'70 FJ40 Spectre Wire Harness issues / questions

[vegas702]

I went with Kwikwire 20 circuit standard. Ramey is right - that looks like the kwikwire set up.
Looks like you have 12 circuits on that harness, and relays are built in.
The Kwikwire instruction booklet is very good ... and I think you can print it from their website. Because I used an HEI distributor, I went with the GM set up instructions. I didn't re-use the toyota light switch, ignition switch or turn signal switch. I used universal switches available from kwikwire - so the switches went in pretty easy. I wish I re-used the toyota turn signal, but was lazy and didn't.

 

[ryanwk628]

Unfortunately, I don't see any way of repairing or re-builing the stock harness,... it is FUBAR, untraceable, cut, burnt in places, and ghetto rigged from the PO... plus ive removed it completely from the vehicle, and litteraly cut and ripped it out...
so I am starting from 0 with no point of reference except a diagram made in 1970....

Even if you dont want to use it, I would suggest laying it out to use as a template for lengths and what gets routed where. There is a driver side run down to the alt which has things like the voltage regulator, vsv and high beam switch. All the bullet connectors behind the dash for lights, the connectors like the water temp and all the switches that come off it as it goes across the fire wall, the wires to the coil and starter, and the passenger side with power to the rear harness, horn relay, front lights, signals, etc.

This is what mine looked like laid out taken from a position of drivers side on the left, dash at the bottom and passenger side on the right.

Coolerman is not rebuilding harnesses, but will still sell parts like wire and connectors. Between him and Amazon I got everything I needed.

 

[TravMan806]

so, if I were to give up on the original Toyota parts, and go with GM parts... do I need to replace the entire column with a chevy column? or is there some way to use the stock column and a different switch...
sorry I am ignorant...

 

[vegas702]

I don't know about the whole column ... I'm sure not suggesting that.
The stock toyota turn switch has a real clean look ... I really suggest taking the time to figure out where the wires go, and make it work. The universal switch mounts to the stock column. It works, but doesn't really look like it belongs on a land cruiser. For ignition and headlights, I used a universal switches and mounted them in the dash. They look ok - but just aren't original.

 

[TravMan806]

What year's your 40? I ask as your switches may not match mine.

Attached is my most updated diagram. Happy to talk you through it if needed.

When I bought this cruiser the wiring harness was rigged for bare minimal necessary operation - the running lights and headlights were wired off the same stop (one click out) on the light control switch, and the hazards didn't work. The Hazard Switch and Flashers was a doozie to sort out. If you can do without Hazards in the short run, you can probably get the lights sorted pretty quickly.


Light Control Switch (which you've titled "Headlight Switch") - I think you're missing a piece that would connect to those 6 tabs on your switch. It would have 6 colored wires and run a short length (inch, maybe two) to a molded plastic connector that would then connect into the harness... maybe you can find it in the pile of your old harness. If not, you can probably jerry rig off those tabs to get it working.

The Light Control Switch should have two feeds coming in from the fuse block - original a solid red (R) wire and a green and red (GR) wire:

1. The R was from the original Headlight fuse - I connected that to the Kwik Wire (KW) Red wire labeled "28 Headlight Switch Power", which originates at the fuse block from the fuse titled "Headlights".
2. The GR was from the original Tail fuse - I connected that to the KW Blue wire labeled "7 Dimmer Switch Power". That worked for a while, then stopped. You can get by connecting both the GR and R tabs to the same 28 Headlight Switch Power, which is how my harness was set up when I got it.

so that's the power into the switch. In terms of power going out of the switch, you'll have three different wires (or maybe more, as a couple of the wires then split to go different places). For the Toyota harness, you'll have a red/white (RW), green (G) and red/black (RB):

1. RW goes to your dimmer stich (I think that's on the steering column, but don't recall precisely. My RW wires were there, but had been cut, so I just spliced them back together. See below on the Dimmer Switch.
2. G is supposed to connect to your parking lights, license plate light, marker lights, and tail light. On mine, that was connected to KW Beige "5 Low Beam", Blue "25 Front Right Turn Signal" and Light Blue "26 Front Left Turn Signal". There may be some other wires in there... I haven't dug into that part of the rat's nest yet.
3. RB connects to the little light bulb in your Light Control Switch itself (I don't have that), the Combination Meter Light (i.e. the in your Speedo/gauges), heater control indicator light (and I don't have that either).

Dimmer Switch. It gets its power from a the RW wire coming off the Light Control Switch, and I think by design from the same R wire that goes into the Light Control Switch, but I haven't seen where that Red wire goes in on mine. Outgoing from the Dimmer Switch you'll have a red/yellow wire (RY) and red/green (RG)

1. On my harness, RG is connected to KwikWire Tan "9 Low Beam"
2. RY is connected to KwikWire Light Green "8 High Beam"

both go to the headlights

Brake Light Switch. Not sure about this one, but I can try and figure out what it's connected to.

Based on this information... and the "cleaned up version" of the 71 diagram, I think I have a pretty good grasp on where to start... I'm still quite confused by the column wires, hazard debacle.... but I think I have a grasp on headlight, running light, and stop lamp... so here we go! I will keep yall up to date on my progress.

 

[TravMan806]

Good News guys! its been a long evening.. but I have been able to harvest all of the usable connectors from the old harness... and follow Remey's guidance on the wire cross referencing... and look what I have accomplished!

I will continue on this path of destruction reversal tomorrow... but I'm calling this a good stopping point! Good night FJ world!

 

[Ramey]

Pity the wire numbering doesn’t seem to match the KwikWire conventions, but I’m sure you can figure it out.

I’m no electrician either. once you focus on the individual circuits, you will be able to slog through. I like to think of the power as coming from the fuse block, and then tracing it through each circuit/switch/etc, until it gets to whatever needs power, and then continue through to the ground. The nice thing about these harnesses is the GM/Ford/Chevy all use more or less the same colors and numbering/naming conventions. The key is to figure out how GM/Ford/Chevy intended the power to flow, and then identify how Teeyota did some things very differently.
The Hazard switch is a doozie - I’d skip that for now and circle back when you have some time to bang your head against the wall. You could also skip the dimmer for now.

Turn signal switch- The six green/[some color] wires with bullet connectors in the picture you labeled “this is my steering column wires” come from the turn signal switch. On the 1971 electrical wiring diagram you posted, almost dead center, but a little down and to the left, is a box labeled “turn signal switch” with six wires coming off - two are GY (green, with a yellow stripe), two are GO (green, with an orange stripe) one is GL (green, with a light blue stripe) and one is GW (green with a white stripe). That’s those six wires. You can also look at page 9-39 of the factory service manual on Troll-hole’s site - http://www.trollholescruisers.com/Tech/Manuals/Chassis and Body/1958-7-70_Chassis_Body_Manual.pdf. although you may need the next year FSM (1971). GL is the power into the comes into the switch - on the 71 schematic, it looks like that wire is connected to both the turn signal flasher and the hazard switch (which in turn is connected to the hazard flasher). That’s different than 78, where there’s only one flasher. In any event, I’d skip the hazards for now, and connect one of the new flashers (those shiny silver circles at the bottom of your new fuse box) to the BL bullet on your steering column. the GO wires go to left side turn signals and the GY to the right, each with a stop along the way at the hazard switch (if you’re doing that - if not, you can go direct from the steering column to the lights, with a separate wire somewhere along the way to the turn signal indicators on the combination meter).

What color are the wires on the back side of the plastic connector for the brake light switch?

The Headlight Switch is going to be a bit of work. I was able to sort through mine as it had the original Toyota colored wires connected to one half of the connector

 

[Ramey]

Impressive... most Impressive! Now you just need to FLIP YOUR BEZEL! Sorry couldn’t help myself.

 

[TravMan806]

Impressive... most Impressive! Now you just need to FLIP YOUR BEZEL! Sorry couldn’t help myself.

Flip my bezel? is this a joke? or am I truly missing something? lol it appears to me that the bezel is the same both ways...
if this is a joke... haha!

 

[Ramey]

Here’s a link to a FAQ - OK WTF with the bezel thing!!

 

[TravMan806]

Here’s a link to a FAQ - OK WTF with the bezel thing!!

OK 10-4! good lookin' out! ill flip it as soon as i get home...

 

[Coolerman]

Sorry you are having to go through all that mess! Here is a drawing showing the turn/hazard/brake. This would help you if you decide to use the hazard switch.

You will have to cut and re-route the turn signal wires in the aftermarket harness to the Hazard switch. Also it is CRITICAL that you feed the brake light signal to the OEM turn switch on the GW wire! Otherwise you will have turn signals, or brake lights, but not BOTH.

Here is the function of the Hazard Switch in the ON position. Note there are TWO power feeds! One is always hot and the other is Key Switched. This is so the Hazards can work with the key OFF.

 

[TravMan806]

Sorry you are having to go through all that mess! Here is a drawing showing the turn/hazard/brake. This would help you if you decide to use the hazard switch. View attachment 1685098

You will have to cut and re-route the turn signal wires in the aftermarket harness to the Hazard switch. Also it is CRITICAL that you feed the brake light signal to the OEM turn switch on the GW wire! Otherwise you will have turn signals, or brake lights, but not BOTH.

Here is the function of the Hazard Switch in the ON position. Note there are TWO power feeds! One is always hot and the other is Key Switched. This is so the Hazards can work with the key OFF.

View attachment 1685102

OMG THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!! i might cry!

 

[Coolerman]

I drew these up years ago and rarely post them. They were done specifically for my truck so, contain harness notes that may not make sense.
Remember I sell all the stuff you would need to make the harness to do this without cutting off the OEM switch connectors.

Cruiser Wiring go to the 63-74 section for connectors and terminals, then "wire by the foot" section for any wire you may need. Make a list of what you need and email it to me fj40coolerman at gmail dot com

 

[GLSisk]

What year's your 40? I ask as your switches may not match mine.

Attached is my most updated diagram. Happy to talk you through it if needed.

When I bought this cruiser the wiring harness was rigged for bare minimal necessary operation - the running lights and headlights were wired off the same stop (one click out) on the light control switch, and the hazards didn't work. The Hazard Switch and Flashers was a doozie to sort out. If you can do without Hazards in the short run, you can probably get the lights sorted pretty quickly.


Light Control Switch (which you've titled "Headlight Switch") - I think you're missing a piece that would connect to those 6 tabs on your switch. It would have 6 colored wires and run a short length (inch, maybe two) to a molded plastic connector that would then connect into the harness... maybe you can find it in the pile of your old harness. If not, you can probably jerry rig off those tabs to get it working.

The Light Control Switch should have two feeds coming in from the fuse block - original a solid red (R) wire and a green and red (GR) wire:

1. The R was from the original Headlight fuse - I connected that to the Kwik Wire (KW) Red wire labeled "28 Headlight Switch Power", which originates at the fuse block from the fuse titled "Headlights".
2. The GR was from the original Tail fuse - I connected that to the KW Blue wire labeled "7 Dimmer Switch Power". That worked for a while, then stopped. You can get by connecting both the GR and R tabs to the same 28 Headlight Switch Power, which is how my harness was set up when I got it.

so that's the power into the switch. In terms of power going out of the switch, you'll have three different wires (or maybe more, as a couple of the wires then split to go different places). For the Toyota harness, you'll have a red/white (RW), green (G) and red/black (RB):

1. RW goes to your dimmer stich (I think that's on the steering column, but don't recall precisely. My RW wires were there, but had been cut, so I just spliced them back together. See below on the Dimmer Switch.
2. G is supposed to connect to your parking lights, license plate light, marker lights, and tail light. On mine, that was connected to KW Beige "5 Low Beam", Blue "25 Front Right Turn Signal" and Light Blue "26 Front Left Turn Signal". There may be some other wires in there... I haven't dug into that part of the rat's nest yet.
3. RB connects to the little light bulb in your Light Control Switch itself (I don't have that), the Combination Meter Light (i.e. the in your Speedo/gauges), heater control indicator light (and I don't have that either).

Dimmer Switch. It gets its power from a the RW wire coming off the Light Control Switch, and I think by design from the same R wire that goes into the Light Control Switch, but I haven't seen where that Red wire goes in on mine. Outgoing from the Dimmer Switch you'll have a red/yellow wire (RY) and red/green (RG)

1. On my harness, RG is connected to KwikWire Tan "9 Low Beam"
2. RY is connected to KwikWire Light Green "8 High Beam"

both go to the headlights

Brake Light Switch. Not sure about this one, but I can try and figure out what it's connected to.

This is very helpful. I am dealing with this issue now...