Fuseable links, backward battery charging and smoke! What did I break, blow or melt? (2 Viewers)

[Jesse Jaymes]

Finally able to post after attempting to register. Wow! What a treasure trove of knowledge. Super embarrassing. But here it goes. I'm 52. I should know much better. But my Man Card remains inside a mason jar full of ice in the freezer. I've not earned it yet. I lift lots of heavy stuff. Shoot like John Wick....but fail many simply Man Tasks. This being one.

New 80 Series owner. Looking back, I've been a Toyota dude for a while. Couple SR5 22-REs, a 1998 Canadian 4 Runner. Current '99 Taco. And now a Cruiser. Only driven the Cruiser twice since getting it home. I am thrilled. Now to diagnose a few gremlins. I fail so hard at anything electrical. I inherited a few electrical gremlins upon ownership. Parasitic draws and jinky add on wiring of winches, CB and lights. Joy!

Cruiser had a dead battery. Twice. Simple. I have a huge battery charger. I'll toss it on and top it off rather than just jump the rig to move it. What a Man would do....

My dumb ass put Pos charger on negative terminal and opposite on the other. Left it on 35 amp fast charge overnight. I DID pull the terminals off the posts. Not much wiggle room left on the length to get them out of the way, but think everything was clear overnight. Pulled my charging cables off. Put my terminals back on.

This has a battery cut off bar. Once I flipped that lever....got instant smoke and heat! Alarm blowing my ear drums out!! I swung the disconnect bar back off post haste. I then began to jack around disconnecting random wires off the terminals. I just wanted simple Chevy type leads....one black. One red. Connect and flipped the bar. Not a thing. Ok. Started re connected back to base. Throw bar to connect everything. Deafening alarm. No smoke or heat from what I now know is Fuseable link....Cruiser turns over. Alarm blasts.....no spark/start.

What I've learned via the YouTubes....is I torched a fuseable link. At least I think. I'll run to local Toyota tomorrow and grab at least two.

But what else could I have destroyed or what else can I look at ??? Feeling I did more damage than I think. Are there a "Main Fuse"?

When I had everything reconnected...it turned over strong. Alarm is crazy. But no dash lights. No gauges. No Security red flashing lights.

Any guidance??? It's ok. You can Clown on me. I earned this one.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

 

[Kernal]

Does the vehicle have a dealer or port installed alarm system?
Did you replace the fusible link bundle?
Did you check the fuses with a multimeter?
Ditto for the fusible links?
What else works (or not) with the key in the ON position (headlights, windows, horn, etc)?

Wait for others who know how electrons work:

@Malleus
@jonheld

In the meantime check out this page:

Emergency Troubleshooting Procedures - FAQ Item (Recommend Keeping Copy in Truck)

For updates or revisions, please PM me, nuclerlemon or semlin The below is a troubleshooting guide if your in the boonies to help isolate a non starting vehicle problem. This is a compilation from forum members, specifically RavenTai, KliersLC, Landtank and Beaowulf. This will not catch each...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[gummycarbs]

View attachment 3462765

I feel like I'm high, and yet I'm not.

Anyway, what's that black cable? Also, I can't see why marking on the battery, is it hooked up correctly?

 

[Malleus]

Well, you need a battery, for sure, and download the Electrical Wiring Diagram (EWD) and the Toyota Repair Manual (FSM) for your year model from the 80 series section of the Resources forum.

Next, once you get the new battery and fusible links (FL) installed, turn the key to ON, but don't start the engine. The check engine light (MIL) should be on. If it's not, don't do anything else until you get it on. The MIL with the key ON is the ready to run signal. If it's not on, the engine isn't ready to run.

There is a Main EFI fuse in the engine compartment fuse block, on the driver's side inner fender. Pull that and make sure it's good (use a multimeter - doesn't have to be a $500 Fluke, a $12 Home Depot model works just as well). Do not trust looking at a fuse to determine that it's good or bad. Always use a meter and you'll always know.

Do all that and report back... and welcome.

And please put your year and any modifications in your signature line, so we don't have to ask. It makes providing help so much easier.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

You are all WAY higher speed. This literally happened two hours ago. And I'm miles away from the Dealer. I will attempt to buy a new link tomorrow during lunch while Im off the mountain and in town.

I have no clue about what's factory and what's not. Was a Craigslist purchase from 8 hours away. Seller was certainly nice and forthcoming. But it wasn't like I took written notes on every minor detail. Maybe I shoulda.

Believe the alarm is 100% factory.
Black wire is on the Negative terminal. Was run to a ground on fender wall. Believe it was a ground for non functioning KC lights mounted by in op.
Very minimal markings on the battery itself....hence hooking up the battery charger backwards (Positive charging cable to negative battery terminal). With all the extra schitt coming off each terminal I wrongly assumed the Negative side was the positive side.

I have not checked every fuse visually or with a meter at this time. I was asking if I could be directed toward one of the more suspect fuses and it's location.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Malleus- Thank you for the direct suggestions. I'll get on it. Do have a question tho. Battery cranked and turned over the engine very strong. Like normal.

Still need a new battery?

 

[george_tlc]

So you charged the battery backwards? You wrote you hooked the charger up backwards and left it charging overnight... Do you own a multimeter?

Measure the voltage across the battery, red terminal of meter, red lead to positive of battery, black therminal of meter, black leds to negative of the battery. Does it read Negative voltage?

Lucky the battery didn't just explode over night being charged backwards - at least that's what it seems has happened given what you wrote in your 1st post.

cheers,
george.

 

[sunrk]

Be absolutely sure before using the existing battery. If it's been charged in reverse it will be no good even though it might seem alright. A replacement battery is not expensive but depending where you are an N70 type may be hard to find. You probably should pull and check every fuse, then fit a replacement battery and try your luck in 'acc' first, then 'run' and then try to start. If *any* fuse blows in any position (including fully off), try it again and if the same fuse blows again do not try using the vehicle until the fault is located and fixed.

Re chargers if you can get a good one like a Ctek MSX series they have reverse polarity protection (though I have never tested that feature of mine either deliberately or accidentally).

 

[Kernal]

Fusible link bundle if you decide to order a set from your local dealer:

 

[LandLocked93]

+1 replace the fusible link THEN see what's what with key in ON position.
It's what it's for, the fusible link.
If it doesn't work after like it did before, come back with symptoms.

That is all.

 

[Malleus]

I personally wouldn't trust that battery if it was charged overnight with reverse polarity, but I'm being overly cautious. The fusible links are the "main fuse" you're asking about in your first post. I'd suspect the EFI main if you didn't get a check engine light (MIL) when you turned the key to ON.

There is a complete troubleshooting guide in the FSM, including what to do if the truck doesn't start. It's very simple and easy to follow. And it's free; it just requires your time.

There are differences in the '93-'94 models and the later '95-'97 and LX450 models, so be sure to get the 1993 FSM/EWD. Let us know if you can't find them.

 

[BILT4ME]

You can Clown on me. I earned this one.

 

[jht3]

we've all done dumb stuff. you aren't alone. take a deep breath and approach the troubleshooting with patience and logic

appears you have this battery

and now that i know where to look, i can see the + and - in your pics too

that black crimped wire on your neg terminal is probably the body ground that used to be part of the factory terminal. leave it connected.

put a multimeter on the terminals. should be about 12.7 volts if 100% charged. if it isn't, take it back to walmart and exchange if its less than 3 years old.

as others have said, the FSM and EWD have all the info you need, including circuit diagrams to determine which, if any, fuses you blew. but start first with a GOOD battery. then you can start probing backwards looking for voltage before/after the links and fuses.

and once you get the truck up and running, you can use your new DMM skills to check for parasitic draw and determine why your battery keeps going flat.

 

[jonheld]

I agree with what has been said already. IME, once a wet cell battery discharges, it is done. It is very unlikely to be brought back to full capacity and should be replaced.
A modern battery charger should have gone into overload protection as soon as you hooked it up backwards to prevent disaster. If not, I'm fairly positive that the electrolyte (sulfuric acid) would have boiled off and outgassed through the vents. In either case, that battery is done and you are very very lucky.

You can't look at a fusible link to tell if it's good or bad as they have a flameproof silicone jacket and your eyeballs can't read continuity (or lack of) the internal wire.

If this were my truck, I would remove all that crap and get as close to factory wiring as possible before continuing on with a fresh battery. Also , you might consider replacing the nasty battery clamps with some military terminal clamps that make it easy and secure to attach multiple wires directly to the battery. All accessories (lights, high power radios, etc. should run through an additional fuse box with appropriately sized fuses.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Many thanks everyone. Working today but going to attempt to take an hour or so comp and hit the local Toyota dealer for a link or two. Now my head is spinning over a battery. Holy Cow…there’s been pages written on the topic. I do know I’ve got VERY little extra cable and it’s going to take a few extra minutes to drop one in. The physical configuration that fits is rather rare? Positive on Pass side w Neg on drivers and terminals that close to the edge ?

 

[CJF]

Many thanks everyone. Working today but going to attempt to take an hour or so comp and hit the local Toyota dealer for a link or two. Now my head is spinning over a battery. Holy Cow…there’s been pages written on the topic. I do know I’ve got VERY little extra cable and it’s going to take a few extra minutes to drop one in. The physical configuration that fits is rather rare? Positive on Pass side w Neg on drivers and terminals that close to the edge ?

The exact battery you currently have is readily available at walmart.

 

[BILT4ME]

Many thanks everyone. Working today but going to attempt to take an hour or so comp and hit the local Toyota dealer for a link or two. Now my head is spinning over a battery. Holy Cow…there’s been pages written on the topic. I do know I’ve got VERY little extra cable and it’s going to take a few extra minutes to drop one in. The physical configuration that fits is rather rare? Positive on Pass side w Neg on drivers and terminals that close to the edge ?

Yes, it's this way because this keeps the positive terminal away from the hood (arcing possibility). It's OK to have the negative terminal next to the outer fender and it has a cable attaching it there anyway.

I also recommend checking all your grounds under the hood and on the frame (there are (6) of them).
One in the front corner of each fender
One on the firewall up by the heater valve
One from the engine block (top of lifting eye to frame) (Maybe it goes to the ignition coil on the fender)
One from head on right side to firewall.
One on rear crossmember under the tailgate (up under the truck)

I'm missing one, but someone else will chime in.

 

[Brindleboxer]

I agree with what has been said above and like @jonheld said, I would remove the "accessories" from the battery terminals and put in either a distribution bar or accessory fuse box. In addition, IMO a birds nest of wires is not only unsightly but more importantly it promotes corrosion and connectivity issues.

I would also remove the negative cutoff as the only foreseeable reason would be if the vehicle is being stored long term and even then I would just remove the battery terminal. My reasoning for this is why introduce another possible point of failure.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

$254 for EFI Main relay from Toyota dealer. This is reasonable ? Thought this was a $25 part and was simply going to replace. Ouch