Fusible Link to be or not to be?

SD diesels were widely available in the US in the 1981-86 Datsun/Nissan 720 pickups, and in Canada through '87 in the D21 pickup.

Moderators: plenzen, Nissan_Ranger

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Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#1

Post by Highway Man »

I know most modern cars have a Fusible Link or at least a large Fuse of thirty Amps to protect the Vehicles Harnesses or Ignition Circuits, and my question is,
Dose the old D21 diesel have one as well, as she has no Computers that need protecting and only has a normal Fusebox that carries a Fifteen Amp fuse as its largest for all her protection
over the Electrics!

Have any of you chaps heard anything different please, I have looked all over for a Fusable Link of some sort and found nothing at all, Please advise!

Best regards,
Highway man!
plenzen
Posts: 891
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Cochrane Alberta Canada

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#2

Post by plenzen »

Good question.
I cannot say that I have ever noticed one on mine. I will have to look closer.
Retired Pauly
Problem with being retired is that you never get a day off.
1987 D21-J SD25 KC
KJLGD21FN
waynosworld
Posts: 571
Joined: 11 years ago
Location: Vancouver Washington USA

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#3

Post by waynosworld »

Ever diesel 720 I have ever seen has 4 fusible links coming off the battery post, 2 green and 2 black, even the Canadian spec diesel 720 with an SD25 that had power steering.
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I know the voices are not real,
but they have some really good ideas.
Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#4

Post by Highway Man »

Powersteering,
On my old Tug, I should fit Blocks and Tackle to eitherside unless she has a load of course, but as for the other three, I have them Coupled through a "Bus-Bar" for the fitting of my "Amp-Gauge"
and they have given good service for the past six months, but just maybe I should fit a 30 Amp Inline between my Battery and the "Bus-Bar"!

Thank you both Gentlemen!
highway man
plenzen
Posts: 891
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Cochrane Alberta Canada

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#5

Post by plenzen »

Duuhh!!!
Yes. ! !! ! I have those.
Sitting right there in front of my face every time I open the hood.
Seniors moment I guess.
Retired Pauly
Problem with being retired is that you never get a day off.
1987 D21-J SD25 KC
KJLGD21FN
Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#6

Post by Highway Man »

Hello again Chaps,
Like Plenzen I have those as well, Five of the little and Large Buggers, Now, next question if I may, do any of these have the control over my Ignition Switch, You see I have removed my Battery and Starter and had these tested and both are Perfect, or as near too as any other man made Item in this "Vale of Tears", I have even relaid my homemade Wiring Circuit that has worked
perfectly for me for the last three Months, and confidently turned my Key to start her up, Only to hear my Tears as they hit the Dashboard and nothing more, I have no Dashlights, Taillights,
Headlight, Horn, Brakelights nor Indicators as well, only a clear sound of Silence!

In Australia here, it will require a Bankloan to purchase one of these little "Nissan Ignition switches", so I am looking at a single Gate on/off switch and a press/button like they have just invented for most new cars, you know, like the ones they had fitted back in 1958 to the latest "Holden HJ", they had a Key and a Button, now where do I fit this lot, this reminds me of my first Ship,
a Corvette, "HMAS Castlemaine", Steam Powered with a "Massive Diesel Auxilary running our Shore Genset", which my first Order was to fire her up, and being a Second Year Apprentice
Engineer, I was not going to need any help from our "Engineering Officer", and searched the Flat for the Key in every Locker and corner I could find, and a First Year apprentice entered the Diesel Flat and showed me a Valve, then turned it open and It started with a scream of compressed Air, "no Keys", since then I have never been afraid to ask directions in my ignorance!
Another problem has just shown up as I search for this one, I apply my Voltage meter to my Battery, which reads "15.30 Volts" and the wife turns the keys to start position, to see if the voltage drops at all, It dose not but the Gauge Leads Heat up to bloody HOOOOOOOT, and i will replace the Voltage meter in the Morning from "Jaycars", and the volts did not drop at all!

Any thoughts on this matter please?!
best Regards, and thanks for your instructions,

highway man!
plenzen
Posts: 891
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Cochrane Alberta Canada

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#7

Post by plenzen »

With no voltage drop at key on I would think that the glow plugs are not coming on. There is very little else that comes on in these trucks when you do that. Fuel cut off solenoid and that's about it. As for nothing else working I would be checking that the truck body ground is good. If it's not, that may be why your gauge leads get "bloody hot". Try running a booster cable from the negative side of the battery to a good and cleaned off spot of the truck body and see if some of your accessories come back to life and let us know.

We're you able to contact Dave Hoos ?
Retired Pauly
Problem with being retired is that you never get a day off.
1987 D21-J SD25 KC
KJLGD21FN
Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#8

Post by Highway Man »

Good Morning Chaps,your last questions first Plenzen, No, I cannot seem to raise him at all, maybe he no longer haunts the Forum, he might have changed cars or Utes, time might be kind to us
and he might pay a visit one day soon.

A memory jump during my night, when some of these fun times visited me on a roadside about six weeks ago, please bare with me and my Memory recital, as I recall the event with my Ute!

Start!
I arrived and parked in "Tammin" and turned the Diesel off, after letting her run down for a little while and walked inside and enjoyed a Coffee while swapping all manner of lies, after which I
was asked to move Her and load Ten Truck Radiators onboard for a Trip Home, so I climbed in and hit the Starter a half hour after turning her off, and there was deadly Silence, not a click or
"Tick" to be heard, and again I tried the Key action and nothing happened at all!
I tried the Volt Metre and read off the Fifteen Volts that where showing on the Dial and turned that off without it overheating and asked a Chap there for a "Jump-Start" and he bought his old "Cantor" over and connected them up and when I turned the Keys, nothing happened yet again, But, as he was parting the Leads off from my Battery they "Flashed" and he swore, and just for luck I turned the Keys and started straight up so I left Her Idling while we loaded and I left for a two hundred mile trip back Home, and this problem never happened again until Three Days ago!

Be it known, This Starter-Motor is Four Months old and bought from China for about $150.00au and has performed as to be expected at this price with more "Aluminum" then "Cast Iron" in the
content of it,s "Metal Urgy", keep that thought in mind?!

Now while my Battery was tested the day before yesterday and found Great, I feel a little "juvieus" about this as I have one more test I can do after the Daylight has arrived, as this is starting to mirror the reason why I replaced the Starter motor within a week of buying the "Tug" from the Paddock , and I am only guessing at this time, so please cross your Fingers for me!
Thanks for being patient with me and the "Tug",

regards,
highway man! :idea:
Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#9

Post by Highway Man »

Well, I tried my idea of Shorting her out as if I was Stealing her at a Parking Area, and found no reaction what so ever, at any time, in any place, there is no Power connection at all to my
ignition Switch, so I have disconnected all Six of Her "Fuseable Links" and cleaned them all out of the Thirty Years of "Shit" they were carrying then reasembled them, and still no reaction,
I have started to consider removeing Her Wireing Harness and replaceing it with a Marine Harness that only powers up any unit that is used Manually, as in a small Motor Launch, remember,
my Lady has no Computors fitted or needed, and therefore I believe a "Fuse" or "Fuseable Link" or Chafed Wire is Her only real fault!

I have Hired an Auto Electrican to find and correct Her Headache, and depending on the problem I will give considerable thought to a rewiring job over the "Season of Spring" and setting up a
Curcuit to provide me with Lights, as well as a Starting Curcuit and Charging Curcuit, I have already replaced Her complete Dashboard and have no complaints from Her or her actions, and
any small Hickups she did have, You two Chaps have been a great help in recterfying and giveing me the needed advice for this excercise!

My Idea of rewireing is very simple really, She will require Harnesses for in this manner:

1. Engine Starting, switch, Fusebox, Harness.
2. Charging, Alternator, Fusebox, Harness.
3. Lighting,Required Lights, Fusebox, Harnesses.
4. Marine style Wireing Diagrams, research, for Wire sizes
5. Parts required, Wire, Fuses, Inline Fuses, and a Voltage Regulator mounted on Her Firewall, and all Her Harnesses are to be Labelled seperatly for I.D.

My decision is to be kicked about for a week, after this young chap has been and gone, whether my Ute is running or not!
Just for a moment, think what sort of trouble I would be in, if I was out in the outback operateing at my little business when this happened to Her and I, where do I turn, how do I start
Her for Home?

I believe a Harness of around 1950,s or 60,s can be repaired and bring you home safetly even if you have too camp out for a night or two, anyway, I will let you know what transpiers
after todays visit!

my very best regards to you both!

highway man,
John Richards.
plenzen
Posts: 891
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Cochrane Alberta Canada

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#10

Post by plenzen »

There isn't something silly on this wee beastie like a clutch safety switch ?
Naaah
That would just be silly.

The power from the battery has to be going someplace !
What year is your truck ?
The ignition switches in these little guys are 2 piece affairs. If you have the same year model as mine (1987 d21) I have a spare good used switch. I'll mail it to you.
Retired Pauly
Problem with being retired is that you never get a day off.
1987 D21-J SD25 KC
KJLGD21FN
Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#11

Post by Highway Man »

Hello Plenzen,
No, there is no Clutch Safety switch, and Two other Auto-Elects cannot find anything other then a flat battery Three days running and they walk away telling me to recharge it for them,

My Ute is a 1987 D21 powered by a SD.25 Diesel and has no Turbo 2WD!

HEADS UP!!!!
The Auto Elect just turned up and we have found my problem, The solinoide on the Starter has "Arced out" so with luck we will be underway soon when it is replaced!
I will let you both know as soon as it starts, and Plenzen, Thankyou for your offer of your spare Start Switch, I appreciate that very much, and even though we have found the problem
I might still Rewire Her when the "Spring " has arrived, and then I know it will last me out while I can drive safely!

Plenzen, can you tell me wear I upload Photo,s to this Forum, so I can Show my "Lady" off to you guys, I have sign written Her Backside with
" D21" then "TUG" on the other side, and she gets "Toots and Waves" instead of "Toots and Fists" when we slowly climb the Hills that surrond "Perth City", when I head Bush on my trips!

Best Regards,
highway man!
plenzen
Posts: 891
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Cochrane Alberta Canada

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#12

Post by plenzen »

Under the window (this one) where you reply to messages there is another window. You can click on the "choose file" button and then navigate to whatever picture(s) you wish to load. Once you have selected the picture(s) you want then click the "Add the file" button.
Glad you found the problem.
Be interested to see a mirror image of my truck. You know ..... with the steering wheel on the "wrong side"
Retired Pauly
Problem with being retired is that you never get a day off.
1987 D21-J SD25 KC
KJLGD21FN
Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#13

Post by Highway Man »

Good Morning Plenzen,

Maybe it is because I am a Forienor and cannot read "Canadian" and I cannot see a "Choose File" Button, I do however find a "New Topic" or "Answer Posting", Hold it, as I am typing I have
seen another Link open up for attachments and I will try this and see what happens:-}

Well I have uploaded a handfull of My Tug and we will see what happens now, If the Upload has worked I will delete them all and reload them all with comments Attached as well!
so cross your fingers and we shall see!
best Regards,
John.
highway man!.
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plenzen
Posts: 891
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Cochrane Alberta Canada

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#14

Post by plenzen »

Well John......
All the pictures loaded of your "Tug" !

It appears to have also loaded a picture of a grey haired old Mariner as well,,,, or, is that Mel Gibson,,,,,, Paul Hogan.???
Must have been a glitch in the system.

Ha
Good to see you.

Thanks for the pictures.

Paul
Retired Pauly
Problem with being retired is that you never get a day off.
1987 D21-J SD25 KC
KJLGD21FN
Highway Man
Posts: 46
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: Hillman West Australia

Re: Fusible Link to be or not to be?

#15

Post by Highway Man »

Well, It just proves, "Some Mothers do have them", while others just waste their time and efforts, I definitely fall into the second batch, and that was swept up along with the "Ute" photo,s,
It should be branded with
"WANTED"
"Dead or alive in all States"

highway man!
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