New prob wih dash

[supraman7mgte]

I have been suffering from the "no start-click" for a few weeks now.All I get is a "click" from the relay in the passenger side,and will be doing the 30 amp relay mod soon.
BUT that's not the issue.
Stupid ass me decided to add some custom white gauge faces to my dash to match my Autometer Phantom gauges in my pillar pod.Well they look like ass,and took them out.(The new gauge faces)
Okay,all better. Got the dash back to the white on black lettering and put the dash back in,put the all the facia back in and got it looking like normal.
Now put the key in,(didd'nt expect it to start(dam starter issue))and now notice that the e-brake light is on even with the e-brake released."Check engine" light is on,and so is the battery light on the far right of the gauge cluster.
Well shit! What the hell did i do?I re-checked all my connections,and all were tight and okay.So I put in a spare dash from a N/A and same result! So I know it's not the dash,but somewhere in the wiring.I checked the continuity of the e-brake wire,and got ground when it was pulled up.
When the dash was disconected(nothing plugged in)and the ignition was cycled,the turbo timer would count down normally(30 sec)and then the ignition would turn off.And when the ignition was cycled with the e-brake off,the ignition would turn off when the key was turned off(dash still not plugged in)Acting normally,right?
Now my question is,what the hell could it possibly be?
I'm starting a new job this Friday,and would like the idea of being able to use my car.I mean i'll rent a car if I have to,but I have no friggin' idea what issue popped up while I had the dash out!
HELP!!!
:aigo:
The battery is at 12.2 v and on a trickle charger,just checked the tail lights and found that thr brake lights,tail lights and turn signals all work,but no reverse lights.The bulbs are still good,checked them with a meter.
Does the engine have to be running to check the reverse lights? I'm not sure.

 

[nuggets]

The battery and brake light combo are indicative of a short somewhere...or perhaps a bad alternator. You may want to check your battery also (I had a battery run down to 5V and when I put the key in the ignition only the brake light came on - no battery light. Nothing else worked due to the low voltage). Sounds like it's time to break out the multimeter and maybe a test light.

 

[supraman7mgte]

The battery is at 12.2 v and on a trickle charger,just checked the tail lights and found that thr brake lights,tail lights and turn signals all work,but no reverse lights.The bulbs are still good,checked them with a meter.
Does the engine have to be running to check the reverse lights? I'm not sure.

 

[nuggets]

Hmmm...good question. I don't know if they do. Does everything else work (radio, headlights, etc)?

 

[supraman7mgte]

all fuses are good,lights work,wipers
it's not like i'm asking someone to tell me what the problem is,just an avenue to check. lol

 

[D.J.T.]

Hmm. The only NO START CLICK CLICK CLICK in my experience is the Battery...
you have to have EVERYTHING connected to make everything work. If not id just leave the battery disconnected for an hour or two to let the ECU reset & from my experience when the battery light is on that means your alternator is failing (installing gauges improperly caused this in a friend's car) & when your ebrake light is on all the time it might be that your low on brake fluid. now im not saying this is the cause to your problems. about the white gauge faces. My car is a 87 MKIII Turbo Targa Top 5 speed. I bought it & it had some greyish/white faces & the original black ones were gone. Now my question is what is the Top speed & the Red line because they don't work & i can't see S*** in the dark because the aftermarket gauges are too thick for light to get through..

 

[supraman7mgte]

Okay,please keep in mind this is all without the engine running.
I have plenty of brake fluid,and the resivoir and cap are fairly new,never had issues with them before.

 

[nuggets]

I'd check the alternator. I had an alternator die on me and both the brake and battery lights were on. Caused a no start too. I had a MAJOR electrical problem (not saying that you do) and I think it fried the voltage regulator, diodes, etc. It was pretty bad. It it's not the alternator, then I got nuthin', sorry.

 

[mkiiichip]

The alt light, and check engine light, should be on, without the engine running (key on, engine off). The alt light indicates that the battery is not being charged (which makes sense, the car is not running) and the CEL also goes off once the car is running (well it should, unless the computer sees an issue).


The fluid level sensor can turn on the brake light, but that light should go out with proper fluid level, and e-brake disengaged.
Also a properly charged battery should read 12.6 V.
One other thing, are you sure the clicking you are hearing is coming from inside the car? If its coming from the starter, its either a battery voltage issue or a starter issue.
I think the 30A relay "mod" is suggested around here too much. The starter click is a very common 90's toyota issue. And is usually caused by the contacts in the starter.

 

[supraman7mgte]

That's part of what I don't understand.
The engine is off but the ignition is on and the dash is connected,and the e-brake light is on,I will dis-engage it,and the light stays on.The turbo timer will continue to count down because it does not see a ground,(i.e. the parking brake being put down)The red battery on the far right is lit as well as the cel.
This is all while the car is on a battery charger above 12v.
So it's normal to have those two lights on,and maybe I just have an e-brake issue?
The clicking is definately coming from the passenger side kick panel,i've been hearing it coming from there for too long!
Maybe replacing the starter is an option I think I should look into,and it was on the car when I bought it anout 5 years ago.Hell,it might even be OG,a 19 year old starter.

 

[mkiiichip]

The charge light will not turn off until the alt is doing the charging.
How is the brake fluid level?

 

[supraman7mgte]

the brake fluid is topped off.

 

[bombinuass]

just a qiuck question/way to check.... take about a 5 foot piece of wire and touch it to the positive side of the battery and then touch it to the starter connector on the starter... see if your car turns over. maybe even grab a battery from someone and try it with the wire. bypass your whole ign just to see is it turns over. if so then go from there... my .02$ and it only takes all of 3 mins.

 

[hvyman]

How are the ecu grounds on the intake manifold?

Maybe you pinched part of the harness installing one of the gauge clusters.

 

[mkiiichip]

Correction: the brake light will not turn off, until the charge light turns off also. As shown here...
http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TEWD/MK3/manual.aspx?S=Main&P=136

Same with the "rear light failure" light.

So the brake light being on, without the engine running, is normal also.

 

[metaphysico]

^ This will not work with another battery the ground and power have to be hooked up to the car to complete the circuit, so you have to hook the positive to the starter large terminal and the ground to the motor or starter and you will need at least jumper cable sized wires then you can run the trigger wire and see if it works. Otherwise a small wire from power of a separate batt will not do anything. Anyways, when you turn your key on the dash goes into light test mode, does on all cars, this is the way you check that all your lights work properly. So as said by bomb in the first idea, run a long wire down to the signal wire on the starter, you can stick a good size wire into the back of the blue plug that goes into the starter (though it is a pita to get to), then tap if to the power, if you have a manual make sure it is in neutral so you don't run yourself over. This will let you know if it is a starter problem, even if it still has a problem check your main power line to the starter to make sure it is tight and does not move.

Also if its a 5 speed you should be able to check for the starter signal at the neutral safety switch. This could also be the problem is its a stick, check for burnt terminals on the switch or swelled/burnt wires going to and from it.

 

[supraman7mgte]

Well i'm still trying to get thr starter off,I just have to get that 1 bolt underneath the EGR valve.I can touch it,but i'll be dammed if I can get it off ny myself.It's actually a bolt coming in from the firewall through the bellhousing and threading into the starter.This dam car is going to make me crazy
On a automatic,can the ignition key be in the "on" position,and have the car in Reverse with the reverse lights activated?

 

[mkiiichip]

Updates?

 

[supraman7mgte]

Stil could not get the remaining bolt off. Had it towed via a flat bed to a local shop and had the mechanic do it. Little asian guy,had small hands,got it done in 1.5 hours.
Calls me up and says he can't get it to start.Maybe the alarm is stopping it or something. I get over ther,hand him the remote*chirp*,and it still won't start.
He raises the car,shows me how to "jump" start it,and it does start.Then he connects the the starter wire to the clip...................WHAT?...............But i'm thinking,"he said it would'nt start,but it was'nt connected?"Either this guy thinks i'm a complete idiot,or he's scamming me to take it to his buddies shop down the street for a complete wiring overhaul.OR both!
So I get my baby out of his shop,get some gas(while the car is idling),and proceed to take her for a little drive to get her warmed up.45 mins later i pull up in my car port and get ready to turn off the ignition.Drumroll please.........ignition off,now to start......first click,all gauges and lights on,go to start and........................turrr turrrr vrooom!
What the hell? I'm not one to complain,but very interesting!!!
And it's been starting up normally ever since.
The only thing I can think of is that it still had the OG Nippondenso starter from the factory
So there was NO problem with the dash,just the loose nut behind the wheel