Infamous crank no start

[RaginCajunATX]

I have a recently purchased 2000 LX470. I got this bad boy for a humble $1100! I test drove it twice. Started up just fine. The catch it's 6.5hrs away in Louisiana, so I recently asked my family to start the truck for me and bam crank no start. I know it's foolish to blindly throw money into it but it being 6.5hrs away I want to go there and have most everything I need to troubleshoot. I purchased a fuel pump and plan to bring spare fuse and wire to jump the EFI relay. Is there anything else I'm missing that would be beneficial to take on the trip with me?

 

[Brandon Ryder]

When this happened to me it was a snapped aftermarket timing belt on a new to me LC. It was a lot of work to replace.
Hard to diagnose when you aren't there.
I like to keep a spare coil just in case but that isn't this issue. I believe you can peak under the front cam covers and possibly spy the belt condition. I had a thread on my saga somewhere on mud. Mine died while driving though. Not mysteriously between starts.

 

[3_puppies]

fuse box work around/bypass??

 

[RaginCajunATX]

When this happened to me it was a snapped aftermarket timing belt on a new to me LC. It was a lot of work to replace.
Hard to diagnose when you aren't there.
I like to keep a spare coil just in case but that isn't this issue. I believe you can peak under the front cam covers and possibly spy the belt condition. I had a thread on my saga somewhere on mud. Mine died while driving though. Not mysteriously between starts.

So interesting enough the belt was replaced fairly recently (unless that's what the sticker indicates) we if it is the timing belt I guess I can be happy that it didn't happen while running.

 

[RaginCajunATX]

fuse box work around/bypass??

Well I don't think this is the issue because I understand the engine light does not turn on when placing the key when this is the issue but engine light comes on. There's no security light as well.

 

[whitec13]

Have you had them try to start in neutral? I’ve had odd times where everything lights up like it’s good, but nothing when I try to start. Dropping into Neutral, it starts every time. Starter relay is pretty cheap to grab as backup there too.

 

[RaginCajunATX]

Have you had them try to start in neutral? I’ve had odd times where everything lights up like it’s good, but nothing when I try to start. Dropping into Neutral, it starts every time. Starter relay is pretty cheap to grab as backup there too.

Hmmm I have not. Something typically causes this issue in 100 series?

 

[whitec13]

Typically… though I’ve not found it! It stopped having the issue as soon as I bought the starter relay to start diagnosing. Then it did it again once after about 2 years of nothing and will do it randomly. No water leak coinciding with it, no bad voltage, did it before a new battery, did it after a new battery, alternator is fine, nothing that I can explain as obvious, but neutral start works every time.

Edit: worth noting I have 8 years of ownership on my rusty girl and paid $4500 for it, so I have no intention of finding the problem at this point.

 

[RaginCajunATX]

Typically… though I’ve not found it! It stopped having the issue as soon as I bought the starter relay to start diagnosing. Then it did it again once after about 2 years of nothing and will do it randomly. No water leak coinciding with it, no bad voltage, did it before a new battery, did it after a new battery, alternator is fine, nothing that I can explain as obvious, but neutral start works every time.

Edit: worth noting I have 8 years of ownership on my rusty girl and paid $4500 for it, so I have no intention of finding the problem at this point.

I've had my fair share of 20+ year old jeeps. I've been there. There's always a handful of special quirks like that

Believe it or not I got mine for $1100

 

[ibrahim83]

has the timing belt been changed? you might want to check the camshaft wire exiting the driver side timing belt cover. they've been known to rub on the belt, eventually causing a crank no start condition.

a Scan tool would be able to tell you.

 

[jaewastooshort]

I had an issue like this develop at one point (started out intermittent, eventually just wouldn't start anymore), and found no fuel flow. Problem ended up being solved by swapping around a couple of relays in the underhood fuse/relay box. There was another that was the same type, I just swapped them out and the pump started running again, so I guess my relay was just bad, or was otherwise just making bad contact for some reason.

To diagnose after repeated crank/no start, I just popped one of the quick-connect fittings around the fuel filter and found no flow when the ignition was switched on. Found the EFI relay in the box and swapped the relay with an identical relay from another position (seems like it might have been a/c?)... since the fuel pump immediately came back when the ignition was switched on, it seemed the likely source of no start.

I can't vouch for the accuracy of these, this was just a quick google search, but the FSM/wiring manuals in the resource section of the forum should give you an accurate layout

 

[RaginCajunATX]

has the timing belt been changed? you might want to check the camshaft wire exiting the driver side timing belt cover. they've been known to rub on the belt, eventually causing a crank no start condition.

a Scan tool would be able to tell you.

I do have techstream that I will be brining with me so I'm hoping that helps me see codes. I will for sure take a look at this wiring. Thank you!

 

[RaginCajunATX]

I had an issue like this develop at one point (started out intermittent, eventually just wouldn't start anymore), and found no fuel flow. Problem ended up being solved by swapping around a couple of relays in the underhood fuse/relay box. There was another that was the same type, I just swapped them out and the pump started running again, so I guess my relay was just bad, or was otherwise just making bad contact for some reason.

To diagnose after repeated crank/no start, I just popped one of the quick-connect fittings around the fuel filter and found no flow when the ignition was switched on. Found the EFI relay in the box and swapped the relay with an identical relay from another position (seems like it might have been a/c?)... since the fuel pump immediately came back when the ignition was switched on, it seemed the likely source of no start.

I can't vouch for the accuracy of these, this was just a quick google search, but the FSM/wiring manuals in the resource section of the forum should give you an accurate layout
View attachment 4157365

View attachment 4157367

Beautiful. Yeah I'm truly hoping that it's this stubborn relay issue. Seem to be the most common. Swapping the relay for the AC relay is genius.

So you didn't have to change your fuse box out due to bad connection? Just changed relay?

 

[3_puppies]

Beautiful. Yeah I'm truly hoping that it's this stubborn relay issue. Seem to be the most common. Swapping the relay for the AC relay is genius.

So you didn't have to change your fuse box out due to bad connection? Just changed relay?

the connection under neath where you can't see it can be an issue, that is why I suggested the fuse box work around/bypass, remove the relay and have fused keyed power to feed the ecu?

 

[RaginCajunATX]

the connection under neath where you can't see it can be an issue, that is why I suggested the fuse box work around/bypass, remove the relay and have fused keyed power to feed the ecu?

Hmmmm it seem like this issue is common enough that I may just purchase on. And if it's not my current problem I'll just have one in case

 

[3_puppies]

@medtro fix has repaired many without replacing the fusebox

here is the thread on my "fix" on my 2000:

3

Thread 'fuse box issue?'

Mar 1, 2025

wife's daily driver quit, crank no start, during troubleshooting, found EFI relay had keyed latching power but no in and out power.
fuses all good. after pulling fuse and swapping, I got power in.
is this the issue other have with the fuse box?
@medtro fix to solve this?
is it the wire out from the fuse to the relay causing issue? as I had power thru the fuse

2000 LC 208,000 miles

• 3_puppies
• Replies: 2
• Forum: 100-Series Cruisers

also search medtro for solution
mine has been like this for over a year now

 

[Dirt J]

No need to replace the fuse box if its the EFI fuse issue. The terminals that hold the fuse loosen over time/heat cycles. Those terminals can be addressed directly instead of $$ new fuse box. A used box may have the same issue and the new box may develop the same issue over time.

Can tighten or eliminate those terminals entirely. Bypassing is an option too. That's covered above.

12v+ to the F terminal is the easy check. That sends 12v to the fuel pump ECU, which in turn will send power to the fuel pump.

Check this out. Here's a complete fix, if the EFI fuse holder is the issue. POST

 

[jaewastooshort]

Beautiful. Yeah I'm truly hoping that it's this stubborn relay issue. Seem to be the most common. Swapping the relay for the AC relay is genius.

So you didn't have to change your fuse box out due to bad connection? Just changed relay?

I have since had to change the fusible link at the positive battery terminal due to internal corrosion (no charge issue that appeared to be alternator, charged fine after the wiring fix), so it wouldn't surprise me terribly if I have to at some point, but haven't had any other issues yet leading me to change it. Since swapping the relay I've never had the no start issue again (yet). One thing I did do though was to pull the relays and fuses one-by-one and spray everything down with some contact cleaner I originally bought to treat crackling pots on my guitars [ corrosion-x spray on amazon ]

Big surprise, I kinda forgot about having swapped the relays (and never actually replaced the relay that I swapped from the fuel pump to the a/c), and I've been having intermittent a/c issues on/off for the past couple of years (just never made the mental connection until now), so now that I'm thinking about it I'm going to be actually ordering new relays.

 

[RaginCajunATX]

So I'm not sure how to with this thing. IDK if that's a reply all or something but I'm home in Louisiana and finally get to put my eyes on it. So for starters the picture I received from my family wasn't a good indicator of the EFI fuse/relay issue is because the photo was of the instrument cluster, apparently the security light indicator is on the radio and low and behold, with my key in the on position the security light flashes.

 

[BullElk]

If you haven't already, contacting @medtro for the solution would be the best idea you could come up with, imo.