There is a loose wire attached to the engine block near the alternator . Any ideas where the other end should be attached? Thanks!
1976 FJ40 - Black Wire On Engine Block Inquiry (1 Viewer)
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
samatulich
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #3
Hey - thanks for the reference. It notes that the condenser is for noise suppression. If the black wire is not connected and to the ignition coil, would that cause my engine fuse (15A) to blow? My engine fuse keeps blowing when I turn the key on even though the engine starts, and runs fine. Thanks again.
samatulich
SILVER Star
I would check that everything related to the starter and ignition is grounded properly. Including that little condenser.
I had a similar issue, but I honestly can't remember what the cause was and how I fixed it. I did install a @Coolerman fusible link, which negated the the auto zone inline fuse that I used for a minute. Maybe that was my cause and remedy for blowing the fuse on start ups. Hope that helps
I had a similar issue, but I honestly can't remember what the cause was and how I fixed it. I did install a @Coolerman fusible link, which negated the the auto zone inline fuse that I used for a minute. Maybe that was my cause and remedy for blowing the fuse on start ups. Hope that helps
dmaddox
SILVER Star
If you're blowing the engine fuse but it starts, that is a short somewhere, ie. a positive wire grounding. Likely a black with yellow stripe somewhere between the fuse block and the engine bay.
I know....vague, but you either have a +12V wire (BY) hooked into a ground, or one of your BY wires is grounding. Start at your ignition coil, hunt around for any BY wires (there should be a few, verify on a 1976 diagram) ensure they are plugged in correctly. (It could be your BY condenser wire?). Then, start at your fuse block with a flash light and follow the harness back towards the engine bay looking for any shorts, exposed wires or places where wires may be rubbing (passing through the firewall).
The ol' gremlins. Takes some time but VERY satisfying to solve.
cheers from NY
I know....vague, but you either have a +12V wire (BY) hooked into a ground, or one of your BY wires is grounding. Start at your ignition coil, hunt around for any BY wires (there should be a few, verify on a 1976 diagram) ensure they are plugged in correctly. (It could be your BY condenser wire?). Then, start at your fuse block with a flash light and follow the harness back towards the engine bay looking for any shorts, exposed wires or places where wires may be rubbing (passing through the firewall).
The ol' gremlins. Takes some time but VERY satisfying to solve.
cheers from NY
- Thread starter
- #6
Dmaddox - These 3 wires were not connected to anything when I removed my harness to inspect/rewrap it. Should the yellow/black with the bullet connector be connected to anything? Thanks!
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
The black/yellow wire is the igniter resister ground. The resister is there to provide a little extra for starting, but isn't used after that. I'd bet that's why your fuse is blowing.
The black wire is the condenser lead. The igniter itself is grounded by the large screw next to the condenser.
The black wire is the condenser lead. The igniter itself is grounded by the large screw next to the condenser.
dmaddox
SILVER Star
Just to verify, not trying to be a pest.... I don't think any black/yellow are ground. Grounds are typically white/black.
From 1976 note, the black/yellow off the igniter is POSITIVE to the resistor, then to starter from battery: (the ballast resister does nothing more than control over current through the ignition system, which may be another reason why the fuse is blowing, not running a resister on the ignition system)
From 1976 note, the black/yellow off the igniter is POSITIVE to the resistor, then to starter from battery: (the ballast resister does nothing more than control over current through the ignition system, which may be another reason why the fuse is blowing, not running a resister on the ignition system)
dmaddox
SILVER Star
...now that I think of it, that might be exactly why your fuse is blowing....and yet your starter keeps rolling. You need a ballast resister to control the amps back through the ignition system. Without one, you're hitting that circuit with ?? amps....thus popping the fuse.
- Thread starter
- #10
Malleus - so what should the yellow/black wire with bullet connector be connected to?
I appreciate your assistance...I thought the ballast resister was in front of the igniter on top of the coil (see image).
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
Your annotations are correct.
The condenser (Black) lead is connected to the Black/Yellow lead from the ballast resister. I have verified this both on my truck and with the 1977 EWD.
- Thread starter
- #12
Malleus - my condenser lead is blue as show in the image. Can you show me a pic of your coil/igniter/ballast resister connections? Thanks!
dmaddox
SILVER Star
Your blue condenser wire is the positive lead on it - which plugs into the black/yellow.
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
Tim, the color is irrelevant; some a re black (mine is). The Black/Yellow wire from the ballast resister goes to the condenser.
You need to understand what these pieces do in order to understand how to connect them. The coil is a transformer, which steps up the voltage from the source (battery or alternator) to the spark plugs, so they can fry the gas in the cylinder. Unfortunately, it takes more power to start the ignition process than it does to keep it going. (Newton was on to something there)
In order to have only one coil (transformer) in the ignition system, Toyota added a resister inline, downstream of the coil, to make the spark a little hotter. This makes starting easier on the starter, because the engine catches quicker. Once it's running, the resister isn't doing anything special.
The caveat to all this high voltage action is that the inrush of current associated with it isn't "smooth", that is to say it kind of gushes, the way the water does coming out of a long hose when the hose is coiled and empty. (I'm all about water analogies in electricity) The condenser is a capacitor, and it does what capacitors do: it stores energy. In this case, the inrush is hard on the points contact surfaces; sometimes it's really hot and sometimes it's not. This results in burned points and lower life. To prevent this, Toyota added a condenser to the circuit, downstream of the coil/resister to "smooth" out the energy flow. The condenser allows a regulated amount of energy to the points, so they always see pretty much the same "heat".
Later model (and Pertronix) coils don't have the resister and condenser. The resister is built into the coil case and the condenser isn't necessary, because they replaced the points.
HTH
I'll try to get you a photo when I get a minute.
You need to understand what these pieces do in order to understand how to connect them. The coil is a transformer, which steps up the voltage from the source (battery or alternator) to the spark plugs, so they can fry the gas in the cylinder. Unfortunately, it takes more power to start the ignition process than it does to keep it going. (Newton was on to something there)
In order to have only one coil (transformer) in the ignition system, Toyota added a resister inline, downstream of the coil, to make the spark a little hotter. This makes starting easier on the starter, because the engine catches quicker. Once it's running, the resister isn't doing anything special.
The caveat to all this high voltage action is that the inrush of current associated with it isn't "smooth", that is to say it kind of gushes, the way the water does coming out of a long hose when the hose is coiled and empty. (I'm all about water analogies in electricity) The condenser is a capacitor, and it does what capacitors do: it stores energy. In this case, the inrush is hard on the points contact surfaces; sometimes it's really hot and sometimes it's not. This results in burned points and lower life. To prevent this, Toyota added a condenser to the circuit, downstream of the coil/resister to "smooth" out the energy flow. The condenser allows a regulated amount of energy to the points, so they always see pretty much the same "heat".
Later model (and Pertronix) coils don't have the resister and condenser. The resister is built into the coil case and the condenser isn't necessary, because they replaced the points.
HTH
I'll try to get you a photo when I get a minute.
The condenser is trying to ground "noise".
I had a Ford one time that had a constant wine in the stereo, kept being told to add a condenser and tried several times with no success (probably did it wrong... I was 16...).
But for troubleshooting purposes, you oughta be able to unplug and remove it, make sure any wire to it left exposed it insulated from ground. Might give your radio an annoying wizzing sound, but probably not much more. Unless it's what is broken and just going straight to ground causing the short....
