Oh Sh*t! A Little Sunday Help...Please!!!

[Front Range 4x4]

Okay, so I'm on vacation running a bunch of great trails in Colorado. I'm now in Silverton, CO ready for a few more days of running trails.

Decided to head out this morning for a day long run and stopped to get gas before leaving. Filled up, turned the key and get nothing, not even a click. Good this happened before hitting the mountains but I'm still stuck with a dead cruiser

Fuses are good, new Toyota starter less than a year old, been starting fine until this morning. Tried jumping it - nothing!

Any help? Please?

I have to walk into town to get internet access, I'd love some guidance on what to look for

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[saint60]

check your battery cable connections. if nothing is working it has to be something like that. if lights and other accessories are working you can start to look at the starting system.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Pulled, cleaned and reconnected cables, no change. Jumping afterwards also no help. Thanks, next idea?

 

[cruiser88]

you have anything you can test with ,light,or anything at all maybe your new starter has problems or your batt went completly like my ford did .try swithing batt. just for s***s an giggles .ive had them explode inside if you want to call it that

 

[cbmontgo]

Check the cables on your starter? Sometimes corrosion can build up and make that connection bad.

It could be a dead starter as well, but check the simpler things first.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

you have anything you can test with ,light,or anything at all maybe your new starter has problems or your batt went completly like my ford did .try swithing batt. just for s***s an giggles .ive had them explode inside if you want to call it that

Not much available forr me here but I think I can find a test light, what am I looking for if I find one? Electrical dummy here

 

[cruiser88]

just to see if there is power getting to the starter,also is ther a batt. that somebody can loan you just for a minute.start with that.also how is your ground going to your block,i know its hard to get to,take it off and clean it good,check your fuseable links at the batt.they are known to give problems if you need a person to talk to you can dro me a line send you a pm

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Thanks for the tips so far! I'm leaving the coffee shop and heading back to the cruiser. If I don't have luck I'll be logging back in later.

 

[cruiser88]

its a cruiser you will get it

 

[import silvia]

Durango should have a checker/autozone/parts store. Get either a test light or a cheap multi-meter. Check to see if you have 12+ volts at the big terminal on the starter. If so have somebody turn the key and see if you get 12+ volts at the smaller terminal. If you have the voltage at both terminals you have a bad stater or a bad source cable (the big one) to the starter. if you are not getting the 12+ at the big terminal you need a large cable from your Batt to the starter. If you don't have 12+ at the smaller terminal you have bad circuitry between the ignition switch and the starter, I would look at the relay. You should be able to swap your starter relay with one from a less critical system for the time being. You can also jump the car by temporarily bridging the two termials on the starter, though I would only do that to get home and not to start a long trip.

 

[cruiser88]

Durango should have a checker/autozone/parts store. Get either a test light or a cheap multi-meter. Check to see if you have 12+ volts at the big terminal on the starter. If so have somebody turn the key and see if you get 12+ volts at the smaller terminal. If you have the voltage at both terminals you have a bad stater or a bad source cable (the big one) to the starter. if you are not getting the 12+ at the big terminal you need a large cable from your Batt to the starter. If you don't have 12+ at the smaller terminal you have bad circuitry between the ignition switch and the starter, I would look at the relay. You should be able to swap your starter relay with one from a less critical system for the time being. You can also jump the car by temporarily bridging the two termials on the starter, though I would only do that to get home and not to start a long trip.

hopefully he can call me i was going to try to help him over the phone its a pita being stuck with no help

 

[Weaver]

check your grounds. it's humbling what a bad one can do, and they almost allways get overlooked.

 

[nat88toy]

second the ground, my 4runner did the same thing at work found that i had a lose ground tightened it and she started right up turn on your lights and if they dont work i am wiling to put my money on the ground good luck

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Hmmm, bad contacts?

Walked back to the cruiser and she started right up. Shut it off and had the same problem. After a dozen tries it started again. This starter is less than a year old (Toyota)

I'll check the grounds and see if it behaves differently.

In the meantime says the cruiser gods are telling us to stay out of the mountains today.

 

[cruiser88]

likely the ground to the block or the relay as stated above

 

[Dynosoar]

A quick test is to short the starter with a screw driver (be sure the truck is in neutral) and it should spin if there is any action (read voltage) at the bat. then try it with the ign. on and it should start.

Dynosoar

 

[patpend2000]

bad key switch?

 

[Tinker]

Second the fusible link 88 mentioned, Chris. Don't imagine Durango has a Toyota dealer, but probably has a good independent Toy garage. Ask locals (start with the motel/hotel folks).

Hope your wife isn't too pissed at the "old piece of s***" (meaning the truck).

 

[Aseif007]

Does it start in neutral? Maybe a bad neutral start switch?

 

[srplus]

already mentioned

2 times this happened to me and here's what they were related to:

1) ground needed to be cleaned where it went to the frame
2) harder to figure out - when i put it into park for what ever reason i did not engage the switch... took it into and out of neutral several times and it would start. try giggling the shifter while engaging the key and taking it out of park and pushing it hard back into park... if it starts some of the time doing this, then that is prolly what is wrong... this would be my guess for intermittent.