85 Toyota Camry Electrical Issue

I really hope you only bought it for parts....

The stripped out plug is likely to cost more to fix than the vehicle is worth unless you plan on tearing it down yourself. Usually the head needs to be removed to rethread a plug properly. It is very hard not to have metal shavings get into the engine unless the head is off for this repair.

On the lights, if the bulbs are good, I would look to the ground tags. I use a 4x magnifier on circuit boards when checking for cold solder joints or cracks. The problems are usually where a cable connects on old boards. The vibration can get to them over time.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

Do the tailights work? Have you located the dimmer? Surprisingly many people are unaware of the existence of the panel dimmer.

I have had no problems installing thread inserts. I personally prefer them to heli-coils but heli-coils work also. There are several ways to deal with the shavings problem: 1. Not really recommended, but just them blow out the exhaust. Aluminum is far less able to scar cylinder walls etc than iron and this IS an aluminum head. 2. Better than 1, rethread spark plug hole for insert with the valves closed and stick an air blower of the type with a long thin pipe into the hole and 98% of the chips will get blown out the spark plug hole. 3. Put heavy grease on the tap to capture the chips. You should use some type of "brake clean" solvent and compressed air afterwards to clean the grease of the hole so the thread insert can be "Loctited" in place.

"D" lights up on the console? If so look at the bulb.

Thank you for your post ...

i checked the dimmer to make sure and it was turned up, but did not do anything to lights when turned down or up. The brake lights however do work. It is really odd to me. I cannot see any fuses blown (even though on the interior i do not know which goes to what, i checked them all). Any further thoughts on this would be great ...

I still have not found the specs on the fuse panel, i am going to look again online ... if anyone has one and has a bit of time, if they could take a pic and post it or just type it out in a diagram, that would be awesome ...

Good news is the spark plug just needed some "gentle guidence" ... with a lot of lube. It went it finally, and after a few times of inserting and removing it, it got much better, and still made a seal just fine. It fired right up ...

The "D" light i kinda feel like a jerk about, it was a bulb, but at least i found the problem. Now once this whole Christmas thing is over i may be able to replace it. There were a few other of those bulbs blown.

Thank you again. The dash lights are my main concern. It is just odd because i tested continuity on all of the pins on the circuit board, from one end to the other and soldered a few connections that were not good. The only other thing that i can think of is the wiring harnesses, and i do not really want to get into that to be honest. But, if i have to and have time, why not! I bought this car for 400 and plan on driving it around town and that is it.

Have a merry Christmas and I hope that we all remember the meaning of it, Jesus Christ and His coming to this Earth to save all people from their sins. So if you do not know Him i would challenge you to look into that.

Christopher

One other thing ... My windsheild wiper fluip does not pump. You can hear it trying, but nothing coming out ... I have not the first clue how this works. I know electricity and basic mechanics. Never had to deal with this ... Any thoughts?

Christopher

Okay ... sorry about the continuious posts, but i fixed the lights. I thought about what you said Don about the dimmer and got to thinking that none of the lights that are coming on were controlled by the dimmer ... And, if the dimmer was broke then maybe it was broke open and therefore none of the lights would work. So i took a piece of solder and shorted two of the three pins together and low and behold all of the lights came on. There are three pins, two smaller ones on the left and a larger one on the right, the two smaller ones are the two i shorted together. It worked perfect. Thank you again for all of your assistance. If you have any thoughts on the other problems, the comments are greatly apprechiated.

Christopher

here's a start to find out about your fuse panels. Look to the right of the page for more specific info. HTH.

Regards

Tam

Try poking the nozzles with a pin, they can sometimes get clogged up enough to completely restrict water flow. Also try leaving them pumping for a good 5-10 seconds, my 83 volvo takes about 5 seconds for water to reach the nozzles