91 FJ80 periodically won’t start or crank - fusible link already replaced, battery brand new, alternator good, what am I missing?

[spenceradams]

Howdy friends, I’ve had my 80 for the last several years, she’s old, loud, and when running, totally reliable. However the whole time I’ve had this truck it has routinely had periods where it simply won’t crank and consequently won’t start. All the electrics on the dash come up, battery is charged plenty (in this case, brand new, as in maybe 2 weeks in), and I get nothing at all. This could for a long time be temporarily fixed, it seemed, by either jostling what I would learn later was the fusible link or unlocking and relocking with the key fob several times, though this was less reliable.

As many others have experienced, I thought surely it was my fusible link that needed to be replaced. I’ve got a working and new alternator, fresh battery, so what else could it be, right? Last week I finally get a fusible link delivered, replace it, clean all the housing and contacts, and voila everything seems settled as I start her up with no trouble. I try to start her up yesterday, and I get nothing. Dash lights all on but no crank.

What else could it be? It’s really a bummer to have such a simple thing prevent me from feeling like this truck can truly be relied upon.

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[USMCDocJ]

Have you checked to make sure power is reliably getting to the starter? Grounding strap well connected? Checked your starter solenoid?

 

[USMCDocJ]

You should be able to check the power and grounding connections with the starter on the vehicle. I would take them off (both ends of both wires) clean them up and the lugs on the starter, reconnect and see if she works. To check the solenoid, I recommend pulling the starter, put it in a vice, direct power to the starter from a 12v source to see if it works reliably. If not, @ToyotaMatt (www.vintageteqparts.com) has starters for our rigs. Then Google "land cruiser 80 series starter rebuild kit" and have a spare for when your new starter goes bad in 200k miles.

 

[Mark W]

When a Cruiser fails to crank when the key is turned, most people look to the starter first.


There is a reason for that.


(Dollars to doughnuts you need new starter solenoid contacts. Easy fix.)


Mark...

 

[LandLocked93]

In your

All the electrics on the dash come up, battery is charged plenty (in this case, brand new, as in maybe 2 weeks in), and I get nothing at all.

+1 Try a new starter.
Worst case you end up with a trail spare starter.

 

[jonheld]

You should be able to check the power and grounding connections with the starter on the vehicle. I would take them off (both ends of both wires) clean them up and the lugs on the starter, reconnect and see if she works. To check the solenoid, I recommend pulling the starter, put it in a vice, direct power to the starter from a 12v source to see if it works reliably. If not, @ToyotaMatt (www.vintageteqparts.com) has starters for our rigs. Then Google "land cruiser 80 series starter rebuild kit" and have a spare for when your new starter goes bad in 200k miles.

For clarification, the starter is grounded through the case to the transmission adapter. There is no separate ground for the starter. The 2 connections are +12 from the battery and solenoid logic from the ignition switch.

 

[Toyodajunkie]

Had this same issue. Replaced the contacts in the starter and cranks every time now.

 

[spenceradams]

Thank you everyone, after much denial I have accepted I will be embarking on digging out the starter and replacing the solenoid contacts and plunger. As a total amateur working on it while it's on the street in nyc with just a little wrench set, we will see how far I get. I replaced the EFI relay which was no doubt long overdue as well.

Thanks for y'all's help.

 

[TRDdrew]

@spenceradams next time this happens try and put the truck into neutral (N) and see if it starts. i had a similar issue, it was the contacts in the neutral safety switch on the transmission were going bad