86rader Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Attempted to drive home my "new" 87 Sunrader today. First half of the drive was uneventful. It was running like new. Then I got an intermittent check engine light. Then I started losing power. Once it started losing power, OD lockout stopped working and the flashers wouldn't flash. Gave it 10 minutes sitting on the side of the highway and it seemed to recover fine....for about 3-4 minutes before the symptoms returned. After another 10 minute rest, it started/drove fine again. By this time, I susected a ground problem, so while it was still running fine, I turned the headlights on and it immediately started stumbling. Turn them off, it was fine. I limped it into the next rest area and parked it. I am going back in the morning. Hoping I can get home Ok. Will run minimal electric. No lights, no fan blower. Once I get it home, I will go through all the grounds. Anyone have any thoughts/recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Take a wire with you and run it from the engine to the frame and then to the - of the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86rader Posted January 30, 2017 Author Share Posted January 30, 2017 Turns out, I have a bad alternator, or possibly a fuse. I found the culprit. The heavy gage 12VDC that supplies the coach is zip tied right above the muffler. Well, 30 year old zip ties tend to snap, as did this one, dropping that wire right onto the muffler. It eventually melted through and is likely the reason my wife saw "sparks fly out" from under the camper as she followed me, right before the trouble started. Will trouble shoot it soon. The solution was to buy another battery (didn't have time to re-charge the other one. Then I drove it the 60 miles home. Drove like new. I managed 68 mph on a slight uphill in 3rd gear and it had more left. I think I have a runner, here! Hopefully it is a fuse or fusible link that went out. Anybody know why I am not getting an alt light? Don't even have it with the engine off, key on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Bad alternator in these Toyota's usually means the charge and the brake light come on. Alternators are easy to test. Almost any parts store will do it for free. Or just test it yourself with a multimeter. Voltage at battery will go up when engine running Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 You have two fuses that control the alt. one is the 7.5 amp charge fuse the other is a 15 amp engine fuse. The one that is suspect would be the 7.5 amp charge fuse it is connected to the charge light so it would not work either, the engine fuse would effect lots of other things. Before you replace the alt. it would be a good ideal to check them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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