2LT cranks slower and slower... (1 Viewer)

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May 22, 2004
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...and now doesn't crank at all.

After 5-7 seconds the starter would pick up speed and she would fire, but gradually this period got longer and longer until it stopped picking up speed and just got slower.

Cleaned up and charged the batteries, cleaned the contacts on the leads, replaced the terminals and of course cleaned up the posts on the batteries, put it all back together and nothing, not a click, not even a light. Batteries are both showing almost 13v. Tried a spare starter relay, checked the fuses and fuseable links...I'm mystified.

Next is to check the contacts in the starter; brushes have been suggested as a possible problem, but I know the 2LTs tend to burn up their starter contacts...

But that doesn't explain the complete lack of power to the system now.

Anyone care to speculate?
 
Batteries are both showing almost 13v

You need to get your batteries load tested or buy a gadget and do it yourself. Or if you can get someone to crank it while you hold a multimeter on the battery and on the starter terminal as creepy suggested. .
What the voltage shows when there in no load on the battery means nothing. My guess is that your battery is diving to 8-9 vols under load. I think they should stay around 10-11 minimum

NO power at all means you probably blew a fusible link. They are connected close to the positive terminal.
You can either make your own by buying a suitable piece of fuse wire or buy them premade.
They look something like this.


Another place to check is where the earth strap is connected to the engine, make sure its not corroded.
 
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I would get a two pieces of decent cable and from and crank the engine directly. It will show you if you have problem in the cabling, battery or starter.
 
I appreciate the suggestions and I'll follow up on those. More likely to be something like the links probably as I get no power at all when the key is turned; nothing. I've been all over this thing with the FSM and a multi-meter, checked everything I can find from the ground cables to the continuity of the ignition switch. Swapped the starter for a good spare, but it may have been wasted effort.
 
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Check the ground from the starter to the frame... Mine did the same thing and everything g else ewas good... Replaced that ground cable and everything worked again like there was never a problem. The other suggestions are good, but I just noticed that you didn't mention this cable....
 
Thanks BreckenridgeCruisier, Got my batteries tested this am for load and found one was good and one was very weak. Eight years old so got a couple of decent used ones to replace. Dropped them and still nothing, not even lights. FSM shows two wires to starter: the lead direct from the battery and the one with the green connector. Both are cleaned and in place and the battery lead tested for continuity, though not yet for voltage at the battery.

So is the smaller wire with the green connector the "ground from the starter to the frame" or am I missing something? The two I mentioned are the only ones that were there before. Perhaps I've blown the wire with the green connector somewhere? Will have to trace it out I guess.

This is a 12V dual battery system as you know.

RoscoFJ73, I traced the cables, but no fuseable links found outside the fuse box and those all look OK and test for continuity. I've tested the starter relay as per the FSM.
 
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Previa is similar to a Toyota Tarago, Estima? I just asked my son ,he works in a spare parts store that does a lot of Toyota stuff He says there should be a fusible link near the positIve terminal, but it will be the square plastic type , not the Landcruiser type that posted a pic of.
What year is your Previa?
I often wondered about buying a Tarago etc, I know most people who owned them love them.

upload_2018-5-18_7-34-41.jpeg
 
This is an 87 2LT diesel pickup, NA market BTW.

So after another afternoon fiddling around I am 90% sure I have the problem nailed: worn out ignition switch. I went back to that again with the multimeter and using my third hand proved to myself that I wasn't doing it correctly the first time. Continuity was NOT as per the FSM. Pulled the switch, pulled it apart and sure enough, the brass(?) contact ring and the corresponding brass(?) studs were severely worn. The ring was worn from .033" down to about .026" around along the travel of the contact and as little as .014" where the actual stud contacts the ring in the "START" position. No sign of arcing, which surprises me a little, but that may not be significant.

I guess the gradual increase in cranking speed was caused by the arc across the wear gap gradually gaining strength.

So, one used switch coming up, I hope.

Thanks for the help!
 
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Can't see any edit option when using my phone, so will add photos here. The first photo is after all the metal dust was brushed off, which you can see in the third photo.

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Painful as it is I am going to admit that the ultimate cause of this problem was that I mistakenly connected the power to the main fuse box to the wrong battery terminal (dual battery system).

I looked at that cable any number of times too!

On the good side, I was forced to do a bunch of maintenance and trouble-shooting which I had put off for too long.

Thanks for the help guys, and about the Previa: yes, it was a great van and served us well. The Estima/Lucida was once the answer to my prayer, but now driving a gas-sucking Sienna with improper crankcase ventilation - or maybe none!? But that's for another forum!
 
Slight clarification: the misconnected fuse box was the reason for the totally dead system. The original problem of slower and slower cranking was I believe the worn contacts in the ignition switch.
 

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