Help pleeeeease, wiper switch wiring

[Mongoose]

Hi all,
I've recently bought a '76 FJ40 as in unfinished project with alot of really good work already done, but also some pretty questionable wiring. I've got a manual with a wiring diagram and have been able to establish that the correct wires are going to the switch and also to the motor. However the wipers are not working correctly, they are on when the switch is fully pushed in and off in the other two positions. There are 3 pairs of terminals on the switch, plus one extra for the washer circuit. Can anyone please tell me which wire goes to which terminal on the switch? A little diagram would be ideal if possible.

Thanks in advance for the help.
Cheers,

Greg.

 

[CRZRJames]

Mongoose, I had the exact same problem several years ago on my '74 FJ40. I think that Toyota sold me the wrong switch, even though their computer showed that it was the correct part. Anyway, I was able to figure out which wires did what at the wiper motor and then reconfigured the switch to work as I wanted it to. It has worked fine for 12 years now. I have heard of others having a similar problem with the wiper switch. I will draw a diagram of mine this weekend. You may find some discrepancies though as yours has the wiper motor at the bottom of the windshield frame. I don't know what other differences there may be.

James

 

[dustin]

kinda sounds like the power and ground are reversed?

-Dustin

 

[hoop5]

I would also love to see a diagram of how you wired yours up.
THX

 

[Mongoose]

Cheers guys, just thinking that I should probably do a quick diagram of how mine is incase that's any help. I'll do that later.
Dustin - From the wiring diagram it looks like power goes straight to the motor, a blue wire. Then there are 3 wires which are blue and white, blue and black and blue and red which go from the switch to the motor, there is also a ground to the switch but I understand from looking on another forum that the motor is grounded by a small strap wire to the body. So it looks like it would be impossible to have the live and ground the wrong way round.
The switch is a 3 position thing too, I presume off and then two speeds but I can't work out how that would work at the motor end but then I'm no auto-electrician. Does the old girl have multi-speed wipers in 1976? Jeez I'm used to crap old British cars that were lucky to have wipers at all in the 70s.

I'll do the diagram later today, any help gratefully received as once this is done and working there's not much else to do before I can actually drive it and sell the evil money-pit that is my 1990 SWB Mitsubishi Pajero(Montero?) Most of the stuff is just tricky jigsaw puzzle stuff like this, stuff that would be so much easier if I had another FJ to look at so i could see how it's meant to be. Good excuse to buy another don't you think?

Cheers,
Greg.

 

[Bret]

I have a '76 as well and my wipers worked when they felt like it. But never while it was raining. I narrowed it down to the switch and took it apart by carefully bending up the tabs and disassembling the switch body. For some reason it seems I remember a little detent ball and spring that was a pain. Once I got it cleaned up and reassembled it worked great. My wipers are 2 speed. If you haven't got it figured out yet let me know and I can check how mine is wired.

 

[Mongoose]

Going to have another look today but still not got them working properly, maybe the switch is faulty like you say Bret. Or I suppose the motor might not be working either. Guess that's the problem when half the truck is in cardboard boxes.
If anyone can post a rough diagram of how theirs is wired up I'd really appreciate it.

I hope this thing is going to be good off-road when I finally get to drive it.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

Had this problem once in my 76. The plug that goes to the switch will plug in backwards if the PO has straghtened one tab. One tab is bent at a ninety degree angle and should only plug in one way. check that first, might be an easy fix.

 

[Mongoose]

Checked that but the plug is on the correct way with one tab bent at one end. Still not getting anywhere with this so could someone please pull their switch out and let me know how it should be.

Thanks,
Greg.

 

[Bret]

Here is how mine is wired. the perspective is looking at the spades on the switch. The box is looking into the back of the connector at the motor, going to the motor. Hope this is clear enough. I can't tell what it will look like till its too late. PM me with anything else you may need. (switch ohmed etc.)

 

[Mongoose]

FIXED! Cheers for the help

Fantastic Bret, I really appreciate the effort. Thank you!
For some reason I've had to swap the blue/black and blue/white on mine to get the two speeds correct, slow on first stop then fast on fully out so possibly the wiring is messed up somewhere else too.
Right so now just to work out what else should be on the dash and what's missing, should it have a hazard light switch? There seem to be a lot of holes in the dash and not much filling them. I've got a cigarette lighter, headlamp switch, brake warning light and a choke. A few small round empty holes and a big rectangular one, plus a hole for the ashtray. Help?
The roof is currently off the truck and a roll bar is with it to be fitted, would the rollbar have been original equipment and is mine classed as a softop cos the roof unbolts or do they all do that?

Sorry for all the questions but it's a bit of a jigsaw puzzle and I've never had one of these trucks before so I've no idea what should be there and what shouldn't. Couldn't you just nip down to New Zealand when you've got a minute and I can check your truck out someone??

Cheers for all the help, happy cruising.

 

[hoop5]

My only question is where does the blue wire on the motor come from?
Is it the constent hot for return?
It is the only wire that doesn't come from the switch.

 

[Mongoose]

Yeah Hoop the plain blue wire is a constant 12v supply(when ignition on), looks to me like it comes from the fuse box.

 

[Bret]

I'm afraid my dash won't help much. The P.O. had made a few modifications. But on the top row from left to right I have: Choke, Hazards, Lighter, followed by three holes close together (?). The bottom row I have wipers, Fan Pull, Fresh pull, and it's not there but the next one might be the control for the valve that supplies coolant to the heater core. Other than that your guess is as good as mine.

 

[Mongoose]

That helps alot Bret thanks, I'm not too bothered about originality I just want to make sure nothing is missing.

Any idea where on the soft top versions the shoulder part of the seatbelt bolts to? It bolts to the inside of the roof up the top on mine, and I presume on yours but with the roof off that kinda leaves me stuck.

 

[DomSmith]

Goose-
Without a roll bar or a top you're stuck with lapbelts (unless you do shoulder harnesses over the back of the seat). If you have a stock roll bar it mounts to the bolt at the front of the bar. BTW the cruiser looks good. I love to see trucks with parts from other cruisers... they live on even when seperated from their original truck. I can post a pic of my dash ('73) if you like.
Dom

 

[Mongoose]

Hey Dom,
That's what I thought about the belts, government safety checks are really over the top in New Zealand though and I'd probably have to get lapbelts certified by an engineer as safe since they are not original. Still it'll be worth it to have the truck a soft-top, maybe harnesses are the way to go for safety.

I'm not sure whether the truck is parts from various cruisers or not, it's been partially restored by the p/o who was doing it as a soft top and had meticulously stripped the chassis and body, fixed all the rust and painted it all. Hence the John Deere green bodywork. Anything which wasn't going to get used has been left the original colour. I think the full doors were originally on the truck as they and the hard top are the same light blue. Although the bonnet is black and there are about 8 sets of hinges for everything in various colours.

Seems we got different model updates each year in Australia/New Zealand too as the engine is stated as a 3.8 whereas the US model history I have claims that by '76 it should have a 4.2

I'm really pleased with it though, after having a couple of Pajeros(Shogun/Montero) and a Lada Niva I've read alot about Fj40s and it sounds like it'll be very capable, plus it looks fantastic. The Pajero just isn't tough enough, things keep breaking on tougher trips. The Niva which was actually surprisingly capable for such a cheap truck just doesn't have enough, or any, aftermarket stuff available to improve it. I'm planning on getting the FJ road-legal, painting it and using it for a while and gradually improving things, suspension lift, good tires probably Simex and eventually a V8.

If you have time to photograph the dash and post the picture that'd be great. Is the rectangular hole in the centre bottom of the dash for a radio? Or maybe heater controls?

Goose.

 

[Mongoose]

Oh yeah, also is the spare wheel supposed to hang off one of the back doors? I've got two little doors rather than a drop down tailgate. Reckon a 33 or 35 hangin off those wee hinges would be a bit dodgy.

One day maybe there will be no more questions. In the mean time it's great to have the help. Cheers.

Goose

 

[DomSmith]

Goose-
A great place to get stock info is www.sor.com. Go to the online catalog and search under description. It usually has tons of useful diagrams. I've included the links for the dash: Dash link
and spare tire carrier:
tire carrier
I'll try to snap a few pics of mine and post 'em.
Dom

 

[Mongoose]

Ideal Dom cheers mate. Don't worry too much about snapping your dash, that diagram should be enough. That spare tire carrier isn't there on mine so I'll have to sort something else out.

How's the performance offroad on a stocker?