100 series click + no start after flood

[hawaiihundred]

Hi everyone!

A few days ago, there was a flood where I live and the water came up to the bottom of the doors on my '99 LC, and lots of debris and sand got washed underneath, some of which is still stuck there. When I tried to turn on the car to move it, it clicked and wouldn't crank or start. I tested the starter relay by sticking a paper clip in there, and it just sparked and didn't start. Battery is brand new and reads full with multimeter. Prior to the flood, my LC has had a couple weird issues with starting in the last couple months--had a weird, rough start several weeks ago, and another time it started only with a jump, even though the battery was full. Then it was fine again for several weeks.

I am a total beginner at car stuff but live in an extremely remote area with no mechanics. Wondering if I should go ahead and attempt to change the starter, or if there are any other tests I should attempt to confirm? What are the odds that a beginner can handle this kind of repair? I know that it's located under the intake manifold and is a big job...

If I can get it started just once, I can drive it to town and have someone else work on it--are there any hacks that might get it started just one more time?

Thank you so much!

Emily

 

[Octous]

Sounds like might be starter contacts are bad. … I had this problem although not from flood. Just had to keep trying for a couple of days and eventually got it to start

 

[Bisho]

Check your battery ground is good. A loose or corroded negative battery cable will cause these issues.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Do this lights in the cab come on when you open the doors? Does the dash light up when you turn the key to acc?

Check all battery connections.

The starter is in the intake valley. Hard for a beginner to get to. Try getting a length of pipe that will reach in and contact the stater body. Use it to tap firmly on the starter while someone tries to crank it over. If this works your stater needs replacing.

 

[2001LC]

Sound like starter needs replacing.

Make sure battery camps & post clean and sung. All cables hang off battery tight & clean.

By vibration contacts of starter, we move them a tad. Repeatedly trying to start getting the click, does this.

This test is an old school test.
We can also tap on starter to virate contact to move to them.
Take the chrome bar from tool kit, and use to tap on starter. With engine cover off. Look between the rear plumes of intake manifold on BK2 (passenger side) and you'll see starter. Tap on starter with the bar. If it then starts, your starter contacts are bad. Replace starter.
Note: It's actually more effective to tap on starter from BK1 side (driver side). But there's a risk of hitting wires, which we do not want to do.

 

[hawaiihundred]

Thanks for all the advice! I'll try tapping on the starter. Aaand I'm going to wait a couple days and let everything dry out a little bit, in case moisture is an issue.

 

[Land Shark]

AND remove and clean all that debris from under and around the vehicle to make sure nothing is poking up in the fan or belts etc. Not that that would have any effects of truck not starting just a good idea you don't F' something else up in the process.