Fj62 Fusible Link / Positive Terminal Rewire Help (1 Viewer)

[hbmertz]

Hey all,

Having some significant issues getting my FJ62 to turn over reliably. It either fires right up, is slow to turn over, or wont try to turn over at all. More recently it's been not turning over at all despite the electric components turning on. I just hear a click on the starter, and this seems to happen when I'm out running errands - it 95% of the time will start up when it's the first start of the day.

I'm trying to diagnose the fix, and I'm fairly certain it's coming down to the connection. The battery is fairly new, has a new OEM starter in, the plugs, fuel filter, and negative connection are all solid. My guess is this is due to the positive terminal connection, even though when I place a jump pack on it, it won't fire up either.

My next move is to rewire the positive connection. I've seen a fair bit of rewiring fixes that remove the fusible link altogether, and would like to find something that I know will be good long term.

Any direction here would be great, obviously can't find a OEM fusible link right now, so maybe I'll have to look into getting it restored as it is fairly janky and looks like it could be corroded. Would appreciate any resources, or links to any pieces I may need to purchase for this fix.

Thanks!

 

[2mbb]

first clean all the connection points on both the positive and negative cables from the battery to the starter, frame and engine (the starter is grounded through the engine). The fact that the jump doesn't always work may indicate that the connection at the battery terminal is not the problem. Also inspect the solder/crimp lug joints at the ends of the cable for corrosion. If this doesn't work, then replace the cable. nice cable sets are available from MUD vendors. The fusible link is not causing this problem if you always hear the "click".

 

[hbmertz]

first clean all the connection points on both the positive and negative cables from the battery to the starter, frame and engine (the starter is grounded through the engine). The fact that the jump doesn't always work may indicate that the connection at the battery terminal is not the problem. Also inspect the solder/crimp lug joints at the ends of the cable for corrosion. If this doesn't work, then replace the cable. nice cable sets are available from MUD vendors. The fusible link is not causing this problem if you always hear the "click".

Thanks for the insight! Good to know it's not the fusible link in that case... I've put a fair bit of new cables in, as well as cleaned up the connection at the positive terminal, but maybe its time to replace those joints. Any idea on good replacements?

 

[OSS]

Tempermental starter can be the symptoms of a worn out old starter

 

[hbmertz]

Tempermental starter can be the symptoms of a worn out old starter

I actually just replaced the starter with an OEM one from Toyota. Possible it's no good?

 

[OSS]

It's good. The next suspects are the contacts the big wires make. If the starter sometimes turns over weak (and your battery is known to be good) then it seems that there's not a good electrical contact somewhere.

 

[hbmertz]

It's good. The next suspects are the contacts the big wires make

spent a fair bit of time cleaning all these connections, but it's possible I just need to go the route of acquiring new ones it seems. Wouldn't be surprised if the solder joints are just in need of a tune up

 

[FJ Silver]

So you turn the key, but it takes a few seconds before it cranks right? Sometimes doesn't, sometimes does crank.

I think this problem has to do with the key ignition cylinder area and not enough Amperage being able to flow through there.
I installed a push start button connecting the battery with the starter in case I'm out in the desert and my cruiser decide to have a no-crank day.

No matter what, I would clean up all your electrical. I replaced the fuses coming from the battery with a blue sea fuse box to erase any doubt on those being good connections. I also replaced all my major ground and positive cables and am common grounding from multiple batteries, added more frame and engine grounds.

After you've ruled everything else out, you could replace the ignition cylinder.

 

[hbmertz]

So you turn the key, but it takes a few seconds before it cranks right? Sometimes doesn't, sometimes does crank.

I think this problem has to do with the key ignition cylinder area and not enough Amperage being able to flow through there.
I installed a push start button connecting the battery with the starter in case I'm out in the desert and my cruiser decide to have a no-crank day.

No matter what, I would clean up all your electrical. I replaced the fuses coming from the battery with a blue sea fuse box to erase any doubt on those being good connections. I also replaced all my major ground and positive cables and am common grounding from multiple batteries, added more frame and engine grounds.

After you've ruled everything else out, you could replace the ignition cylinder.

More or less, yes. Like 50-70% of the time it fires RIGHT up.

How easy of a job is it to get the ignition cylinder swapped out?

 

[FJ Silver]

Yeah exactly, and it'll just get worse over time.

Its very easy to get to.. so I would say its an easy job. Take off the steering wheel and the plastic covers and go to town. A replacement cylinder + keys are pretty easy to find. While you're in there, you can clean up a lot of electrical connections.
Thing like the headlight switch, gunk up pretty bad as well. Cleaning ground connections just makes everything better.

 

[hbmertz]

Yeah exactly, and it'll just get worse over time.

Its very easy to get to.. so I would say its an easy job. Take off the steering wheel and the plastic covers and go to town. A replacement cylinder + keys are pretty easy to find. While you're in there, you can clean up a lot of electrical connections.
Thing like the headlight switch, gunk up pretty bad as well. Cleaning ground connections just makes everything better.

Cool, I might give this a shot!

 

[Ragetits]

Cool, I might give this a shot!

If you're looking for replacement cylinders and/or keys, @ToyotaMatt is your guy.

Extremely knowledgeable and can get you the parts that you need!

 

[FJ Silver]

Good luck! and you can test this hypothesis by direct linking the starter with the battery and the key at ACC position. If you have a normal start 10 out of 10 that way....

No matter what I would start with making sure your battery terminal, the cable going to the starter, the starter relay cable, the ground cables for the starter etc. are all in good shape, no green death ( copper corrosion) etc.

 

[2mbb]

The power to turn the starter doesn't go through the ignition switch and the key/lock cylinder has basically nothing to do with the electrical switch part.

The correct key into the lock cylinder allows the key to rotate the cylinder. This rotates a shaft which is connected to a rotary electrical switch. When the rotary switch is turned to the start position, low amperage electricity flows to the solenoid associated with the starter. This works kind of like a relay. The solenoid, when energized with electricity closes a high amperage switch that allows electricity to flow directly from the battery to the starter. When you turn the key and hear a "click" under the hood, this is the solenoid energizing. If the starter doesn't engage, then the solenoid may be bad (but the OP has a new OEM starter, so this is unlikely) or there is not enough electricity coming from the battery.

There is a device called a remote start switch, which is momentary electrical switch that connects the positive battery terminal with the low-amperage +12V connection on the solenoid/starter. On the OEM starter this would be small connector with a thin (12 ga) wire going to it. Disconnect the wire and connect the remote start switch to that connector on the starter. The other lead on the remote start switch is connected to the positive terminal on the battery. You should be able to engage the remote start switch and every time the starter should engage (the engine won't run unless the ignition switch is turned to the run position)

But from the original description of the problem--sometimes cranks, some times slow to turn over (?), sometimes doesn't crank at all, adding a jump battery doesn't help--suggests that the high amperage cables and/or connections are the problem. The OPs statement "slow to turn over" probably needs further description. Does the starter rotate the engine more slowly, or is there a time delay between turning the key and having the starter engage?

 

[ToyotaMatt]

Hey all,

Having some significant issues getting my FJ62 to turn over reliably. It either fires right up, is slow to turn over, or wont try to turn over at all. More recently it's been not turning over at all despite the electric components turning on. I just hear a click on the starter, and this seems to happen when I'm out running errands - it 95% of the time will start up when it's the first start of the day.

I'm trying to diagnose the fix, and I'm fairly certain it's coming down to the connection. The battery is fairly new, has a new OEM starter in, the plugs, fuel filter, and negative connection are all solid. My guess is this is due to the positive terminal connection, even though when I place a jump pack on it, it won't fire up either.

My next move is to rewire the positive connection. I've seen a fair bit of rewiring fixes that remove the fusible link altogether, and would like to find something that I know will be good long term.

Any direction here would be great, obviously can't find a OEM fusible link right now, so maybe I'll have to look into getting it restored as it is fairly janky and looks like it could be corroded. Would appreciate any resources, or links to any pieces I may need to purchase for this fix.

Thanks!

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[poubelle]

Does the starter rotate the engine more slowly, or is there a time delay between turning the key and having the starter engage?

If there's a time delay between turning the key and having the starter engage, what do you think that indicates?