60Patrol

I've been working on my ute, getting all the little issues fixed up. It seems to have many electrical gremlins causing me grief. The wiring hasn't been molested by a PO which makes some of these issues all the more frustrating.

Yesterday I resumed my search for the cause of the headlights not working. I had already disassembled the switch and cleaned the contacts, checked the fuses and verified that I had power to and from the switch. The running lights work, just not the head lights. While following the electrical path for the lighting system I found that the ground wire that connects to the alternator had come loose. I reconnected this, but the headlights still didn't work. Ultimately what I found the problem to be was corrosion on the connectors to the dimmer switch. I had power to one side of the connectors but not the other. So I unplugged them, cleaned them up and now I have headlights.

I have had some other electrical issues on this ute that involved corroded contacts: the brake lights didn't work because of corrosion on the connector to the fuse block.

Now I have a series of issues in the cab that I think involve a corroded ground wire. Problem is, these items are not included in any wiring schematic that I can find. Funny, Patrols have had hazard lights/4 way flashers since '69, but the wiring schematics don't include the circuitry and the service manual doesn't even mention the switch or flasher.

Back to my other issues: the hazard flashers and the radio don't work, until I hit a bump or slam the door. These are both factory installed items. I thought the radio was dead - even pulled it out to try and fix it - until the other day when I drove it. When I shut the door after I got out I heard a hissing noise. I cautiously peeked back in to find the source. It was the radio! I was actually able to tune it in to some local stations. But today, the radio as well as the flashers aren't working again. It's possible that they both use the same power source (don't know because I can't find a schematic that tells me), but I'm thinking it's a ground issue.

So my question is: where are the various ground connection points on the Patrol? This get is a '79 so it might have some others don't have. I know of the one on the alternator, the one from the alternator to the frame just below it, the one from the starter to the frame and the one from the battery to the frame. Are there any other ground connection points, and where are they?

The 1978 Service Manual, at the end of Part 3 has all the electrical diagrams. You'll find there how the hazard lights switch is connected. Sorry, the radio doesn't appear there.

Regarding grounds, you've noted the main ones. The others will be the grounds at each housing light through the screws that secure them, and accessories like the horn, the fuel sending unit, and so. The headlights are the exception, and they are grounded through a Black cable that goes back to the alternator, or generator as well.

I guess that the best way in case of doubt, is to temporarily run a hot wire from the battery or alternator and check if the part is working. Also, check the ground at every suspected connection with a probe light. A little corrosion as you mentioned can really make your troubleshooting miserable.

It is worth noticing that modern cars are full of grounds all over.

Esteban wrote:The 1978 Service Manual, at the end of Part 3 has all the electrical diagrams. You'll find there how the hazard lights switch is connected. Sorry, the radio doesn't appear there.

Interesting - I have the printed version and it doesn't include that.

I found 2 more ground points while I was underneath. One is coming off the harness to the fuel tank and goes to the frame. The other is for the (optional) trailer light connector. This one was grounded to one of the tail gate hinge bolts. While I was installing the tail lights, I discovered that the bed was not grounded (possibly due to the body lift?) so I relocated the ground to the frame.

Check your cab ground. Maybe even run another to make sure its well grounded to the chassis.

2869ral wrote:Check your cab ground. Maybe even run another to make sure its well grounded to the chassis.

agreed.

sleepyzzz wrote:

2869ral wrote:Check your cab ground. Maybe even run another to make sure its well grounded to the chassis.

agreed.

Thanks for the tip. I was suspicious of that so I did check it in several places. The cab has a good, solid ground.

Leslie, if your indicators are working fine, it will not be an earth issue on the hazzards as they use the same earth at the indicator. Follow your wiring through but sounds like a HR (high resistance) joint somewhere,

Well, today I have the hazard flashers and the radio working. The radio grounds throughout the dash, I don't know what I did to fix the hazard flashers but the switch does seem a little sticky. Sometimes the left blinkers won't flash unless I wiggle the switch.

And then the headlights quit working again. I haven't taken a test drive yet, so who knows what will and won't work after I hit a bump.

I also discovered that although this ute is equipped with a hand brake warning light, a previous owner has disconnected it and removed the wiring to the switch. Bummer. It also has a brake warning light that is supposed to come one when the brake fluid is low, but the master cylinder doesn't have the correct caps that have the sensors and the wiring. I think I could probably find the correct caps somewhere.

These are really just annoyances with this ute. There really is nothing wrong with it other than these silly electrical issues. It runs, drives and stops great. I'm just shaking the bugs out so I can use it more regularly.

I had a mechanic tell me long ago, that Nissan did some weird wiring uncommon to American manufacturers in using the ground to make the headlights work on high and low beams. not sure if that is where your problem is, and i know that you have checked all the connections in the loom, but it wouldn't hurt to go back and take them apart and spray some electrical contact cleaner in there.




i have an issue with my turn signal indicator. the turn signals work fine, but the flashing light on the dash to remind you to turn them off sometimes doesn't work. i wiggle it around and it goes to flashing. bad ground through the dash i am assuming, and i have not tried taking it out to clean up the contact point. another one of my get around to it jobs.

Finally, everything works! I'm pretty amazed at the problems caused from corrosion on contacts in switches, fuses and fuse holders. I have seen older Patrols from more humid climates with less problems.

Ultimately what I had to do to get everything working was to remove each fuse and clean it, clean the surfaces of the fuse holders and disconnect and clean each connector to the fuse block for starters. Then I still had some things that would only work intermittently. The fix for that was to remove each switch from the dash; hazard flashers, wiper/washers, fan and headlight, disassemble the switch and clean the internal contacts.





Now all of the electrical stuff works when I want it to instead of when it decides to. The radio needs new wire run to the speakers, and the speakers need replacing but for now I can listen to some AM talk radio. I was so pleased with the results that I took the truck out for a drive. It runs great, and I think I really like power brakes on a Patrol.