2006 Toyota Land Cruiser - “Last Price” dossers in full swing

[St.Jude]

6 minutes ago, Tickman said:

This is the option I would be looking at first.

No hassle, yes or no straight away and money sorted when collected.

I think so too. I'm still waiting for the recovery man so when he's here and I've got the car on the driveway I'll start doing that.

[N Dentressangle]

Get rid. It's causing you pain.

If you MUST have a 4x4 then find a Discovery 1 300TDI or similar. As long as you can weld, they're easy to fix.

I am at the point where I would no longer consider a car with CANBUS, OBD, EGR, ADHD etc, as they're all just a massive PITA.

[Dyslexic Viking]

I can't believe how unlucky you've been with this one but I guess that's how it is with overcomplicated modern cars as they age. And yes, I know it's 19 years old, but I still see it as modern as with evrything from the 2000s and newer.

So I goes towards getting rid of it as soon as possible before something else breaks.

[lesapandre]

There is plenty advice online about the fusing problem. There is probably a fix.

I'd not sell it. I'm biased I own a Landcruiser but an earlier one. There is such a big 'community' out there someone will have the answer. 🍀

[Rust Collector]

15 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

someone will have the answer.

[lesapandre]

That did cross my mind. 😂

[St.Jude]

37 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

 

33 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

That did cross my mind. 😂

When I was looking at how to get the big fuse out, someone said they just soldered it in the end and he got landed on by everyone going "Fuck'in stoopid m8". 

Right now I'm only interested in getting shot of it. Lad who picked it up is interested but I think it might be a bit too spicey in price for him as he's usually in amongst the £300 MOT failures. He asked if I was scrapping it and I said no it's not scrap money. £250 for an alternator maybe, £30 for a fuse, labour, and it's working again. Now he doesn't know I think that's bollocks as history has showed it's not straight forward. But we'll see.

Currently in the process of taking the plate off of it.

[St.Jude]

First misstep - I've gone to SORN it after taking the plate off 🙄.

I'm going to the pub.

[Bear]

Honestly, it's a big fuse blowing, which must point to a short somewhere, and occam's gilette says "you were mucking about with the alternator in a tight space and in a horrid repair scenario". Not being a LandCruiser expert I don't know what else is involved, but I would get a multimeter and do some continuity checks.

If you hadn't just had a garage look at it and declare defeat, if you hadn't just had a pig of a job to fix something (that is now fixed?) and THEN this fuse started blowing that hadn't been blowing before, I'd be with the 'sell it to the vultures' crowd, but you KNOW it's going to be something really stupid like a bit of insulation that cracked on the alternator and then the engine shakes and it shorts out.

Meditate, wait for a calmness, get a torch and a multimeter, THEN decide. You fixed the fuse before, but not why the fuse blew. because it could just have been a wire touched something when you were working on it. You've gone through worse with the Rover if there's a battle for ungrateful car/reward of the thing working, the Toyota is at least desired by more than three broke enthusiasts who own 60% of all surviving examples...

[grogee]

2 hours ago, St.Jude said:

I mean there is a want and a need. Needed a car for when the boy was born, and I always wanted a Land Cruiser. Got it, wish I hadn't etc. Only real requirement from me is something I can haul shit in when I need to. So if we go on holiday, if I go to the tip, if/when I go to the unit to transfer stuff for the Lada. The fact it could tow was a good thing. But it was the most money I've spent on a car and I don't think it's for me. I'd sooner a car that is cheap and needs attention but if something gets too big it can just be scrapped. Or a Berlingo.

I am already there though, it is going now. Yes we have been here before but I re-read what I said above about all the jobs I've done and they've all been awful and it just throws another fucking thing at me. I'm not made of money.

The choices I have:

• Punt it to one of these boys you see on Faceache saying "WE buy any Land Cruiser" as is
• Punt it to eBay as spares/repairs as is
• Take the alternator off and have it tested to see if that's shorting out and causing the problem, then punt it on
• Change the fuse again and sell it on a dry day
• Keep getting shafted by it.

Can tell you now I am swinging towards option 3 of getting the alternator tested, or option 1 of getting it sold on as is. With the two duff batteries in it and then sell the new ones on somewhere.

I think you partially answered your own question when you said 'Berlingo'. 

Arguably same cargo capacity as the Cruiser, half the driven wheels, half the batteries. They are an AS favourite for a reason and I count myself among the converted. I bought @Zelandeth's Partner instead of hiring a van. They are such a hoot to drive as well. 

I would imagine the Cruiser is one of those In Demand vehicles that farmers and OLLI off-roaders like? So hopefully you won't get rinsed on price. Yes you might not get all your parts money, sweat and blood back but you have had decent use out of it I think.

Put it this way, you've not spuffed £300/month on a brand new Peugeot Jizzmop. 

My preference is Option 4(?) sell it privately on a dry day and grit your teeth against the inevitable buttmunchers. 

[St.Jude]

I didn't get to the pub. But I have beer. I'm waiting for the wife to come off her call to see if I need to go and pick our lad up. If not, I'm on it.

2 hours ago, RichardK said:

Meditate, wait for a calmness, get a torch and a multimeter, THEN decide. You fixed the fuse before, but not why the fuse blew. because it could just have been a wire touched something when you were working on it. You've gone through worse with the Rover if there's a battle for ungrateful car/reward of the thing working, the Toyota is at least desired by more than three broke enthusiasts who own 60% of all surviving examples...

I am trying to be realistic here, but unless I can do the work myself I need a specialist around who is sympathetic with these things. The RAC man came out and knew they had 2 batteries but didn't know they get joined together for 24v on start and that's it. I think back to that garage who said it'd be 3 hours labour out of the blue and part of me feels they didn't want anything to do with it. Don't blame them. But the nearest specialist to me for these things is in Ledbury which is well over an hour away. And even then they fucked the air bags on it the first time they had it and didn't really offer to collect it or reimburse me the transport to them. And the Air Con fiasco with them as well. Everything on that car that's been needed I've attempted but while I get there eventually this recent job required me to get a mate over to help because my arm isn't great. It may never be great again I don't know. That aside, the parts are ruinously expensive unless I wait for them to come from Japan or Australia. I don't think I've had more than 10 months of driving out of it without it being out of action for some reason. Maybe last year I had a full 12 months up until it was off for a week waiting for welding an exhaust. So I've a car here that is problematic to work on, problematic for my wallet in terms of parts cost, and problematic when I can't do the work and need someone to do it. Maybe the fan boys have that sorted but I don't really. But it is also on my driveway for at least another week while I wait for the log book to come in as I've taken the plate off. So maybe if my mate is around he'll help with the alternator again and get it checked or tested, then spunk another £30 on a fuse from Toyota.

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Arguably same cargo capacity as the Cruiser, half the driven wheels, half the batteries. They are an AS favourite for a reason and I count myself among the converted. I bought @Zelandeth's Partner instead of hiring a van. They are such a hoot to drive as well. 

Yeah I do like them, I have a preference to the Peugeot version just as I think it looks a bit better. But I'm soft and need air con and they're not that common in that configuration.

[grogee]

11 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

Yeah I do like them, I have a preference to the Peugeot version just as I think it looks a bit better. But I'm soft and need air con and they're not that common in that configuration

Your/our timing is unfortunate, as usual. Just sold mine which did have AC. 

I wonder if LC funds would permit an upgrade to the Mk2 (?) version which came out about 2007ish? I think more of them had AC fitted. 

[St.Jude]

15 minutes ago, grogee said:

Your/our timing is unfortunate, as usual. Just sold mine which did have AC. 

I wonder if LC funds would permit an upgrade to the Mk2 (?) version which came out about 2007ish? I think more of them had AC fitted. 

We'll see. Priority is offloading this thing first. I did mention the Berlingo to the wife and I think she almost called the man in Ledbury to come and fix the LC!

I think going forward the requirement is going to be parts availability and ease of maintenance. Under the bonnet of the Kia Sportage my wife has there is plenty of room and access. But then I think whatever funds I get from the LC at least a 3rd has to go in to a fund to sort it out if/when something breaks and I'm not able to do it.

[Bear]

I don't doubt that getting shot of it is a good idea.

But it seems like this particular failure (and I'm happy to be proven wrong on this and actually it's a bastard thing elsewhere in the system) is going to be a damaged connector or wiring related to moving the alternator about and so forth, and it's a pisser to sell it as non-working to vultures who will merely be looking at the same problem with clear eyes, and lose a lot of money, when it should be a relatively straightforward fix.

(And I don't  count replacing the alternator as a straightforward fix from what you've said, just 'has a wire chafed/got caught/got a broken insulation block').

[warch]

As a Landrover owner I'd love to be smug about all this (Landcruisers are good sturdy vehicles, but have been built up in urban myth to Chuck Norris like levels of awesomeness), but I'm with @RichardK on this one. Any halfway competent auto electrician (needn't be a Toyota specialist) ought to be able to diagnose this fairly quickly. 

It's shit when it happens when you're a parent with young kids, its the wrong time of year and you're not fit and well enough to mend it, but I think it ought to be worth investigating. My bike has had chronic running problems due to a simple wiring overheating fault, I was stumped until I accidentally touched the wires next to the offending connecting block and burnt my fingers.

[Dobloseven]

The fuse blowing has surely got to be something you've disturbed recently.Think back logically over what you've done.I'd say definitely get it running again.As it is, it's about as desirable as something that's not very desirable.Anyone who thinks they're smart enough to get it going will want it for very little.Soon as it's going again,get rid.Each day it gets closer to another MOT,it devalues.Best wishes.

 

[Zelandeth]

Agreed with what folks have said.  Get it going and get it gone.  Some cars are just lemons - Doesn't matter if they're a Rolls-Royce or a Trabant.  You've been massively patient with this thing, it's had it's chances.  

Get shot of it before it leaves you stranded at the side of the motorway in the dark with the kid on board.

[808 Estate]

My Surf fried its main fuse the week after the alternator shat itself. RAC bloke says thats common as the knackered alternator and batteries will stress it. Been fine since though. Took the RAC guy well over an hour to replace the fuse. Well worth the £5.99 I had to pay.

[St.Jude]

I am still fuming really. 3 cans of the beautiful Blanca Rosa lager hasn't done anything to change that.

But I have found the fuseable link on Amazon for £10 and that comes tomorrow. There is fuck all space or room to get in behind the alternator to check the connections without removing it. So I'll have to do that. Then take it from there. See if there is somewhere around that will test them at least.

Car is still going though.

[camryv6]

Buy two fuses, or use a dummy fuse first

[uk_senator]

8 hours ago, RichardK said:

Honestly, it's a big fuse blowing, which must point to a short somewhere, and occam's gilette says "you were mucking about with the alternator in a tight space and in a horrid repair scenario". Not being a LandCruiser expert I don't know what else is involved, but I would get a multimeter and do some continuity checks.

If you hadn't just had a garage look at it and declare defeat, if you hadn't just had a pig of a job to fix something (that is now fixed?) and THEN this fuse started blowing that hadn't been blowing before, I'd be with the 'sell it to the vultures' crowd, but you KNOW it's going to be something really stupid like a bit of insulation that cracked on the alternator and then the engine shakes and it shorts out.

3 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

The fuse blowing has surely got to be something you've disturbed recently.Think back logically over what you've done.I'd say definitely get it running again.As it is, it's about as desirable as something that's not very desirable.Anyone who thinks they're smart enough to get it going will want it for very little.Soon as it's going again,get rid.Each day it gets closer to another MOT,it devalues.Best wishes.

 

+1 really, Its got to be something to do with the Alternator &/or its

wiring to pop 140a`s like that, or maybe some other major current wiring disturbed at the time, or maybe something weird, like the engine earth strap cracking if its anywhere near. I understand the frustration though. (I did just look to see if I had any of those fuses from the Japanese/Korean cars I`ve stripped, & I have a couple here, but not 140a ones)

[St.Jude]

So here is the update, and I will try and show you why I cannot be fucked tracing wiring.

Through the front arch is the only decent access. Please note if you will that the grey plastic cap above it is loose. The screw here was loose as well. So vibration, or it working itself loose, and the water zapped it most likely.

Alternator came off very easily given it hadn't been there for long. Took it to a few places to see who did alternator testing and found one out in Wombourne. He tested it and said it's fine. Diode pack is sound, it's all good.

I've reattached it, added thread locker to the nut under the cap - could not give a fuck if this is a good or bad thing, don't tell me either - tightened it as much as i'd dare for fear of it snapping.

Above you can see if I take the battery out, I have that much access.

From above you can see how much room I have for that alternator and literally everything else. Remember the thermostat lives behind the alternator and behind the turbo elbow joint.

That is the gap you have between the chassis arm and alternator.

That is as far as I can go from above because of the space. All I can reach here are the cable and terminal that go in the back of the alternator.

Amazon will arrive later tonight with the fuse. I'm not going to fuck around with a dummy fuse as something beyond it will fry itself. And then that's ££££'s more than the current £££'s it's swallowed.

Shall reconvene tomorrow with a hangover, hopefully. From booze, not the car.

[N Dentressangle]

What a tedious PoS.

Do what you need to do.

[Zelandeth]

How on earth have they managed to make such a bloody huge vehicle with a four pot engine in so impossible to work on?  Sheeeesh.  

I've only ever done any spanner twirling on an A plate one with the four litre six pot diesel in it, and remember that being quite user friendly.  Didn't hang around either...did like a drink though as I recall!  I'd love one from that era, but the modern ones I think I'll just pass on thanks!

[lesapandre]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

How on earth have they managed to make such a bloody huge vehicle with a four pot engine in so impossible to work on?  Sheeeesh.  

I've only ever done any spanner twirling on an A plate one with the four litre six pot diesel in it, and remember that being quite user friendly.  Didn't hang around either...did like a drink though as I recall!  I'd love one from that era, but the modern ones I think I'll just pass on thanks!

I can +1 for the 4-litres.

The 24 volt is a PITA - on mine it eats batteries and connections. But it does provide a good jolt of power in cold weather. Mine always starts even at -5.

The crossing-over connection cable above is the same as on mine and is pretty crude.

I would check very carefully all those cables. The battery to earth - cross-over cable and cable running into ignition system. I'd take the trunking off and look for anywhere the cable might be split and arc. Then follow it back under the dashboard and look for anything loose. Make sure the earth really is earthing - I'd take it off and clean up the earth connection. Then take a look at the connections to the batteries - take them off and have a good look at the terminals - mine eats terminals. I replaced my connector cable because it was completely cooked.

Mine's not fused so I don't have this problem - just the occasional flashing and smoke 😂

I assume you have put the batteries in the right way round? I'm sure you have but just worth asking the obvious.

The only other thing that strikes me is that there is leakage on the injector cables so I'd have a look there.

I've not checked back through the thread but I assume both batteries are new - if one is dud or down it won't start.

So far as the fuse is concerned is it Toyota or recommend brand? It could be that. Dunno.

Beyond that I'm afraid it's looking online for me.

As far as keeping it. Look online and see what the consensus is. 

It all looks pretty clean under the bonnet.

I love mine but it is much earlier  - and much rustier. 😂

[St.Jude]

3 hours ago, lesapandre said:

I can +1 for the 4-litres.

The 24 volt is a PITA - on mine it eats batteries and connections. But it does provide a good jolt of power in cold weather. Mine always starts even at -5.

The crossing-over connection cable above is the same as on mine and is pretty crude.

I would check very carefully all those cables. The battery to earth - cross-over cable and cable running into ignition system. I'd take the trunking off and look for anywhere the cable might be split and arc. Then follow it back under the dashboard and look for anything loose. Make sure the earth really is earthing - I'd take it off and clean up the earth connection. Then take a look at the connections to the batteries - take them off and have a good look at the terminals - mine eats terminals. I replaced my connector cable because it was completely cooked.

Mine's not fused so I don't have this problem - just the occasional flashing and smoke 😂

I assume you have put the batteries in the right way round? I'm sure you have but just worth asking the obvious.

The only other thing that strikes me is that there is leakage on the injector cables so I'd have a look there.

I've not checked back through the thread but I assume both batteries are new - if one is dud or down it won't start.

So far as the fuse is concerned is it Toyota or recommend brand? It could be that. Dunno.

Beyond that I'm afraid it's looking online for me.

As far as keeping it. Look online and see what the consensus is. 

It all looks pretty clean under the bonnet.

I love mine but it is much earlier  - and much rustier. 😂

There’s a lot here, but I’ll put answers here after 8 pints of Guinness on a weird fucking night.

The battery will only go one way. If I put the battery/batteries in wrong it’s fairly obvious it’s wrong. The cables won’t meet the battery in a wrong configuration.

Injectors - remember the garage were charged with the thermostat, oil change, fuel filter change. They did the easy jobs other than the thermostat, the injector was loosened to release pressure to do the fuel filter.

In my head, I’ve wanted the 100 series (which is the Amazon). That, genuinely, wouldn’t mind if it shat itself. That’s the LC I want. And the 100 ain’t too different from the 80. But the 120 is basically Toyota jumping the shark. This has more in common with a 150 than an 80, and not in the good way.

Its Going.

[Mr Pastry]

OP I appreciate your frustration, it looks a total nightmare, but you have to be methodical about electrics.

You also need a wiring diagram, and take the time to understand it.   If you haven't got one, why not?

So the alternator is tested and is OK. 

The fuse blew to protect the alternator, which is what it is there for. 

140 amps is a lot of juice, there must be a massive short somewhere. 

If you replace the fuse without finding the problem it will just blow again.

AIUI car will start and run, fuse does not blow immediately but a short time later.  Is that correct?

If so, what system is cutting in a short time later which is causing an overload?   

 

 

[Bear]

30 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

OP I appreciate your frustration, it looks a total nightmare, but you have to be methodical about electrics.

You also need a wiring diagram, and take the time to understand it.   If you haven't got one, why not?

So the alternator is tested and is OK. 

The fuse blew to protect the alternator, which is what it is there for. 

140 amps is a lot of juice, there must be a massive short somewhere. 

If you replace the fuse without finding the problem it will just blow again.

AIUI car will start and run, fuse does not blow immediately but a short time later.  Is that correct?

If so, what system is cutting in a short time later which is causing an overload?   

 

 

Thing is if the batteries were charged up and then reconnected, and the fuse blew, it would still run for a decent amount of time I think, and other systems would be protected by their respective fuses? It has to be alternator, battery or starter live circuit to take out the 140A and not the others, surely?

[Mr Pastry]

2 minutes ago, RichardK said:

Thing is if the batteries were charged up and then reconnected, and the fuse blew, it would still run for a decent amount of time I think, and other systems would be protected by their respective fuses? It has to be alternator, battery or starter live circuit to take out the 140A and not the others, surely?

Without knowing exactly where the fuse is in the system it's impossible to say, hence diagram needed.

[Westbay]

wiring diagram ...

https://procarmanuals.com/pdf-online-toyota-land-cruiser-2006-wiring-diagrams/