93 FZJ80 Intermittent Engine Start.. Video Attached (1 Viewer)

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Hi forum.. as the title states.. I have a strange issue when it comes to starting the truck. As you can see in the video.. I turn the key and nothing happens. No sounds at all. On the 4th try, it starts up just fine. This has been happening for the last 2 months approx..


  • Last week I replaced the battery
  • Today I replaced the fuseable link
  • Last year replaced the transmission control module due to error codes 83 & 84. Doubt its relevant to my current issue.. but i did have some issues starting then as well.
Any of you guys have suggestions? Could it somehow be tied to the stock factory alarm?
 
Hi forum.. as the title states.. I have a strange issue when it comes to starting the truck. As you can see in the video.. I turn the key and nothing happens. No sounds at all. On the 4th try, it starts up just fine. This has been happening for the last 2 months approx..


  • Last week I replaced the battery
  • Today I replaced the fuseable link
  • Last year replaced the transmission control module due to error codes 83 & 84. Doubt its relevant to my current issue.. but i did have some issues starting then as well.
Any of you guys have suggestions?

Sounds exactly like mine right now. Pretty sure it's the starter. Make sure your battery terminals are nice and secure too.
 
My '93 started doing darn near the same thing a couple of months ago too!
Doesn't do it every time, but when it does it's not always the same amount of key-turns needed to start.
So I typically find myself doing a sort of rapid on-off repetition until I hear it turn over.
New Denso 2.0kW starter was installed two years ago.
 
My '93 started doing darn near the same thing a couple of months ago too!
Doesn't do it every time, but when it does it's not always the same amount of key-turns needed to start.
So I typically find myself doing a sort of rapid on-off repetition until I hear it turn over.
New Denso 2.0kW starter was installed two years ago.

Yep.. same here. I'm not sure when my starter was replaced but I believe it looked newer. I'm wondering if this has to do with the alarm or the trucks ECU.. as I shoved a antenna wire behind the glove box grommet in the engine bay and I think condensation followed that wire and maybe got to the computer???
 
Make sure your battery terminals are nice and secure too.
^^^ This
CLEAN the terminals and the connectors with wire brush. Inside the ring and out.
My 93 will not start with a loose negative terminal OR a thin crud glaze lining the inside of the connector rings.
Assuming your terminals are OEM, the positive terminal should be clean, shiny brass and the neg clean, shiny silver INSIDE the rings.
After wire brushing and reconnecting, coat the terminals and connectors with that thin, clear spray on anti-oxidant. Then don't touch them again unless absolutely necessary.
After I did this, mine starts every key turn. And yes, I jumped the starter-shark too. Have a trail spare now tho. 👍
edit: also make sure battery is firmly secured and eyeball the other end of the neg batt cable where it connects to the engine block. Make sure it hasn't been tampered with by PO's and is tight.
 
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Yep.. same here. I'm not sure when my starter was replaced but I believe it looked newer. I'm wondering if this has to do with the alarm or the trucks ECU.. as I shoved a antenna wire behind the glove box grommet in the engine bay and I think condensation followed that wire and maybe got to the computer???
Starter circuit has nothing to do with the ecu.
 
 
One more thread:

 
One more thread:


Yes - that thread is good. As is the saga that goes through these two threads (you can just jump to the second one to get to the end of the story):



Ultimately, (and what all three of these threads point out) it is possible that you're in the same boat that many of us are in where the starting circuit has degraded at multiple points. You can choose to replace components or choose to bypass and add in a relay/solenoid circuit. Both are valid approaches, though one may ultimately be more practical than the other, depending on where your particular circuit faults or degradation points lie. If it's in the harness wiring, splice points, and connections, that won't be a trivial task, and a relay/solenoid bypass may be a simpler approach.

I will also say that replacing components can fix this, but it could also mask underlying symptoms. E.g. replacing the starter, starter contacts or ignition switches may just move the threshold of where it'll fire to the point where the otherwise degraded circuit couldn't handle with slightly older components. But the fault there wasn't really the older components - just that the newer components made it slightly easier for the degraded circuit to handle. If that's the case, you'll be in the same place again at a later date.

Good luck. (and if you want to chat directly, just PM me.)
 
Update:

It was the damn starter. I ended up purchasing a genuine Toyota starter from my local dealership and all is well again in the land of FZJ80. Surprising how noticeable the sound is now when it clicks over. Much stronger.. should have listened to your guys earlier. lol

BTW.. what a pain in the ass that install is. Its just 2 bolts... but 2 terribly placed bolts lol
 

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