The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[landcruiserburundi]

Please help,
Here in burundi it is always the mess...

I've bought here (no choice) a LJ73 but it doesn't start. I've checked the glow plugs, they don't receive any voltage but they look to be in good condition. In documentation they say that there are 2 glow plugs relays, on left side, but I see only one! the other one is the starter relay. Where in the world is the second?
I see that the only relay I have gives 12v, it works. but the "glow plug resistor" seems to be dead (it seems, i have to check again, that there is no continuity). Could I overpass it and connect the glow plugs without the resistor? I've heard that the plugs are 7v maximum. So if I put on them 12v, they will die, no? I'm completely lost and alone here in burundi, and I promise, noone is able to do something here! Please any suggestion welcomed! Ah! another question : what is the role of the glow plug resistor? to deliver 7v instead of 12v? please help, I'll try to help you too in the future. Thanks!

[Google]

[molotovmike]

Yes Resistor is to drop the voltage down so 12v will knock out the Plugs. Check the plugs by seeing if they have continuity. If you get no continuity between the threaded part into the head (earth) and the thread that holds the electric supply to it, then they are dead.
You can fit later plugs 11v ones which are dimensionally the same but you will need to hotwire their feed otherwise you will keep tripping out the system.
The second relay is near the first but tucked  in the wing you have to take something else out first, cant remember what.
The two relays work like this.
The first relay sends 12v as the initial boost, this you will note with a voltmeter lasts at the glow plugs for the time that the glow plug illumination light is on, this is timed by the 10 terminal Glow Plug timer which I have only just found after 9 months looking. This is behind the heater control panel in the car on the left hand side.
This takes connections from water temp guage and from the current sensor.

Once the initial voltage drops ( even on a 6v plug it takes a high initial voltage) Then the second Relay cuts in or to be honest , I think it is always on but the other cuts out. This supplies the large Glow Plug Resistor under the manifold, which drops the voltage down and has a function of temperature too. ie if the engine is cold it keeps this voltage on for longer, with no glow plug light.
You cannot mix resistors that do not suit the Plug ratings, but lots of people hotwire with 12 v.
As an emergency alternative that involves no wiring or plugs at all. Buy a can of easy start and squirt into the air filter, not too much just a couple of squirts, then fire her up keeping the engine tickled on the throttle until it warms.
I had so much starting problems with my plugs I was going to plumb in a permanent can of easy start that I could press inside the car and used the not in use vacuum take off that my vehicle had in the intake pipe on the clean side of the air filter. I believe one squirt would have worked here. But I resolved my glow plug issues.
If you do hotwire to a manual switch do not hold on for longer than the GlowPlug indicator light or you will melt your plugs and drop the molten ends into your engine. Take a look on utube if you dont believe me. The USA makes particularly poor plugs that can last only seconds.
I hope this helps

[landcruiserburundi]

Thank you so much for your help! Amazing!
After checking the glow plugs, I realized they are 11v glow plugs. People before me already  customized" the car, so. The resistor was dead, no continuity. I've bypassed the resistor and put together the 2 wires connected to the resistor, but I put them away from the resistor. It worked fine! However this resistor had a "glow" too, so I guess it was for the temperature and then reduce the delay on glow plugs if the engine is warm? Hem, no, maybe not, because no other wire is getting away from the resistor to the timer, it seems. I'm just affraid that If I start the engine 2mn after I've stopped it, If I start it again, the glow will be fed the same time as if the engine was cold? I don't know. What do you think? Thank you again very much, If I can help I will too.

[molotovmike]

I don't understand what you mean by the resistor having a "glow too" if you disconnected it it should be dead. The two fat wires leading to each side of the resistor isolator are the 12v in and the reduced voltage out, so by joining them you have simply hotwired at 12v which should be fine for the plugs you have fitted. 11v. Please explain what you mean by the "resistor having a glow" If you are concerned that as it apears to be a big glow plug but it does not have any other wires going to the timer, this is because it is a heat relative resistor. ie when cold it permits a greater (current) to pass, ( apologies if I have made a mistake between current and voltage my dad would turn in his grave, I always mix them up)
The fact that the current has sensors elsewhere permits the timer to respond accordingly.
To be safe you could take a positive wire direct to your Relay (switch, (the small terminal) to a new contact switch in the car and earth the other Relay Trigger wire( the other small wire).
The large wires are the switched large current wires, one from the battery, that is always live, the other that is triggered by the timer or remote switch if you complete the mod in the last sentance. This I would take direct to the Glow Plug Bus Bar ( I call the solid insulated bar the Bus Bar as  I have never heard it called anything else. If you disconnect all other wires to this and ensure they touch nothing. Then you are in control ofthe Glow plug time. I would recommend a switch that only makes connection when pressed so you cannot accidently leave it on and burn out the plugs. A warm engine will not even require any pre heating. What you have done so far may be fine as it is, take a look how long your Glow Plug light is on when the engine is warm. With help from someone else also measure the voltage at the Glow plug on start up and see if it drops and if so how long it  remains, a £10 voltmeter is good enough for this.

[mlaauwen]

I have also a question about this issue. I also have a lj73 it is from 1990 and if it it is getting colder let us sat 10 to 15 degree celsius ( i Live in Spain) my lj is hard to start. Even if i glow twice.
I have checked the glow plugs and they all measure 660ohm and they get 12v current. What could be the issue? It all started after they changed the seal of my fuelpump after that it started to start difficult in colder temperature. If the car is warm or when the outside temperature is rising it starts easily. Is there a fuelheater which could be failing or i read the pump has a cold start advancer on the pump. I know the guy has disconnected this device because he needed to add coolant liquid after finishing the job(changing the seal). I hope you can help me out.
cheers Michael