turn signals. It is located between my brake pedal and accelerator pedal:



And here are my "Glow Plug Relay" and "Start Relay". Like my "mystery gadget", they are normally hidden by that big plastic duct in the passenger floorwell area. But they are just to the left of that mystery gadget.

 

[lostmarbles]

And here is my EDIC relay. It is "squashed" into a really narrow gap between my glovebox and the LH door pillar:



And here is my "low/poor vacuum alarm" sounder. It is above - and slightly to the right of - my "blinker relay":




As I mentioned at the start - if anyone can help me identify that mystery relay/gadget - I'd really appreciate it.

 

[lostmarbles]

Oh - And here's another photo of the "driver's footwell area" that give a good idea of the relative positions of everything over that side:

 

[brownbear]

post the part number and I will run it in the EPC to see what it says...

 

[rodcarolino]

my guess its the headlight or parking light relay

 

[lostmarbles]

post the part number and I will run it in the EPC to see what it says...

Thanks Brownbear.

I have the "Toyota EPC" myself but I haven't yet figured out how to do a search on a part number. (I must have another go.)

As I mentioned in my first post, I think the part number reads: 80987-02001 - but as you can see in the photo - even the first number is smudged.

I don't want to pull it off the wiring to inspect it close-up because experience has taught me that I can damage things by being inquisitive like that.

 

[lostmarbles]

my guess its the headlight or parking light relay

Hey - I never thought of that.

So I just went out and turned the lights on - But the only sound I hear comes from the "push-pull" headlight switch itself. I had my hand touching that "round silver thingie" at the same time and couldn't feel any "click" either. ( Although the plastic duct is back in place now - so getting at it is not easy. So at least I T-H-I-N-K I had my finger on it.)


I've never come across any wiring diagram that is specific to my vehicle so I don't really know how it is wired up. The only one I can refer to is a "1981 BJ40 - USA and CANADA diagram" in my Toyota Manual. This does show a "dimmer switch" and "dimmer relay". (Did they mean to say "Dip Switch" and "Dip Relay"?). I certainly have a manual dip switch (on the steering column) but I've never identified any "headlight relay" thus far and have been assuming my headlights are "turned on and dipped" directly (without the use of any relay).

It would be nice to be able to identify everything connected into my wiring. For the moment, this is the only item I can't identify. (As well as helping myself, I could use these photos in the future when people are trying to locate things on their wagons. - Provided of course theirs is a RHD 12V BJ4# like mine.)

Thanks for your help.

 

[lostmarbles]

Eureka! I've found it - I've found it! (Or at least I think I have.)

Had another play with the Toyota EPC and did a search on the word "relay" (because I can definitely read that word on the "dangly round silver thingie").

I found a part number 90987-02001 listed as a "bulb check relay" . This was apparently installed on my model cruiser from April 1979 till July 1980 so I think I've "hit the nail on the head" here.

(That first number was "smudged" so my "8" and could easily be a "9".)

But what the hell is a "bulb check relay"

Perhaps I can check all my bulbs by just pushing some button that's been lying hidden somewhere for the last 30 years.

This is getting EXCITING!

 

[Henry James the 47th]

Yessir, you hit the nail on the head, it is a bulb check relay, and I think they are more particular to ARL-spec. 40's than 40's from other regions.

There are two types of those round cylindrical relays that I've seen in 1980's LandCruisers, one labeled 'M3' and the other 'M4'. 60 series trucks have from two to four of them mounted in a plastic relay pod along with the flasher and wiper relays.

As to what a 'bulb check' relay does exactly is something i am also a bit puzzled about. I am guessing it allows current to switch when there is continuity through the lighting circuit, but I really not sure. Someone out there will know.

By the way, where/when did you source the new glow relay? They are no longer available out of Japan.

 

[brownbear]

why not have a look at the colours of the wires and see if they look like they match up with the alternator charge lamps relay...... When the alt fails to charge there is a relay to turn on the light.

The wire colours and some time in the wiring diagram might clear.

 

[lostmarbles]

Yessir, you hit the nail on the head, it is a bulb check relay, and I think they are more particular to ARL-spec. 40's than 40's from other regions.

There are two types of those round cylindrical relays that I've seen in 1980's LandCruisers, one labeled 'M3' and the other 'M4'. 60 series trucks have from two to four of them mounted in a plastic relay pod along with the flasher and wiper relays.

As to what a 'bulb check' relay does exactly is something i am also a bit puzzled about. I am guessing it allows current to switch when there is continuity through the lighting circuit, but I really not sure. Someone out there will know........

Thanks HJ.

If this thread is unsuccessful in finding out exactly what it does, perhaps I will post the question again in a more widely-read forum - like the 40 -55 series forum. (It seems like it is not diesel-specific and I'm perhaps more likely to get an answer there.)

.....By the way, where/when did you source the new glow relay? They are no longer available out of Japan.

I don't know why some parts of my wagon look so new. That glow plug relay is 30 years old like most other things on my wagon. I think lack of air pollution (compared to major cities overseas) has something to do with it. Some used vehicles (under 10 years old too) that arrive here from Japan show tarnishing on everything. - Even on plated/aluminium parts (like those relays) where they are well-protected from the weather!

Sorry to raise your hopes that Toyota New Zealand may have a secret supply of 40series relays tucked away in these far-flung reaches.

 

[lostmarbles]

why not have a look at the colours of the wires and see if they look like they match up with the alternator charge lamps relay...... When the alt fails to charge there is a relay to turn on the light.

The wire colours and some time in the wiring diagram might clear.

But I don't have any light that comes on to show when my alternator isn't charging Brownbear.

(My memory plays tricks on me sometimes. And I'm at work right now so I can't double-check by looking at my dash. But I'm pretty sure I don't have one of those charge lights. I've got only that ammeter - the needle-of-which barely ever moves.)

 

[Henry James the 47th]

A "bulb check relay" is not the same thing as a "charge lamp relay" - no 40 series, as far as I know, ever came with a 'charge' warning light, just an ammeter in the gauge cluster. The wiring for the ammeter is pretty simple: one line goes directly to the main output wire, usu. black, from the alternator (terminal 'B'), joining just in front of the fusible link at the battery (you may have 2 or 3 links, depending upon the model and year, and options). The other wire, usu. white-green stripe, connects to the other side of the fusible link, between the link and the battery. If your ammeter is barely working, then you may wish to test your fusible link. Also, both wires coming from the ammeter pass through individual inline 5 a. fuses, so you may wish to check those as well. Or, the meter itself may be pooched, or the alternator output is below normal.

 

[lostmarbles]

....If your ammeter is barely working, then you may wish to test your fusible link. Also, both wires coming from the ammeter pass through individual inline 5 a. fuses, so you may wish to check those as well. Or, the meter itself may be pooched, or the alternator output is below normal........

Thanks for this excellent advice HJ.

"Fixing" my ammeter is low priority at the moment but I will bear your advice in mind whenever/if it rises to the top of my priority list. (I don't think the solution is likely to be simple for me because my meter does "twitch" when I turn my hazards or flick my headlights on. And I know my alternator is charging well. And other 40 series cruisers in this part of the world seemed to have "left the factory" with the same problem.)

 

[Henry James the 47th]

I am in the process of hooking up the bulb check relay in my truck. I can tell you what the 4 wires do:

black-white stripe: this is the switching wire fort he relay and comes from the ignition switch, position 'ST'.

red-white stripe: this is connected into the assorted brake system warning components (vac. reservoir s/w, parking brake s/w, brake fluid reservoir switch). This is effectively the power wire in the relay.

-two white-black stripe wires: grounds

It would seem that power is fed from the ignition switch to the relay, and if there is a problem in the brake warning circuit somewhere, the black-white stripe wire is grounded.

I'm not totally certain of my conclusions however, as electrical stuff is not my strong suit.

 

[watrob]

I am in the process of hooking up the bulb check relay in my truck. I can tell you what the 4 wires do:

black-white stripe: this is the switching wire fort he relay and comes from the ignition switch, position 'ST'.

red-white stripe: this is connected into the assorted brake system warning components (vac. reservoir s/w, parking brake s/w, brake fluid reservoir switch). This is effectively the power wire in the relay.

-two white-black stripe wires: grounds

It would seem that power is fed from the ignition switch to the relay, and if there is a problem in the brake warning circuit somewhere, the black-white stripe wire is grounded.

I'm not totally certain of my conclusions however, as electrical stuff is not my strong suit.

Henry,

Have a look around that bulb check relay, there should be a cap on one of the plugs close by, its the diode to ground I think.

My FJ is up at the beach house but does it form part of the bulb check sysytem?

 

[lostmarbles]

Thanks for the replies HJ and Watrob.

I looked at them last night in the hope of finding something "intelligent" to say that would "wrap this thing up". But it eluded me then the same as it eludes me now.

Not surprising it eludes me now though. I didn't get home till 1am - and then only to get a text message to pick up my son from downtown where he had been playing (drummer) in his band. (The rest of the band were "crashing" in the nightclub itself but he had to go to Varsity (Americans call it "college" I think) this morning. And I was back up at 7.30am this morning too. - This lack of sleep is "not healthy living" for us old folks - I tell you! I'll need a double-dose of vitamins now!

But I am working on trying to find something "conclusive" to add. Just don't hold your breath for it!


PS. This is the "mark II" version of this post because I lost all of the longer "markI" version because the MUD computer "timed me out" before I could hit "reply". You know you're tired when things like that happen!

 

[Henry James the 47th]

Henry,

Have a look around that bulb check relay, there should be a cap on one of the plugs close by, its the diode to ground I think.

My FJ is up at the beach house but does it form part of the bulb check sysytem?

It makes sense that there would be a diode in this bulb-check system - I'll take a closer look at my FSM tomorrow to see if an inline diode is shown, and if so, I'll wire one in to my in-construction harness. I've got one already installed for the sedimenter circuit, and have plenty of spare diodes, so it will be straightforward to add it if need be. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Henry James the 47th]

PS. This is the "mark II" version of this post because I lost all of the longer "markI" version because the MUD computer "timed me out" before I could hit "reply". You know you're tired when things like that happen!

don't ya hate it when that happens :whoops:

 

[Henry James the 47th]

Back to that diode Waltrob mentioned. I looked at the 1981 FSM (August 1980) diagrams for various 40 series models:

-Bj40 (USA and Canada) shows the diode in the brake light warning system.
-BJ40, BJ43, & HJ47 series shows relay for Australia, otherwise neither diode nor relay indicated in association with the brake warning light system
-FJ40 & FJ43; bulb check relay for Australia again, and as above, neither system indicated for other areas
-FJ40 (USA & Canada) shows diode only

The only time the diode shows up is when the relay is absent. It seems like neither system is crucial to the operation of the vehicle given that it's absent for the world models of BJ40, BJ43, HJ47, FJ40, & FJ43. I imagine that the presence of the relay or the diode related to conforming to local regulations.

So it's one system or the other, but not together in the same harness as part of the brake light warning system. I've got the spare spot on for the relay on the 60 series relay pod I'm using, so I'll go with the relay for my situation I guess.

I wonder why the diode for some markets and the bulb check relay for Australia? What benefit/difference does one system have over the other? I won't be up at night pacing and thinking about it, but I sure would like to know.