New member, just finished starter contacts . . . (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jan 16, 2006
Threads
33
Messages
175
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Website
www.nmia.com
Hello, new member here (Albuquerque, NM). I've been lurking from time to time for several years. Haven't had to do much wrenching on our FJ100 up til now besides brake pads/rotors. Just finished doing the starter contacts tonite at 100k miles. It's had the dreaded click since ~70-80k so figure I better get after it before it takes the alternator with it. Many thanks to all of you who took the time to document & write up the proceedure, went like clockwork. Bought new contacts & plunger from the dealer, $46 total (prolly coulda bought them much cheaper on-line but the local boys have families to feed too). Part numbers if anyone needs them (12/99 build-date):

narrow contact: 28225-72010
wide contact: 28226-54412
plunger: 28235-54380

I held the starter in the vise & used a short piece of round stock & a c-clamp to pre-set the plane of the contacts while tightening them, & she fired up 1st click. Prolly shoulda bought new intake gaskets & fuel injector gaskets but did this one on the cheap. I cleaned the old intake gaskets as best I could & sprayed them with Copper Coat, seemed to do ok, time will tell. Does anyone have the torque spec for the manifold bolts/nuts? I torqued them to a generic 20 ft-lb & called it good. Next step since it just turned 100k is to do the timing belt & tensioner(s) & water pump & hoses & ponder the prospect of checking the gaps for the valves. Anything else I should do while I have it apart? Can't do too much at once.

Cheers,

donco
 
G'day Donco,

Sounds like you have done the dreaded contacts right off the bat, way to go, hope the next bits and pieces go easy for you, can't comment on any of it as I have a diesel, but just thought I'd say G'day and good work!
 
Welcome, and where are your pics?
 
Welcome to the forum donco! Hate to bring it up...oh well I will anyway..."This thread is useless without PICS!":crybaby:
 
Hi there, welcome to the forum!
 
I'm impressed. 2 posts and you've already tackled the starter contacts! Welcome officially now that you have shed "lurker" status! :D
 
One thing I forgot to toss in, change FJ100 to UZJ100. The V8 gets the UZJ designation. Someone's gonna think you've got a pretty rare 100-series :D
 
It's 8am Monday morning, wife's car won't start (it took 7 tries). Over the weekend, 3 times in a row it would not start the very first try. It is at (edit =86,000 miles). Luckily hte parts are in my garage! Thanks C-Dan!

I called the boss, he said take your time. I'll let you know how it goes! At least I'm stranded in my garage.
 
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Well, I started around 8:45am and finished up by 2pm. Not that bad after reading how everybody else has done it. My 100 series had exactly 86,000 miles when the starter showed extreme warning signs. Luckily I was in the garage when it happened and could do it indoors.

The worst part for me was putting the Intake Manifold back on. I was pretty tired by then and had one foor where the airbox goes and the other where the LX470 suspension fluid would go. BTW, this would be an even more PITA on a Lexus because of that box in the way.

My contacts and plunger were definitely worn out. :eek:

Now they're all better:grinpimp:
 
starter contacts . . .

rockclmbr said:
Well, I started around 8:45am and finished up by 2pm . . . Now they're all better:grinpimp:

Way to go! Congrat's on putting that one behind you.

I cut a 2' x 3' sheet of plywood to set on top of the motor & some carpet to lay on & that made the wrenching turning alot more pleasant.

The pisser of the job was I did my neighbors Camry the following weekend, had her starter out & on the bench in less than 5 minutes :frown:
 
It would be nice to have this for the job.
TL72300-L.jpg
 
Yah, well I know most vehicles the starter comes off from the exterior in several minutes. Toyota on the other hand wanted to hide the starter from the elements (heat, river crossings, tsunamis, New Orland Floods) and the plunked it smack in the middle of the motor!:doh:

If only they could make contacts last longer. I'm sort of disappointed it didn't last the intended 90kmiles. I know I4C4LO had a starter contact issue at around the same mileage as mine! There is no safety factor built in here!!!

I shouldn't complain, again, I was home safe and sound when it happened.
 

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