1970 FJ40 Ground Questions (1 Viewer)

[stoshzack]

Hi All -

I had some electrical gremlins with my FJ40. Cleaned the fuse block and that cleared up a lot of issues. Two remaining questions:
1) My dash blinkers will not work. Is this just a matter of cleaning the blinker housings to get a solid ground connection to the metal dash?
2). Only one headlight works. How do I ensure the non-working has a solid ground to the body?

Thanks for any help

 

[want2wheel]

I would use a multi meter and check resistance between the ground on the light and the battery.

 

[thebigredrocker]

Blinkers
Had the same blinker issue on my 71. I popped mine out cleaned everthing up and now they work. You probably know this but you can use a couple gator clips on your battery to test the bulbs. For sure scuff up the bulb base and light socket.

Headlight.
Quick test would be again use a black test wire with gator clip ends to bare metal or battery - for your temporary ground. Your headlight ground wire should be a WB(white/black). Then a red gator clip from battery + to either RY(red/yellow) or RG(red green). Obviously, turn your headlight switch on once test connections are established. If the bulb is good then it's a dirty connection somewhere.

 

[thebigredrocker]

I assume you have a 3 wire connection like my 71. They ground through the harness.

 

[stoshzack]

Thanks @thebigredrocker and @want2wheel

Thebigredrocker - I'll try those fixes tomorrow. Thanks for the detailed explanation

 

[DSRTRDR]

make sure you have the correct bulbs in the dash blinkers - yes, they ground through the housing making contact with the dash itself

 

[stoshzack]

Thanks @DSRTRDR - is there a place that lists the exact bulb types for the dash indicators?

Also, I pulled the instrument cluster to clean the indicator surfaces and found this (yellow arrow indicates the issues). I have a green/yellow line that is broken. I looked at @Coolerman 1971 electrical diagram, but still not sure what this is suppose to connect to. It comes off the main wiring harness right next to the four wheel drive indicator. It looks like it would connect to another indicator. Anyone know what this goes to?

 

[texasgreenhead]

Thanks @DSRTRDR - is there a place that lists the exact bulb types for the dash indicators?

Also, I pulled the instrument cluster to clean the indicator surfaces and found this (yellow arrow indicates the issues). I have a green/yellow line that is broken. I looked at @Coolerman 1971 electrical diagram, but still not sure what this is suppose to connect to. It comes off the main wiring harness right next to the four wheel drive indicator. It looks like it would connect to another indicator. Anyone know what this goes to?
View attachment 1405690

That is the ground wire to the FW drive light. That light does not rely on the dash as a ground. Had mine do the same thing this weekend. Just strip & re-solder the wire to the outside of the bulb housing.

 

[stoshzack]

Thanks @texasgreenhead - I never would have figured that out