Looking for technical advice/help!

[vintagecoffeeroaster]

Hello fellow van nerds!

My 1987 van is running , the battery is still being charged and putting out 12V , but the dash lights for the battery , brake and radiator are still lit when operating.
Please advise ,

thanks in advance!

[originalkwyjibo]

Break in the wire/circuit somewhere between the alternator and the light? I had a diode burn out on mine on the back of the cluster that left the alternator side of the bulb circuit open. If you unplug the cluster and the alternator then you can test for continuity between the cluster connector and the alternator connector to rule that out. Mine tested good which led me to investigate the cluster.
Also, take a look at these threads if you haven't yet.
https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?473-Christmas-dash-(dash-lights-stay-on-dash-lights-come-on-while-driving)
https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?2521-Alternator-No-Charge-No-Christmas-Warning-lights

[vintagecoffeeroaster]

thank you! What I did notice is that when I turned on the head lamp it basically shorts. Last week when I did that it completely killed all the power . I turned them off and turned over the engine and everything was operating normally. Until tonight.

[originalkwyjibo]

When you say "killed all the power " do you mean the engine died and all electrical went dead? If so, I would strongly suggest inspecting the fusible links.
https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?136-The-fusible-link-thread

BTW how did you test the alternator?

[timsrv]

:whs: Yes, I agree. I suspect you'll see a bunch of corrosion on your main link and probably the little yellow one by the battery as well. Tim

[89van]

If you're having some intermittency with your headlamps too, check your relay. Mine still clicked, but it was not good by any margin; the Power Out pin (it's a 3 pin relay) burnt itself a crust layer that made them work intermittently despite clicking. Or the fuse too...

I doubt you'd have any moisture in your lamps, but if so I'd recommend changing those, that's not a good sign either per my experience with that!

[vintagecoffeeroaster]

thanks everyone, it was the alternator. It was a very easy swap. I used this link https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/content.php?200-Change-your-alternator-ILLUSTRATED!

thanks again fellow van nerds!