Thread: Glow Plug Relay

If you use a new era how do you intend to time it?
I guess you could use a push button but I think the Toyota one had a timer that allowed them to be on for a specified period.
Not sure what amps they draw so you would need to size accordingly

Hello All,

I am still tracing circuits as I have only had the vehicle for a couple of weeks. I stretched out the glow plug wire to see if there was anything within reach that it could connect to. I found this big lump with terminals coming out of it. Would the object shown in the two photographs be the glow plug relay?


The 1B diesel was first fitted to the J40 Land Cruiser in 1974. It was also fitted to Dynas and Coaster buses. The engine number places the engine to be made around 1979 and 1980.

I am off to chase where the wires go out of the big lump. There are a couple of switches in the cab that I have yet to follow what they connect to. There is also a light that comes on that does not seem connected to anything specifically at the moment. I wonder? ....

Kind regards
Lionel

Hello All,

I just had some success and did not reduce the 2A down to a smoking pile of rubble. I took a punt and connected the loose ring terminal to the big lump in the photos in the previous message. I pressed the button on the bottom right-hand corner of the 2A instrument panel that makes a loud "clonk" noise and drops the needle down on the voltmeter. I figured it might even form a circuit somewhere.

I pressed the button down and counted to twenty. Meanwhile I was looking for clouds of smoke, listening for sparking sounds and sniffed for the acrid smell of burning electrical wires. There were none. So I let the push button switch go and I turned the ignition key. Then the engine effortlessly sprang to life. This is something that the engine has not done for a couple of weeks. Plenty of charge in the battery - however, previous attempts to start the motor proved unsuccessful.

Just before this bit of successful experiential learning - I noticed a T-branch terminal which was broken off and sitting out by itself among the wiring loom. When this T was placed near the broken terminal of another switch, then the switch was turned on the windscreen wipers moved. Now I just have to figure out why what should be the headlight switch is not working properly. Switch goes to the "on" position however no lights shine. All the joys of a hybrid loom! Lots of cut off wires that have not even been wrapped with insulation tape - or even fitted with terminal blocks. Or live wires that go no where.

Upon reflection - the push button switch that works as the 2A's glow plug switch has been borrowed from a Series 3. The switch in the Series 3 operates the windscreen washer motor.

Kind regards
Lionel

Probably find, Lionel, that the headlight switch is no good. Very common on series vehicles as there is no relay in the circuit and the switches degrade and fail regularily.

Cheers Rod

Originally Posted by 67hardtop

Probably find, Lionel, that the headlight switch is no good. Very common on series vehicles as there is no relay in the circuit and the switches degrade and fail regularily.

Cheers Rod

Hello Rod,

This vehicle is not short on relays Rod. One stuffs up just leave it where it is and reroute the wires around its carcass. If the wire is too short just grab any old length of another wire and twist it on. A wire is not needed any more; just pull it out and leave the wire bare of insulation and have it floating around. No worries that the wire is still live. Well that is how the previous owners operated anyway.

I have a really interesting blend between Land Rover wires. part of a Toyota loom and just lots of detritus to sort through. I suppose it has 48 years and a lot of changes made to the vehicle over that time.

What I do find amazing is how thin the input wire going from the switch to the glow-plug relay is! It may be getting an upgrade in wire diameter shortly.

Kind regards
Lionel

The actuating current for the relay coil is pretty small - the wire may well be adequate.

What JDNSW said...lol