Electrical apocolypse HELP!

[honeybadger]

So i bought this 1984 2wd le van 3 months ago. i love it, but there has been a series of problems ending in total electrical loss. to start i was driving on the highway and had to slam the brakes and the battery slid foreward in the box to the point where the positive lead was touching the box and over the next 5-10 minutes of driving i lost all power to accesories and when i turned on the lights it died. i tried to charge the batter by running the car once i jumped it but that killed the alternator. so when i pulled the alternator, i changed the belts aswell because they were on the way out. i get it all back together and take off and while im at the atm i lose all power but the engine was running so i drove home. and here i am. no power at all anywhere in the van, 12.75 volts on the battery. where should i start?

[skibum]

The fusible link jumps to mind (right there near the postive cable on the battery), although if the battery is able to "slide forward", it could even be cable connections, if it happens often enough.

[honeybadger]

The power failure im experiencing now has only happened once and it was after I replaced the alternator and all 3 belts. i removed the passenger seat and the engine cover in the process. Either I jarred something during the repair that created a short or the increased power the new alternator was producing blew a circuit. Also ive looked for the fusable link from the information in the thread and have been unable to find it. Not in the area mentioned.

[skibum]

http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/c...inks-Tims-Tech

Try this thread.

I see you're fairly new here, so I would recommend that you check out the search function on this site. It's pretty handy (that's how I got back to the thread that I mentioned above.

Also, though, to expand on the cable comment. I have had issues with the clamp(s) on the battery posts (specifically, the negative), not clamping down tight. Make sure that the connections at the post(s), and even the "business" end of the cables (ground to chassis/motor, etc.)

[honeybadger]

Ok i found the first fuse after the battery, an 80 amp, blown. put a new one in and it blew too. I cannot for the life of me figure out why. The fusable link shown in The Fusable Link thread must be from another year model because i dont have any wither in the battery box or out. Anyone have a clue why the biggest fuse in my buggy keeps blowing?

[honeybadger]

PROBLEM SOLVED

the wire attacting to the top of the alternator had broken its insulation and made contact with the alternator housing, causing a short. 10 cents worth of shrinkwrap and shes purring like a kitten!

thanks for all the help

i found the answer is this thread
http://www.toyotavanpeople.com/forum...hp?f=2&t=10341

[timsrv]

I should have mentioned in that thread/article that 84 vans & possibly 85 vans don't have the FL 1.25B link. Since I only own 2nd generation vans I sometimes forget the earlier ones existed. I'm glad you found the problem. Tim