No crank- no start issue (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Sep 2, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
48
Location
nor cal
Hey guys!
I’m having a no start issue on my 1992.

I have been daily driving it for about a month with no issues out of line with a 30 year old car.
Yesterday my wife and I took a trip to the Bay Area. It’s about a 100 miles there and 100 miles back. No issues on the road or even over the hills of the altamont.

Got home about midnight-
Woke up this morning to go grab some coffee to revive ourselves and just got absolutely nothing when I cranked it up.

I tried:
The battery- tests normal
Tried jumping with a portable charger
And our other car both to the posts and to the frame still nothing.
The posts- cleaned and tightened all connections.
Efi relay- didn’t look blown out, but don’t have a spare. I’ve heard on here they go bad in heat and it’s been above 90 here for the last week or so. Even 100+ at times.
Tapping- on the starter from underneath the car & poking it with a broom handle from the top.
The connection seemed good visually. For both connections to the starter.
The fusible links are relatively new- within 2 years of minimal driving. Used to only drive it on weekends.
I tried jumping the port and the CEL just kept flashing.
It is illuminated like normal in the on position.

When I crank I don’t hear a loud click like others have mentioned in threads I looked up. I saw some links to a flow chart of what to check in the 3FE but all the links were broken.

If anyone has ideas or can point me in the right direction I would be grateful.
 
Some people describe loud click but its not all that loud. That said it still could be the starter contacts/plunger. Another possibility is the the neutral start switch. Have you tried moving the shifter from Park to Neutral then turning the key? It could be the ignition the ignition switch or wiring. You could "hot wire" the starter by running a wire from the positive post of the battery to the small wire connection on the starter. It the starter cranks then the starter is most likely not the problem.
 
Threw a new EFI relay and all new fuses in the block.

Found a lot of grease buildup on the ground by the motor mount could this be causing my problems?
 
The starter logic path is pretty simple on these trucks. Battery +, fusible link AM1, fuse AM1, ignition switch, neutral start switch, starter.
The load side of the starter motor contact is a direct connection to the battery positive terminal
 
The starter logic path is pretty simple on these trucks. Battery +, fusible link AM1, fuse AM1, ignition switch, neutral start switch, starter.
The load side of the starter motor contact is a direct connection to the battery positive terminal
Do you just have this statement written in a Word document that you open, copy, paste and post it in here when needed?

You have a number of these phrases stored....don't you?
 
The starter logic path is pretty simple on these trucks. Battery +, fusible link AM1, fuse AM1, ignition switch, neutral start switch, starter.
The load side of the starter motor contact is a direct connection to the battery positive terminal
I did check the battery, swapped in a spare set of links, don’t really know what to look for in a faulty ignition, tried it in neutral (even moved it and tried again), and I know I’m getting power to the starter.
So sounds like a starter?
It doesn’t look to be original but then again even if the PO replaced it after 10 years it would be a 20 year old starter.
 
I did check the battery, swapped in a spare set of links, don’t really know what to look for in a faulty ignition, tried it in neutral (even moved it and tried again), and I know I’m getting power to the starter.
So sounds like a starter?
It doesn’t look to be original but then again even if the PO replaced it after 10 years it would be a 20 year old starter.

Did you check for power at the starter with a multimeter? You'll need 12v on the main cable from the battery and also 12v at the solenoid wire with the key in the start position.
 
Do you just have this statement written in a Word document that you open, copy, paste and post it in here when needed?

You have a number of these phrases stored....don't you?
I get tired of repeating myself. It's so much easier to copy/paste.
 
Were you able to figure this out? Sounds like what happened to me today. Dash lights up, but no crank. Cranked on the fourth try. Happened a couple times late last summer. I put in an OEM starter and new battery last year. New fusible links two years ago. I’m in the Central Valley too (Modesto) so I wonder if the heat might have something to do with it. I’ll diagnose the starter when I get a chance, but it hasn’t been a consistent problem.

The starter logic path is pretty simple on these trucks. Battery +, fusible link AM1, fuse AM1, ignition switch, neutral start switch, starter.
The load side of the starter motor contact is a direct connection to the battery positive terminal

I did check the battery, swapped in a spare set of links, don’t really know what to look for in a faulty ignition, tried it in neutral (even moved it and tried again), and I know I’m getting power to the starter.
So sounds like a starter?
It doesn’t look to be original but then again even if the PO replaced it after 10 years it would be a 20 year old starter.
 
I would start printing this and having a copy and all the parts at your rig


Old fusible link sometimes fails without any apparent reason

There are three fusible links near the positive post of the battery, all three are needed for the engine to start and run, they look just like wires as that is basically what they are, they are intentionality weak wiring that melts with too much current, a blown one may melt in half insulation and all and smoke a lot, or the insulation may just look bubbly and melted on the surface but still look attached, or may look just fine from the outside but be severed inside
The three come from Toyota as a set, all three are replaced at the same time, they are cheap, everyone should have a set in their glove box, and everyone should also carry an assortment of regular blade fuses also,


"Main" Fusible link, critical as it is upstream of the 15A EFI fuse under the hood, you can test this one from the drivers seat by turning on the radio, headlights, ac/heat fan, defrost, stop light, tail lights and telephone, if any of the above work then this fusible link is good,

"AM1" Fusible link, critical as it is upstream of the ignition switch and provides the power for to the starter solenoid, you can check this one from the drivers seat by checking the horn/hazards, dome light, diff locks, rear heat, turn signals, cigarette lighter, or wipers,
If you have the hazard & horn but none of the others check the big 50A AM1 fuse in the under hood fuse box (50A AM1 fuse not to be confused with the AM1 fusible link) Might not be a bad idea to stock a 50A fuse incase the big AM1 fuse blows

"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,

Turn your key to “key on engine off” and look at the lights on your in the instrument cluster, if CEL not on it won't start ever since ECM not getting electricity
 
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I would stick the car in neutral, disconnect the signal wire to the starter (the small gauge one, not the mains) and try to apply 12V on it directly from the battery using at least a 14AWG wire. This will rule out a faulty starter. Maybe also check the ground cable from the battery to the engine.
If the engine cranks, then it could be a faulty starter relay, if you have one. Most of them are not aligned properly from the factory and will burn the contacts, which will give you intermittent start or no start at all. Good thing is that they are serviceable, and you can clean and realign them.
Good luck!
IMG_0910.jpeg
 
So I did get it solved, it turned out to be something spliced into the harness like an anti theft or trailer controller thing in between the positive batter and starter. The fuse was melted in there. I just disconnected it and and put the wires back into the harness.

I do appreciate all the help guys- turns out I just overlooked the simple stuff.
 
Were you able to figure this out? Sounds like what happened to me today. Dash lights up, but no crank. Cranked on the fourth try. Happened a couple times late last summer. I put in an OEM starter and new battery last year. New fusible links two years ago. I’m in the Central Valley too (Modesto) so I wonder if the heat might have something to do with it. I’ll diagnose the starter when I get a chance, but it hasn’t been a consistent problem.
It did look heat related. I don’t have a garage and like I said in the original post drive 100 or so miles home on the freeway in the heat.

After I disconnected I haven’t had any problems.
 

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