fredges Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 (*UPDATE: Resolved! Woohoo! See below) So, I'm going to post this in hopes that it helps people who might have this specific problem. I plan on posting a lot of "oics" becasue that's just the right thing to do. I'll try to keep it to this one specific topic, too. The IGN light in the instrument cluster has never worked in my '69 521 since I've owned it. The charging system apears to be working, however. The light just never comes on, at all, running or not. I pulled out the cluster, checked/tested the bulb, cleaned the contacts, but no go. So I'll pull it out again and use a test light to see if I'm getting anything to the socket. Should be easy to check I think. My fear is that I won't be able to figure it out, and I'll be headed under the hood towards ... Alternatorland and Regulatorville. Aaaaaaaa! So, here's a start: Removed the two screws on bottom to take off the bezel. One tab is missing, but it stays in place just fine. Here's my thumb on the plug thingy that must be disconnected from the back of the guage cluster to pull it out. and my pointer finger is showing where the speedo cable is. Love that I only had to disconnect these two things to get the cluster out! Cool. A better shot of the multi-plug thing (WTF is this things called??) A shot of the opening... nothing really to see here. This is what it looks like with no cluster in the dash. Recognize anything? And here's the back of my instrument cluster: ...stay tuned for more adventures... **Stealing this image from another thread for reference: (Thanks to DanielC for this image) Made an illustration, for myself... Working on illustrations... will update as I figure things out... Adding more photos to this... the back of the multi-pin plug thing: Another angle to see all the wires... 1 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Get a 12 volt battery, or run wires from the trucks battery. Apply 12 volts positive to the pin marked "Ign Power In". Run a wire from "IGN (ALT) Light" to battery negative. the IGN light should come on. It is not stealing. I posted that image so people could use it. Thanks for adding my name, but it was not necessary 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Ah! That makes sense, thanks! Will do. I've got a little "wall wart" 12v power supply I use to test my stereo gear, will that suffice? It's got red and black alligator clips on the end, so it's super handy. If it will not harm anything, I'd like to use that. *Also: it has a fuse, just in case. 1 Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 That'll work fine 1 Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 my 521 would pop a fuse then IG light would got out right when i start. Find out it was just a loose connection on the intrument panal then it worked again. But when trouble shoting I notice 2 wires went to the IGN fuse. I separated then to help isolate. PS nice drawings people need to save this 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 I'll check the fuses again, but they looked ok at first glance. Everything else is working, so I'm going to predict it's not a fuse. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Do you have an external voltage regulator? and is it connected to the engine harness??? 2 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 It appears to be externally regulated: 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Alternator: 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Interesting. That does not appear to be the stock alternator Usually a Black ground ... check A White/Red stripe output to the battery... looks like it might be the one on the insulated post And two other wires (Yellow and a White/Black) going to a T shaped plastic plug. 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 AHA! Got it!! The culprit: I traced #2 wire (White w/ red stripe) under the dash to the corner to the right of the glove box. There's a plastic connector there, and I noticed the White/red stripe wire is sticking out further than the other wires. hooked up a test light to in, and turn the key... HALLELUJAH! It works!! IGN light comes on! :w00t: It was just a loose wire. I noticed that the extremely tiny locking tab had been folded backwards on the copper spade thing on the wire, so I folded it back, and it slid right in and locked. Can't believe how lucky I was to find and fix this. Feeling' pretty awesome. :thumbup: 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Interesting. That does not appear to be the stock alternator Usually a Black ground ... check A White/Red stripe output to the battery... looks like it might be the one on the insulated post And two other wires (Yellow and a White/Black) going to a T shaped plastic plug. Yeah, the alternator has a Mitsubishi logo on it...? At some point, I'll trace all the wires and learn what's doing what there... Probably take me until next summer, but hey. 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 So, I'll try to drive it around tonight or tomorrow to see if it's permanently fixed, but it seems I need to rev it to almost 2k before the light goes out. Maybe that will change when it's warmed up, but makes me wonder if I'm getting optimal charging. We'll see.... 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Ah... you don't say in your profile but that looks like a J13 so if you do have an L521 it has to be a '69. Anything earlier has to be a 520. Yes the J13s used a Mitsubishi alternator and why it looks normal yet unfamiliar to me. The L16s used Hitachi. 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Sorry, yes, 1969 J13. Updated my profile just now, thanks! I'm guessing it's safe to assume finding another alternator like that one is going to be a total bitch, huh? Whenever somebody says "Nice truck.", the next thing out of their mouth is, "Good luck finding parts!".... *Also, Jesus H., datzenmike, you know. your. shit. :o 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 I had a PL521 for about 8 years. A PL521 is an L16 powered truck. An L521 is a J13 powered truck, only made for one year in '69. Anything earlier was an L520, again J13 powered. The rest is writing stuff down but mostly remembering some small thing and then knowing where it look it up to check it. If you have any problems there are guys on here that have probably converted an L521 over to a higher output internally regulated alternator. The PL521 was something like 33 amp. The J13 won't be any higher and maybe even lower. A 50 amp will give better wipers, headlights and heater fan when idling. Trouble is there isn't much room for them. 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Thanks for all the info. I'm enjoying learning this stuff, and working on this truck. It's a blast to drive. There's something about an old, "slow" car that just smoothes me out after a stressful day. 1 Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Need some help finishing this illustration... the fuse block on my 1969 521 (J13) 1 Quote Link to comment
Eomund Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 I wanted to add, the mitsubishi alt is probably stock. Datsun, and many Nissans in Later years, ran either Mitsubishi or Hitachi electronics. It's important to know which one your truck has if you need to replace any of it as a lot of them aren't compatable with eachother. To be honest, I never figured out why they went back and fourth. I always guessed it had to do with which factory they were made in or something like that. 1 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Regarding the fuse box diagram, above. Nice diagram, by the way. A wire comes directly from the battery positive to #9. There is a thick white wire that connects to #10, this wire supplies power to the ignition switch. A black wire, with a white stripe is switched ignition power, it goes to #7, or #8. Another black with a white stripe wire goes on #8, or #7 and takes switched ignition power to the ballast resistor. As far as brand of alternators, it is probably a decision based on what is the more economical of the two brands to use, at that time. Think about it. If a Hitachi alternator is three yen cheaper than a Mitsubishi alternator, and you make 100,000 L-521 trucks, Datsun is 300,000 Yen ahead Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 I see. So... #7 : Black/white stripe - switched ignition power Black/white stripe - takes switched ignition power to the ballast resistor #8 : Black/white stripe - takes switched ignition power to the ballast resistor #9 : Thick black - from battery positive #10 : Thick white - Power to the ignition switch Yeah? 1 Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 If 521 ran a mitshbishi stock Alt they might come with a replacement adapter. So if you order a 69 521 and they might have it in the box(adapter). as it might be a different part number but get the common Hitachi alternator One of mine was that way I think. 1 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 "I see. So... #7 : Black/white stripe - switched ignition power Black/white stripe - takes switched ignition power to the ballast resistor #8 : Black/white stripe - takes switched ignition power to the ballast resistor #9 : Thick black - from battery positive #10 : Thick white - Power to the ignition switch Yeah?" Yes, that should work, based on my 1969 PL521 (L-16) On the bottom of the fusebox, 9, and 10 are connected, and also feed one more fuse. 7, and 8 are connected, and feed one more fuse. Quote Link to comment
fredges Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 @hainz: Good to know. I should get one now and hold onto it, eh? @DanielC: Ah, I will show that in the next iteration of the illustration, thanks!! 1 Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 You forgot all the corrosion & internally failed glass fuse solder joints in your drawing. 1 Quote Link to comment
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