longwater Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I started to get my toy ready for the up coming season.I have a few items that need attention and was going to start on that list,but now something has made its way to the top. First let me say that my toy always had the brake light and battery light come on when I started it up,and I had to rev it up a couple thousand rpms and this would make them go out.I mean everytime .I start and drive it about every month during the winter,just to keep it exercised.This week when it started the brake lite and battery light won't go out. My first thing I am going to check will be the alternator.Has anybody ever had a problem like this?Because if the alternator is ok I would like to know what to check next.The truck battery is new and has good voltage,the house battery is old and is one of the items that will be replaced. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 It is most definately your alternator. They will go off when you rev it for a while cause the alternator is working a little. Mine lasted like that for almost a year and gave up completely when I was on vacation. Crap I had to get it started and drive right home. If you have power steering and automatic tranny the only way to get the alternator out is from the bottom but you have to remove the trannie cooling line and the radiator fan cowl and bottom radiator hose. it is still a very tight fit. Of course remove battry cables before you start LS Yes I did mine by myself I started to get my toy ready for the up coming season.I have a few items that need attention and was going to start on that list,but now something has made its way to the top. First let me say that my toy always had the brake light and battery light come on when I started it up,and I had to rev it up a couple thousand rpms and this would make them go out.I mean everytime .I start and drive it about every month during the winter,just to keep it exercised.This week when it started the brake lite and battery light won't go out. My first thing I am going to check will be the alternator.Has anybody ever had a problem like this?Because if the alternator is ok I would like to know what to check next.The truck battery is new and has good voltage,the house battery is old and is one of the items that will be replaced. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?app=gallery&module=images§ion=viewimage&img=2462 a simple mod you can put in to always know Battery Stats. These meters run through firewall into engine bay and attach to the Isolator. Each display shows each battery. when your brake light and engine light come on , if you had these monitors, you would see it fall below 13.x I want to say 13.1 or something. It might only show 12.7 etc if there is NO charge hitting them at all. Essentially I have permanent voltimeters on each battery now. Also some lessons learned; avoid auto zone remans unless you enjoy cutting your knuckles and dirty hands over and over and over again until you get a "good" alternator. I even had one from them that would test "ok" but would randomly stop working as if it had a short in its wiring somewhere. Of course when I finally decided to shell out the $500 to get the powermaster alternator for our toy, autozone finally gave me a reman that held together. DOAH... now I will never know what it would have been like to generate enough juice to run a 4000 watt inverter and coach AC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?app=gallery&module=images§ion=viewimage&img=2462 a simple mod you can put in to always know Battery Stats. These meters run through firewall into engine bay and attach to the Isolator. Each display shows each battery. when your brake light and engine light come on , if you had these monitors, you would see it fall below 13.x I want to say 13.1 or something. It might only show 12.7 etc if there is NO charge hitting them at all. Essentially I have permanent voltimeters on each battery now. Also some lessons learned; avoid auto zone remans unless you enjoy cutting your knuckles and dirty hands over and over and over again until you get a "good" alternator. I even had one from them that would test "ok" but would randomly stop working as if it had a short in its wiring somewhere. Of course when I finally decided to shell out the $500 to get the powermaster alternator for our toy, autozone finally gave me a reman that held together. DOAH... now I will never know what it would have been like to generate enough juice to run a 4000 watt inverter and coach AC. Totem, I saw the photo of the seats in your Toyhome. Where did they come from? Are they comfortable? Were they expensive? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 LINDA CONG FOR your mec work and you are right it is a TOYOTA THING THE BRAKE LIGHT AWAYS COME ON WITH THE CHARGE LIGHT EVEN IF THE BELT BREACKS OR THE ALT ERNATER IS NOT WORKING first time for me 1977 wagen 20r in 1985 weard but true i was suprised they still that way on in the 1980s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Totem, I saw the photo of the seats in your Toyhome. Where did they come from? Are they comfortable? Were they expensive? John Front were out of a junk yard from an F150 King Ranch Ford $300; I chose those for the type of leather as they had no cuts or holes and re dyed them myself (I am a bit of a leather freak). Rear couch cushions were made in a shop in Indiana$160 , Barrel chairs were Bass Fishing seats from Gander Mountain $75. Out the door I spent $535 on Seating; a small price to pay for things you spend the most time on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longwater Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 thanks for the replys,I think I will drive the toy down to auto-zone and have it tested,and then find a more reliable source for a replacement. (sorry auto zone,I do buy parts there )Years ago when a alternator went bad you could repair it yourself.I had a '83 toy the alternator quit charging,I took it apart and was amazed at the quality compared to a GM unit,it had roller bearings My lights came on ever since I bought instead of the sealed bearings.I just replaced the brushes for a few dollars.How the times have changed. My brake and battery light came on everytime I started it up every since I bought it 2 years ago,and would go out after raising the rpms.I'm glad it happened now before I was out on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 very likely with high miles the brushes are worn down and then they make interminit contac i know you know that already but some may not. Ihave taken a rubber mallet bang on alt brushes will work for a little while . I ALSO LOVED OVER HAUELING MY 74 datsun alt old Hitachi very easy to rebuild. 2 DATSUNS SEVEN TOYOTAS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 When I replaced my alternator my rig had less than 50.000 miles on it. Age must have something to do with it too LS very likely with high miles the brushes are worn down and then they make interminit contac i know you know that already but some may not. Ihave taken a rubber mallet bang on alt brushes will work for a little while . I ALSO LOVED OVER HAUELING MY 74 datsun alt old Hitachi very easy to rebuild. 2 DATSUNS SEVEN TOYOTAS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 LINDA S old age likley does not help ether did you have it long before you had too do that. over thightening the belt or jump starting hooked up wrong can do damage that may not show up for a while. I DID NOT MEAN YOU DID IT. sombody did that to me once and did not show up for six months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Let me see. I did the replacement 2 years ago so I had owned my camper for 5 years but only put about 20 thousand miles on it. Never changed the belts at that time or had the need to jump start it. Just went bad. Who knows why. Bought my replacement from an auto parts store that mostly services professional mechanics. It's the only place I buy stuff. Broke down and bought a toyota part once. A thermostat. Surprise it was faulty and they wouldn't take it back cause I lost the receipt. Top quality after market parts are available so that's what I depend on. Linda S LINDA S old age likley does not help ether did you have it long before you had too do that. over thightening the belt or jump starting hooked up wrong can do damage that may not show up for a while. I DID NOT MEAN YOU DID IT. sombody did that to me once and did not show up for six months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 nothing wrong with top quality after market auto parts i have also been using them myself for many years. somtimes dealer ships are not the same. they are often too high some are bad dishonst places. many years ago my dad bought a brand new car with a two year warenty the dealer was so bad the warenty was not worth the paper it was printed on. took the car to a very nice two man independt shop pay for work out of pocket . YES I SHOP AT THE PRO SHOPS THERE ARE INDEPENT SHOPS I WILL NEVER GO TOO SO I WISH YOU A FINE SEASON OF RVING I also think a strike aginst campers is they dont get run a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanman Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Toyota' timestamp very likely with high miles the brushes are worn down and then they make interminit contac i know you know that already but some may not. Ihave taken a rubber mallet bang on alt brushes will work for a little while . I ALSO LOVED OVER HAUELING MY 74 datsun alt old Hitachi very easy to rebuild. 2 DATSUNS SEVEN TOYOTAS I had a '74 B-210, replaced more rectifier plates than brushes till the alternator shop I was buying from sold me a heavy duty rectifier plate. End of problems, never did replace the bearings, ran fine till some *** stold it '96... vanman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 read my post on your profile the b210 was a great little car i replaced the SUCKO TACHI HITACHI CARB with a webber they just never made a toyota quality carb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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