alt part

traintech86 · 11-07-2009, 03:21 PM

so i went to go home from work this morning and i got the 3 light salute. i thought to myself, what the hell? i just replaced the battery with an optima and bought a new alt. well because the battery is bad ass, i was able to drive home fine. i went and looked at it and the flat washer that screws into the top of the alt was disconnected. perfect timing as i was trying to go to this meet tonight. anyways so long story short, i have it running but the connection isn't the best so the 3 light salute flickers on and off. the battery charges but i was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how i can fix this? advanced didn't have the screw. if toyota tech is out there, i'd like to buy the one from his parts car xD.

scottohno · 11-18-2009, 02:22 AM

^+1. i replaced my belt and they turn on and when i rev it up really high really fast it turns off. i dont get it. itll be fine for awhile and then itll be stupid but charge fine. it also hunts at an idle, which leads me to believe its looking for timing from the distributor-when the lights are on. i did the dist. oring too. could that be the cause of the three lights of death?

tjmr2 · 11-18-2009, 12:27 PM

The three lights are all powered from different circuits (as in charge, cooling and brake) and can be activated in two ways. All three circuits use a diode in the circuit to control current flow (think of a diode as a valve that only allows current to flow in one direction).

When you pull your emergency brake for instance it closes the switch that grounds the brake light to the chassis. Same for the other two lights, when each circuit needs to show a problem it completes the circuit by grounding the light (they have constant voltage applied to one side of the bulb and the other side is switched to ground), seems backwards.

All three lights are tied together in only one place, and that is the L terminal on the alternator. (the 89 BGB shows it as the yellow wire) This wire connects the L terminal on
the alternator to the 5A charge fuse (in the fuse box by the battery) then to the three lights.

There must be more current & voltage applied through the charge fuse from terminal L on the alternator than is applied to the other side of the lights by the individual circuits to keep the lights from turning on. This is where the diode in each circuit comes into play. If all three lights are on they are using terminal L on the alternator as a ground.

To test all this:

1: Remove 5A charge fuse & turn on ignition.
a: Charge light should be off, brake and cooling should be on.
b: Using a meter check both terminals in the fuse block to ground, one should have 12v. Make note of which terminal has voltage.

2: Start car.
a: Charge light still off, brake and cooling off.
b: Using a test meter check both terminals of the charge fuse to ground, both should now show 12v. If only the terminal from step 1 has voltage you have a problem either with the alternator or wiring between the alternator and fuse block.

Can perform either steps 3 or 4 next.

3: Block up car and connect the meter between terminal L on the alternator and ground.
a: Start engine.
b: + 12v terminal L on alternator is good.
c: 0v Replace alternator.

4: With engine off test the resistance between terminal L on the alternator and the charge fuse. One side of the charge fuse should have almost 0 ohm resistance and the other an open circuit.
a: If it's not less than 1 ohm resistance replace the wire.

Hope this helps.

scottohno · 11-18-2009, 01:15 PM

i would do all this today, but im not so sure that i should as i drive to school in 20 min

scottohno · 11-18-2009, 01:17 PM

can you put a copy of the page in the thread?

:edit: i got the help i need.

scottohno · 11-18-2009, 10:17 PM

i took the fuse out and now all the lights are off all the time

traintech86 · 11-20-2009, 04:05 PM

i am not to sure what his post is but i know the problem. the yellow wire he is talking about is severed from the alt on my car. i need to score the connector.

scottohno · 12-01-2009, 10:50 AM

that hapened to me too. i just kinda bent, soldered, and modified til it worked then taped it. its all secure now. unless your wire loop thingy itself broke... then you need to check stores like ace hardware and menards and stuff for the right wire end.

11-07-2009, 03:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	alt part so i went to go home from work this morning and i got the 3 light salute. i thought to myself, what the hell? i just replaced the battery with an optima and bought a new alt. well because the battery is bad ass, i was able to drive home fine. i went and looked at it and the flat washer that screws into the top of the alt was disconnected. perfect timing as i was trying to go to this meet tonight. anyways so long story short, i have it running but the connection isn't the best so the 3 light salute flickers on and off. the battery charges but i was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how i can fix this? advanced didn't have the screw. if toyota tech is out there, i'd like to buy the one from his parts car xD.

11-18-2009, 01:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	can you put a copy of the page in the thread? :edit: i got the help i need. Last edited by scottohno; 11-18-2009 at 10:17 PM.. Reason: already did it

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

11-18-2009, 02:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	^+1. i replaced my belt and they turn on and when i rev it up really high really fast it turns off. i dont get it. itll be fine for awhile and then itll be stupid but charge fine. it also hunts at an idle, which leads me to believe its looking for timing from the distributor-when the lights are on. i did the dist. oring too. could that be the cause of the three lights of death?

11-18-2009, 12:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
tjmr2 Cage Fighter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 410 Thanks: 0 Thanked 62 Times in 59 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	The three lights are all powered from different circuits (as in charge, cooling and brake) and can be activated in two ways. All three circuits use a diode in the circuit to control current flow (think of a diode as a valve that only allows current to flow in one direction). When you pull your emergency brake for instance it closes the switch that grounds the brake light to the chassis. Same for the other two lights, when each circuit needs to show a problem it completes the circuit by grounding the light (they have constant voltage applied to one side of the bulb and the other side is switched to ground), seems backwards. All three lights are tied together in only one place, and that is the L terminal on the alternator. (the 89 BGB shows it as the yellow wire) This wire connects the L terminal on the alternator to the 5A charge fuse (in the fuse box by the battery) then to the three lights. There must be more current & voltage applied through the charge fuse from terminal L on the alternator than is applied to the other side of the lights by the individual circuits to keep the lights from turning on. This is where the diode in each circuit comes into play. If all three lights are on they are using terminal L on the alternator as a ground. To test all this: 1: Remove 5A charge fuse & turn on ignition. a: Charge light should be off, brake and cooling should be on. b: Using a meter check both terminals in the fuse block to ground, one should have 12v. Make note of which terminal has voltage. 2: Start car. a: Charge light still off, brake and cooling off. b: Using a test meter check both terminals of the charge fuse to ground, both should now show 12v. If only the terminal from step 1 has voltage you have a problem either with the alternator or wiring between the alternator and fuse block. Can perform either steps 3 or 4 next. 3: Block up car and connect the meter between terminal L on the alternator and ground. a: Start engine. b: + 12v terminal L on alternator is good. c: 0v Replace alternator. 4: With engine off test the resistance between terminal L on the alternator and the charge fuse. One side of the charge fuse should have almost 0 ohm resistance and the other an open circuit. a: If it's not less than 1 ohm resistance replace the wire. Hope this helps.

11-18-2009, 01:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	i would do all this today, but im not so sure that i should as i drive to school in 20 min

11-18-2009, 10:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	i took the fuse out and now all the lights are off all the time

11-20-2009, 04:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	i am not to sure what his post is but i know the problem. the yellow wire he is talking about is severed from the alt on my car. i need to score the connector.

12-01-2009, 10:50 AM	#8 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	that hapened to me too. i just kinda bent, soldered, and modified til it worked then taped it. its all secure now. unless your wire loop thingy itself broke... then you need to check stores like ace hardware and menards and stuff for the right wire end.