Electrical failure.

[yogabum66]

Hi can anyone help me!!! I have a 1990 2.4td hilux,Manual. I have a near complete electrical failure. only battery light comes on. The car wont start and,although I can link out direct from battery to S.Motor to get it running,the lights work and that is about it!!. No display lights on dash,no indicators,fan, Wipers ETC....... I have checked all fuses under bonnet and under dash...OK Checked operation of all Relays and there contacts...OK. removed ignition barrel and if I link across two terminals with the ignition off then I can get the previously mentioned items to work but as soon as I turn it on there is a dimming of the lights and a surge of current. There is nothing wrong,as far as I can see, with the igni barrel. IT all happened so suddenly. pulled up turned her off. 20 minutes later turned her on and nothing. HELP MUCH APPRECIATED!!!!......TA

[Vultch]

At a very very rough guess...when you attempt to start normally you get dimming and a current surge...i wonder if the starter motor solenoid is duff - shorting to earth ( dumping the starter motor current to earth thru a ropey contact as you try to start). when you say you link to starter motor i assume you avoid the solenoid... ??

[yogabum66]

electric failure.

Hi Vultch. There is no surge when the key is turned, infact nothing. The only drop is when I link outthe back of the ignition switch when the ignition is in the on position. when it is in the off position and I link out the ignition switch the fue box and associated dash board lights spring to light.
I hope I am making sense....I am becoming confused my self. My manual arrived today so tomorrow I might solve the problem....TA

[SoundsDigital]

I'd say you had a faulty ignition switch. Check the voltage on the terminals at the back to see if there is 12 volts there. If there is, turn on the ignition and see if the voltage drops significantly. It could be a break in a wire breaking down under load, but your description sounds like a dead switch to me.

[yogabum66]

Electrical failure......no more!!!

HI Thankyou for your reply and input. I have discovered the fault. on the 40A fuse,AM1, there was a short to earth...well 1 ohm. After careful examination of a manual we disconnected a lot of the items....still no luck....but since it was an instantaneous fault and not an intermittent one over time I went for the alternator and sure enough, upon disconnection the fault had cleared. It must be a diode in the rectifier circuit that has gone funny though... it still charges the battery. Thanks to all.