96 Cruiser Won't Start- Help (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jan 25, 2009
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Lynden, WA
Well it sucks that this has to be my first post ever, but here goes. I bought a 1996 Land Cruiser in perfect condition last week with 186,000 miles on it. It has been running great, but this morning it wouldn't start. Battery has plenty of power. I turn the key and get one click, but doesn't turn over. Everything in me says it is the starter but what confuses me is when I turn the key, the red battery light comes on (even before I try to start it) while the battery meter reads plenty of power. Can I assume it is the AM2 fuse because the light is red, not yellow? The battery light wouldn't come on if the starter were bad, right? All of the lights work, I tried jumping it, put a charger on it, wiggled the wires and connections, but no luck.
 
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The battery warning light has nothing to do with the starter. It comes on if the alternator is not charging the battery enough. It will always come on with the key on engine off. And it is always red, not yellow.

I would agree that it is the starter, try tapping on it with a hammer while someone is cranking.
 
I second the hammer trick. It worked for me until I was able to rebuild my starter. If that is your situation I would call up Cdan and order a rebuild kit for your starter.
 
Buy a new starter after checking all contacts for corriosion. Mike
 
mine was doing the same thing... i have ~125K miles and thought I need new starter contacts. bought them at the dealership, took it apart when i had the chance, and found them to be nearly as thick as the new ones i just bought. Copper on all three pieces were just pitted really bad so I just cleaned it all up with sandpaper. no issues since. Its probably a 1 :banana: to a 1.5 :banana: job depending on your mechanical expertiseness

WET
 
man i haven't been here in a while

anywho, I had the same problem, it was indeed the starter. I was at about the same amount of miles when it happened
 
Well I replaced the starter last night and all is well. My confusion about the yellow/red light was because of what I read in the FAQ:

"AM2" is probably the most engine centric, it provides power to the ignition switch, the injectors, the igniter, the ignition coil, the distributor, and the alternator control system, if you get the yellow light on the volt meter with “key on engine off” this fusible link is good, "

Nice to have this forum to reference while working on the truck. Was worried about how to get that uppper mounting bolt out, but was no problem once I took the wheel off.:steer:
 

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