Battery & Starter Wire Issues on JDM motor swap...

[SupraDreamPDR]

Quick synopsis -- Original 7MGTE, swapped in JDM 7MGTE. ECU, harness, fluids, etc ready. Attempt to turn motor over, but nothing happens. Have power for headlights, sunroof, interior lights, etc but no power to power windows.
Questions -- Do I have the battery (both ground and power) wires correctly installed (I know the right ground wire should be grounded at the hole to the right of the diag. box, but I moved it to fit the Optima battery temporarily)? Do I have the starter wired up correctly? What is the black plug, Where does the black plug go (Looked at my TEWD book, Duh! It's the alternator wire!)? Please see the below pictures.

How I have battery and starter wired up currently... Answer: Per 90mkiiisupra400hp, JJ & the TEWD - Power (red wires) wired correctly; Ground (black wires), left wire (bolted to back of intake manifold) should be bolted to the side of the block, right wire is correctly grounded (after being moved to hole at right of diag. box).

Close up of starter wires...

Unknown engine plug with questions on picture... Answer: It's the alternator wire / plug.

Final question -- How do I prime the oil system? My '90 TSRM book (in the turbocharger section) stats that you need to cut the fuel supply and crank the motor for approx. 30 seconds. How do I cut the fuel supply? Just unplug the "Fuel Pump Control Relay"? Answer: Just pull the EFI fuse.
Thanks in advance. :icon_bigg

 

[90mkiiisupra400hp]

Iirc the left ground wire bolts to the block and the only wires that bolt onto the intake manifold are from the wiring harness, someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think thats how it goes.

 

[jetjock]

^ You are correct.

How do I cut the fuel supply? Just unplug the "Fuel Pump Control Relay"?

Just pull the EFI fuse...

 

[Nick M]

The wire that sparked is the output for the alternator. It goes on the stud of the alternator. I don't know if you did the starter correctly. The wires are not interchangeable. The large wire goes directly to the battery, the smaller has a plug on it. That is the switch portion.

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

Iirc the left ground wire bolts to the block and the only wires that bolt onto the intake manifold are from the wiring harness, someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think thats how it goes.

Understood and the TEWD states as much about the ground wire. I'll move the ground wire to the block. Would this be the issue, as I have power to most of the accessories (lights, doors, etc.)?

Just pull the EFI fuse...

Thanks, JJ. Appreciate it.

The wire that sparked is the output for the alternator. It goes on the stud of the alternator. I don't know if you did the starter correctly. The wires are not interchangeable. The large wire goes directly to the battery, the smaller has a plug on it. That is the switch portion.

I realized this after posting and checked the TEWD (as I should have in the first place), but thanks for the help.

 

[90mkiiisupra400hp]

Is the battery fully charged? Are you using the JDM ECU? Is it for a automatic transmission, if so I believe you have to bypass the neutral safety switch in the ECU if your car is a 5spd. If you are using the stock ECU check the neutral safety switch on the clutch pedal.

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

Is the battery fully charged? Are you using the JDM ECU? Is it for a automatic transmission, if so I believe you have to bypass the neutral safety switch in the ECU if your car is a 5spd. If you are using the stock ECU check the neutral safety switch on the clutch pedal.

Brand new battery. Have both the JDM and USDM ECUs, both yellow plug ECUs. Both ECUs are from manual transmission Supras. I'll check the neutral safety switch behind the clutch pedal. Will update shortly.

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

Brand new battery. Have both the JDM and USDM ECUs, both yellow plug ECUs. Both ECUs are from manual transmission Supras. I'll check the nuetral safety switch behind the clutch pedal. Will update shortly.

Neutral safety switch appears to be functioning properly, is there a certain way to check to make sure it works? Also, large ground wire from battery moved to side of block. 100A alternator fuse was blown, so I replaced it with a good one. Attempt to start, nothing. No clicking, no attempt to start. Any ideas?

 

[90mkiiisupra400hp]

Did you try bypassing the neutral safety switch. Are both wires hooked up to the starter, I only see the power wire from the battery in the pic. there is also a brown? single wire plug the hooks up to it. The only other thing I could think of is doing the starter relay mod.http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?76403-Car-not-starting-randomly-READ-THIS-(30-Amp-Starter-Relay-Mod)&highlight=starter+relay That might be the issue but have you tried shorting out the starter solenoid to see if the starter is good.

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

Did you try bypassing the neutral safety switch. Are both wires hooked up to the starter, I only see the power wire from the battery in the pic. there is also a brown? single wire plug the hooks up to it. The only other thing I could think of is doing the starter relay mod.http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?76403-Car-not-starting-randomly-READ-THIS-(30-Amp-Starter-Relay-Mod)&highlight=starter+relay That might be the issue but have you tried shorting out the starter solenoid to see if the starter is good.

To bypass the neutral safety switch, just unplug both plugs and connect them with wires? Both wires are hooked up. You can see the smaller, black/blue colored wire under the large black wire. The starter relay mod doesn't appear to offer a solution as my car doesn't make a sound or click when I turn it over. Just absolutely nothing. Not sure I understand "shorting out" the starter solenoid?

Below qoutes from another posting, owner having similiar starter issue.

Bang on the starter solenoid a couple times. Might be frozen.

Obviously tried this, as the starter hasn't been used in close to 6 years, but still did not fix the issue.

I may have missed it, but has anyone mentioned the possibility of a bad starter solenoid? Jack up the car, disconnect the smaller wire from the starter.. then get a test light and attach it to the wire and find a good ground. Have a buddy hit the ignition and see if your test light illuminates. If it illuminates, it's a bad solenoid and you need to replace your starter. If not you need to look at starter relay for sure.

I'll try this shortly and report back. Perhaps my starter is just dead? Not looking forward to replacing the starter while on the car though.

 

[jetjock]

I'm confused. Since the starter circuit is simple and can easily be troubleshot using a meter or test light why screw around trying all this other stuff?

Also, and you may not care about this, but jumping the NSW will render the cruise control system inoperative...

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

I may have missed it, but has anyone mentioned the possibility of a bad starter solenoid? Jack up the car, disconnect the smaller wire from the starter.. then get a test light and attach it to the wire and find a good ground. Have a buddy hit the ignition and see if your test light illuminates. If it illuminates, it's a bad solenoid and you need to replace your starter. If not you need to look at starter relay for sure.

I'll try this shortly and report back. Perhaps my starter is just dead? Not looking forward to replacing the starter while on the car though.

Test complete. Looks like the wiring and relay are good. So I need a new starter and will replace that Thursday.

I'm confused. Since the starter circuit is simple and can easily be troubleshot using a meter or test light why screw around trying all this other stuff?

Also, and you may not care about this, but jumping the NSW will render the cruise control system inoperative...

Understood and so, so true -- I hope I've diagnosed this issue as a bad starter. I'll replace it and update the post. The cruise control system is removed anyways, but thanks for the heads up.

 

[jetjock]

If you used a small test light this might come back to haunt you. It does not draw enough current to verify the circuit path.

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

Starter replaced. Problem solved. Car starts but now the idle is super high. Also, the tack isn't working and the CEL doesn't illuminate at all. I'm attempting to diag. these problems now.

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

...the tachometer isn't working and the CEL doesn't illuminate at all...

Problem solved, easy fix too. Just replaced the 7.5a fuse in J/B No. 1 (left kick panel). Now getting a few codes to diagnos -- Code 22 (Water temp. sensor signal), Code 32 (AFM signal) and Code 51 (Switch condition signal). Question.. Isn't the Code 51 always going to be triggered as I have my A/C system removed (still have the parts under the dash though)?

 

[hvyman]

Only if the a/c button is pressed.

51 is also tps.

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

Only if the a/c button is pressed.

51 is also tps.

I just read a thread about this (I'm actually going to quote some responses from that thread). Seems the A/C being removed does not cause the code. Thanks for the response though.

Removal of any refrigeration component is irrelevant to code 51 generation.

It's not for sure the culprit unless:

1) The AC button is illuminated.

2) The AC amplifier you left behind in the dash is bad.

3) The wiring is screwed up.

The code 51 AC thing is not hard to fathom. The climate control head sends a signal to the AC amplifier. The AC amplifier turns on the compressor clutch and at the same time sends an idle up signal to the ECU. It's this signal that is used by the diag system to generate 51. The entire point of this, in diag mode at least, is to provide a method of quickly verifying whether the climate control head, AC amplifier, and wiring to the ECU for idle up are OK.

Would this cause the idle to skyrocket as soon as the engine starts, like quickly past 4k rpms? My TSRM instructs to check A/C switch circuit, A/C switch, A/C amp (as JJ explains above), TPS circuit, the TPS itself and the ECU. I'm leaning towards it being the TPS but will update when I check it.

 

[jetjock]

Unlug the TPS and short pins E2 and IDL on the connector. If the code disappears the TPS/TB is bad or out of adjustment. If the code remains the problem is TPS wiring or related to one of the other causes (AC or neutral start switch). Based on the high idle I'm gonna say your throttle body is out of whack...

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

Unlug the TPS and short pins E2 and IDL on the connector. If the code disappears the TPS/TB is bad or out of adjustment. If the code remains the problem is TPS wiring or related to one of the other causes (AC or neutral start switch). Based on the high idle I'm gonna say your throttle body is out of whack...

Thanks for the information, JJ. Again, I really appreciate it. I'm kind of embarassed to admit this... My high idle (skyrocketing to 4k+ rpms as soon as the engine starts) was due to an improperly adjusted accelerator rod. I removed the 3k pipe, looked into the TB and noticed that the throttle plate was slightly open. I then adjusted my accelorator rod and now it sits fully closed. The rod was adjusted almost to the end of the threads to be able to achieve this though. Now I'm off to burp the cooling system, bleed brakes / clutch lines, test drive and check for codes. Then diagnos the codes... as I'm sure I'll get some.