1983 FJ60 Battery Died - Not Charging and Lights Off (1 Viewer)

[FJake6080]

Having issues trouble shooting this...

Left my headlights on and killed my brand new battery.
Jump started it and let run for a while and it doesn’t seem to be charging at all. Even while running the
lights won’t turn on.... When I hook up the battery to the other vehicle in order to jump start all the lights work... Alternator???

 

[BaristaBoy]

Sounds like the alternator.. there should be a test for this in the FSM, I'd start there, you'll likely need a multimeter. I'd also check your fusible links, they can cause a buncha weird electrical problems

 

[FJake6080]

Sounds like the alternator.. there should be a test for this in the FSM, I'd start there, you'll likely need a multimeter. I'd also check your fusible links, they can cause a buncha weird electrical problems

Thanks - I’ll take a look at the fusible links tomorrow. My multimeter died before this - looks like it’s time for a new one. Appreciate the reply!

 

[Seth S]

Turn the key on and before you start the engine look to see if your Battery light is on. If the battery light is on....then start the truck and see if the light goes off. If it is on and stays on try revving the engine to about 3000 rpm for a couple seconds then let it go back to idle. Then regardless of the dash light being on or off measure from the alternator where the battery wire connects to battery ground with a voltmeter. While running you should see between 13.0 and 14.4 volts if its charging. Then check between bat pos and bat negative and see if you get the same numbers.

 

[FJake6080]

Turn the key on and before you start the engine look to see if your Battery light is on. If the battery light is on....then start the truck and see if the light goes off. If it is on and stays on try revving the engine to about 3000 rpm for a couple seconds then let it go back to idle. Then regardless of the dash light being on or off measure from the alternator where the battery wire connects to battery ground with a voltmeter. While running you should see between 13.0 and 14.4 volts if its charging. Then check between bat pos and bat negative and see if you get the same numbers.

Awesome I’ll be trying this today! Thanks

 

[FJake6080]

Awesome I’ll be trying this today! Thanks

Turn the key on and before you start the engine look to see if your Battery light is on. If the battery light is on....then start the truck and see if the light goes off. If it is on and stays on try revving the engine to about 3000 rpm for a couple seconds then let it go back to idle. Then regardless of the dash light being on or off measure from the alternator where the battery wire connects to battery ground with a voltmeter. While running you should see between 13.0 and 14.4 volts if its charging. Then check between bat pos and bat negative and see if you get the same numbers.

Any idea why reverse makes the battery die? Reverse lights turning on with an already close to dead battery? That kept happening yesterday and I couldn’t figure out why that would be the case. 1st gear was no problem.

 

[Seth S]

"Any idea why reverse makes the battery die? Reverse lights turning on with an already close to dead battery? That kept happening yesterday and I couldn’t figure out why that would be the case. 1st gear was no problem."

Are the reverse lights staying on when you shut off the truck?

 

[MoaByte]

I'd climb under and have a look at the wire and switch at the tranny.
I was blowing fuses to my gauges (Toy truck). The wire had broken off the reverse switch (or was it 4wd indicator?) and was grounding to the driveshaft.

 

[FJake6080]

"Any idea why reverse makes the battery die? Reverse lights turning on with an already close to dead battery? That kept happening yesterday and I couldn’t figure out why that would be the case. 1st gear was no problem."

Are the reverse lights staying on when you shut off the truck?

They shut off with the truck it just seemed weird that every time I tried to put the truck in reverse it would just shut off. I was thinking maybe it was drawing from the battery for reverse lights? Also the windshield wipers were almost making it die and would barely try to turn on.

 

[FJake6080]

I'd climb under and have a look at the wire and switch at the tranny.
I was blowing fuses to my gauges (Toy truck). The wire had broken off the reverse switch (or was it 4wd indicator?) and was grounding to the driveshaft

I’ll take a look at that and see if there’s an issue. Checked my fuses and everything seems good. Will take a look underneath. Thanks!

 

[Seth S]

You could pull the fuse for the reverse lights and then put the truck in reverse and see if it still does it.

 

[FJake6080]

You could pull the fuse for the reverse lights and then put the truck in reverse and see if it still does it.

Didn’t even think of that. I’m going to try it and check back in. Thanks

 

[Seth S]

If memory serves me correctly the wipers and reverse lights are on the same fuse

 

[cruisermatt]

Is your brand new battery a cheap one? I think your battery is just shot, get it tested

 

[FJake6080]

Is your brand new battery a cheap one? I think your battery is just shot, get it tested

I bought a brand new optima yellow top about 2 weeks ago - it was pretty expensive but I’m not super impressed. I know AGM batteries can sometimes have charging related issues. Not sure if it just needs to be on the charger longer. I ordered a multimeter comes in today to test. If it’s a bad battery that may be the easiest fix!

 

[Seth S]

I bought a brand new optima yellow top about 2 weeks ago - it was pretty expensive but I’m not super impressed. I know AGM batteries can sometimes have charging related issues. Not sure if it just needs to be on the charger longer. I ordered a multimeter comes in today to test. If it’s a bad battery that may be the easiest fix!

An FJ60 can drive quite a ways on a battery alone if the charging system isnt working. When my alternator failed the battery light on the dash stayed off but I could tell by the volt meter when it was and wasnt charging. after I put the new alternator in the battery light resumed normal operation. So its still very possible you have a good battery but a charging problem and your new battery isnt getting refilled.

 

[FJake6080]

An FJ60 can drive quite a ways on a battery alone if the charging system isnt working. When my alternator failed the battery light on the dash stayed off but I could tell by the volt meter when it was and wasnt charging. after I put the new alternator in the battery light resumed normal operation. So its still very possible you have a good battery but a charging problem and your new battery isnt getting refilled.

I got enough of a charge off the trickle charger to get it going enough to drive. Even after a 20 minute drive the voltage meter hasn’t moved too far past 12. When I originally put the battery in it was above 14. I think you’re right somethings up with the charging system. May need to go down the new alternator road. Which one did you put in? I was thinking of ordering one. Thanks!

 

[Seth S]

I got enough of a charge off the trickle charger to get it going enough to drive. Even after a 20 minute drive the voltage meter hasn’t moved too far past 12. When I originally put the battery in it was above 14. I think you’re right somethings up with the charging system. May need to go down the new alternator road. Which one did you put in? I was thinking of ordering one. Thanks!

Got this one off Rockauto. I had to swap my pulley from the old to the new but the new alternator came with an adapter connector and was a direct bolt in. Works great

For me I was willing to give this one a try because at $50 its easy to take a gamble.


@ToyotaMatt has some nice OEM (NOS) alternators too.

 

[FJake6080]

Got this one off Rockauto. I had to swap my pulley from the old to the new but the new alternator came with an adapter connector and was a direct bolt in. Works great

View attachment 2567809

View attachment 2567829

For me I was willing to give this one a try because at $50 its easy to take a gamble.


@ToyotaMatt has some nice OEM alternators too.

Yeah that’s not bad at all. Going to have to give that one a shot as well. First alternator install for me. I’ll check the forum for a thread on it. Was it easy to swap the pulley? Thanks for the information on it.

 

[Seth S]

Yeah that’s not bad at all. Going to have to give that one a shot as well. First alternator install for me. I’ll check the forum for a thread on it. Was it easy to swap the pulley? Thanks for the information on it.

if you have a bench vice and the correct sockets its not so bad. the hard part is holding the pulley securely without damaging the pulley. My old alternator used one size nut and the new alternator used another one...dont worry the shaft diameters were the same....just different nuts. Worst case you probably can go to a shop near you and half them swap it. Air impact or electric impact would make it a lot easier than by hand with sockets.