Fzj80 land cruiser intermittent no start (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jan 6, 2017
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Location
Rome Georgia
Hello all, So I have a triple locked 1995 fzj 80 Land Cruiser "Sandy " U.S. spec with 260 k miles that I'm having an intermittent no start on. Let me be clear ......it turns over but will not start up. This happened after I went into the dash and installed a new radio , power strip , offroading light rocker switches & a center diff lock rocker switch. Sound familiar ? I had this same problem years ago but it subsided. I could gently kick the bottom of the dash near my knee and it would fire up. Reminded me of " The Fonz " . I thought I was good because like I said the problem went away. I forgot all about it in the hectic life I have. That is until years later " NOW " I got back in that area and created the short , open or ground. I've looked and looked for any loose connections , corroded wires etc. I'm pretty sure I have narrowed it down to this big blue module directly under the steering wheel behind the plastic cover then metal cover. So when the short or open is in play I do not get the check engine light I should get when key is turned to the " on " position. There is also no power to the diagnostic port , OBD scanner won't link. Also there is no signal voltage to the Fuel Pump Relay only the constant voltage from the battery that goes to pin # 2. As soon as I tapping where that blue module is with the bottom of my fist it gives me the check engine light then it fires right up. It does not go dead after I get it running. However as soon as I cut off the engine and try to restart . It will not crank unless I do the tapping. I just had a surgery so it's hard for me to get up under there and really inspects pins in the module etc . So I was wondering which of you glorious cruiser owners could tell me what color wire in that module could be causing this. Any of you familiar with this blue module ? Has anyone had this problem or know which wire could be causing this ? It's driving me insane ! Cheers !
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I'm terrible with electrical stuff, I tried looking through the electrical wiring manual but I couldn't find that connector in the time I had to look. If you don't have a electrical wiring diagram here is a link to the '96 edition which should be the same. HTH

1996 Electrical Wiring Diagram
 
I think those are two black connectors, side by side.

I would unplug them, look for any corroded or burnt terminals, inspect the wires for any damage insulation or breaks, and clean the terminals with De-Oxit.

What alarm, if any, do you have installed? I believe that they usually cut the ignition with a relay, allowing the engine to crank but not fire.
 
I had a similar issues (by adding similar equipment - stereo, lights, winch, alarm) and had a no-start, no OBD-II readings issue. Thought it might be the ECU, checked fuel regulator... and I think the problem was solved by just swapping out a new fusible link, which did the trick.

Caveat is that I still haven't figured everything out because my head unit got fried at some point and I haven't plugged the lights and winch back into the fuse box for fear of shorting something else out. BUT the truck starts up and runs as well as it ever has (it wouldn't start at all w/ that stuff plugged in or not). Seems like the it was the fusible link, so maybe start there by swapping a new one in and checking continuity across the different electrical pathways?
 
I had a similar issues (by adding similar equipment - stereo, lights, winch, alarm) and had a no-start, no OBD-II readings issue. Thought it might be the ECU, checked fuel regulator... and I think the problem was solved by just swapping out a new fusible link, which did the trick.

Caveat is that I still haven't figured everything out because my head unit got fried at some point and I haven't plugged the lights and winch back into the fuse box for fear of shorting something else out. BUT the truck starts up and runs as well as it ever has (it wouldn't start at all w/ that stuff plugged in or not). Seems like the it was the fusible link, so maybe start there by swapping a new one in and checking continuity across the different electrical pathways?
BigBlueLC , I'm pretty sure I actually read your thread on that last week. I had a backup set of fusible links that I changed out . The ones on it were testing out fine with a meter but I changed them out anyway . Didn't fix the issue . After further using my very technically advanced " tap " method I do believe I have found the culprit. I think it's one of the relays behind the drivers side bottom kick panel (no pun intended ). Probably the circuit open relay . It's fairly common. Being so low there that area gets a lot of moisture so I probably have a corroded electrical point of contact or relay sticking from inside being corroded. I will get back to everyone . Thanks guys !
 
If you are certain about that connector being the issue, I would put a meter on the 7.5 amp IGN fuse in the fuse box by the driver's left knee.
With the key in the ON/RUN position, you should see +12 on that fuse. Without that, there will be no check engine light and the truck will not start. The IGN fuse is fed from the ignition switch which runs through that connector. Black wire with a red stripe/ pin 6 of the ignition switch connector.
 
I think those are two black connectors, side by side.

I would unplug them, look for any corroded or burnt terminals, inspect the wires for any damage insulation or breaks, and clean the terminals with De-Oxit.

What alarm, if any, do you have installed? I believe that they usually cut the ignition with a relay, allowing the engine to crank but not fire.
It is two female connectors on the back side going into one big wide connector . Security / alarm was removed by PO. I know your train of thought on this is the " immobolizer " . I checked into all that as well. Not the problem.
After further using my very technically advanced " tap /kick " method I do believe I have found the culprit. I think it's one of the relays behind the drivers side bottom kick panel (no pun intended ). Probably the circuit open relay . It's fairly common. Being so low there that area gets a lot of moisture so I probably have a corroded electrical connection between the relay and it's port or relay sticking from inside being corroded. I will get back to everyone .
I will post what I find when I find it. Along with pics so maybe this could help out somebody else. Thanks guys !
 
I think those are two black connectors, side by side.

I would unplug them, look for any corroded or burnt terminals, inspect the wires for any damage insulation or breaks, and clean the terminals with De-Oxit.

What alarm, if any, do you have installed? I believe that they usually cut the ignition with a relay, allowing the engine to crank but not fire.
I think I've possibly found the culprit but ran out of daylight and my back is toast. I think it is the circuit open relay in the drivers bottom kickpanel. I bet that's the relay you are referring to. I'll post my findings when I confirm. Thanks for your input !
 
Well it is not the circuit opening relay. Cruiser was running fine , it gave me the CEL when ignition was in the run position so I tried to duplicate the problem by removing the circuit opening relay. Once removed it would not start but it was still giving me the CEL. So it's not that relay. I just need to find out what wire opening up would cause the CEL to not come on and a no start as well.
 
If you are certain about that connector being the issue, I would put a meter on the 7.5 amp IGN fuse in the fuse box by the driver's left knee.
With the key in the ON/RUN position, you should see +12 on that fuse. Without that, there will be no check engine light and the truck will not start. The IGN fuse is fed from the ignition switch which runs through that connector. Black wire with a red stripe/ pin 6 of the ignition switch connector.
I feel like jon had this memorized.
 
Well it is not the circuit opening relay. Cruiser was running fine , it gave me the CEL when ignition was in the run position so I tried to duplicate the problem by removing the circuit opening relay. Once removed it would not start but it was still giving me the CEL. So it's not that relay. I just need to find out what what wire opening up would cause the CEL to not come on and a no start as well.
I feel like jon had this memorized.
I'll definitely check that. Thanks
 
If you are certain about that connector being the issue, I would put a meter on the 7.5 amp IGN fuse in the fuse box by the driver's left knee.
With the key in the ON/RUN position, you should see +12 on that fuse. Without that, there will be no check engine light and the truck will not start. The IGN fuse is fed from the ignition switch which runs through that connector. Black wire with a red stripe/ pin 6 of the ignition switch connector.
I will definitely test there as soon as the intermittent problem rears it's ugly head.
 

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