Outer Limits 4x4 Board

G'day Gentlemen, I'm in need of a little information, but first let me set the scenario:- I was driving today on the freeway and at 90Kph and 2,200rpm the orange light (turbo warning) kept flickering on, if I accelerated to 100Kph the light stayed on. so I stayed on the 90Kph for the rest of my journey. My question is:- What is causing this light to come on, and what does this indicate, and am I up for big biccies??. My vehicle is an 80 ser Turbo GXL L/cruiser (91 model) with 252,000 K's on the clock. Thanks for any help you might offer.....Al

Change the brush set in your alternator... im not kidding mind did it too..

fixed !

But are you getting anyother lights flashing or flickering as well?

Thank Punchy, I'll attend to that (changing brushes) and no I'm not getting any other lights flickering on/off. I dont know how long this has been going on because last Sunday was the first time I've driven the car after dark (seems unbelievable eh) but thats how come I noticed the orange warning light flickering because it was dark in the cab and I only had the dash lights on low. I've been out in the car today and at 80Kph nothing showed up, but I daren't go up to 90/100 cos they've got the Multinova camera's out in force today and I didn't want to cop a speeding rap.......Al

we had a 1995 at work, with just under 60,000kms on it, and when i was driving it (admittedly i drove it like i stole it, which i, matter of fact did) anyways, after quite a reaming and sam drags at the lights a bit it started to come on, i only ever noticed the light come on after a SEVERE flogging and im talking about redline, for AGES on end. like fifteen minutes thourough on redline

Thanks BJ but I wasn't redlining it at all just a steady 90kph on the freeway, I've only had the car since just before xmas and I'm still finding little things that I'm not happy about (turbo warning lights) being one of them. Once I'm sure the car is running damn near perfect then I'll start giving it a bit of boot. I'm hoping its not caused by the turbo bearings starting to seize up, I've heard thats a big biccies job to have them replaced. Jeez its hard typing when you've got your fingers crossed......Al

turbo bearings?? ROFL a turbo is cheap compared to the big ends. There was an unofficial big end bearing problem in some early models where the clearances were wrong and this caused a lot of failures. Maybe that is what you are worried about? If so ts probably been fixed if yours was an affected model..

Hi BJ, Its not the big ends I'm worried about, I've had them checked out and got the OK on them. But the T W light flashing on when I'm travelling at 90kph in 5th gear and hitting 2,200 rpm has got me bothered. I've heard that if a turbo has to have new bearings fitted then it could be expensive. I have no clue how many dollars, but I gaze upwards and see the Scottish Ancestory glaring back when I think of the cost, so I take it "They're not happy".......Al

Does anyone even know where this light picks its signal up from?

Its just that Nicks Turbo Surf has always got the red turbo light lit up as well and it defianatly has nothing to do with the Turbo as ive had that apart myself and there is no sensor on it.


Al have you contacted toyota to find out what the Red light means?

Hi Tony, no I haven't contacted the local Toyota engineer, but I shall do that first thing tomorrow. I did however speak to a friend of mine in Sydney who in a previous life used to work on turbo's, installation and repair, and he's stumped too. The thing is this light is within the rev counter dial and right next to the green one that indicates the turbo is working, just below and between the two lights it say TURBO. When I read the users manual it says:- {If the turbo warning light comes on pull over to roadside and switch off motor, you will need to arrange towing to the nearest Toyota dealer.} Now that frightens the shit out'a me, its just like a direct order, so its got to spell trouble if this light starts flickering eh?. Problem is it doesn't even mention this warning light in the Gregory's workshp manual only in the users h/book. Theres got to be a sensor somewhere thats out to spoil my day but I hope the chief engineer at Mandurah Toyota can shed some light on it tomorrow. Thanks mate......Al

I'd like to thank the guys that offered help on this subject. Today I had words with the foreman at the Toyota Service Dept and he was pretty damned sure the problem lies with a pressure switch in the turbo (somewhere) that he said was originally drilled and fitted for something to do with an intercooler, which Toyota has never fitted unless its been specifically ordered. It sounded feasable to me, he assures me that nothing is wrong with the turbo unit itself and if I really wanted to put my mind at rest I could book in for a pressure switch change. I declined the offer and decided that maybe an orange light flickering on the dash is quite cute now that it hasn't got an expensive ending, Thanks........Al

I had a problem with my warning lights coming on when the vehicle had been run for awhile and it turned out that the wiring to the alternator was too short. We legthened it and the problem went away!!!

This is for my Hilux maybe the same for yours. The warning light on mine is abnormal boost pressure. ie. to high. 14 psi is where to comes on on my lux. The signal is analog from the boost pressure sensor. Which is located somewhere on the inlet manifold. Small black plastic thing with boost pressure written on it. Could be a loose conection or your turbo could be boosting to high.

Thanks Goodsy, I'll get into that tomorrow and try and find this booster pressure sensor. If I it turns out to be that causing the light to come on I shall be visiting Toyota here in town and tearing a strip off the w/shop foreman, it'll mean he didn't know what he was talking about and was probably just trying to get rid of me (well my presence in his w/shop).
Its funny tho' it hasn't come on again since that first time, perhaps it doesn't like a few choice expletives directed at it......Al

i to have the same truck as you and my manual says that the boost pressure is abnormally high. and if it comes on you should slow down untill the light goes out and see a toyota dealer.

i think that there is a problem with your waste gate the pipe o the actuator may have a small amount of debree in it.

if you want further help pm me as i have a service manual and i will scan the turbo stuff for you.

I'd like to thank everyone who put up some suggestions and cures for my turbo problem, I've tried a few of them and then just to make sure I booked it into our Toyota Dealer Service Dept today. They put it thro' a few tests and came up with one answer, [at the back of the alterator is a plug, and one of the connections was "almost" connecting.] I'd previously had the alternator checked out to see if the brushes needed replacing but they were OK and the alternator was charging at the correct rate. The guy at the Auto Electricians never mentioned the plug at the back, but at Toyota they took it apart rather than put dials and resisters across the connections, and found the fault. I spoke to the Chief Engineer and he told me the wastage valve was operating OK and also the bearings were as normal and the coolant pipes were clear and supplying the coolant at the correct rate. In fact according to him "Everything is Hunky Dory".
I shall now hitch up the caravan next Thursday and head up north to Shark Bay to spend a few months in the warmer climate, and with my mind at ease knowing my turbo isn't going to pack in on me. Thanks once again..........Al