Possible Starter issue - need help with diagnosis (1 Viewer)

[ro11dice]

Recently picked up an '85 FJ60 and slowly getting used to her little nuances. She's been starting up just fine. But this morning, which had to have been the coldest start (in California, so not too cold - maybe 50ºF). She started up ok but there was an unusual louder noise coming from the engine bay. I thought she just needed to warm up. I proceeded to drive around but noticed a mechanical burning smell and a little smoke coming out from the hood. I was close to home so I turned around and opened the hood. I noticed the burning metal smell more and saw smoke coming from the coil/armature portion of the starter. I don't think it was coming from the magnetic switch/clutch assembly portion of the starter.

I'm a newbie when it comes to turning a wrench but not afraid to get in there...with the help of the FSMs downloaded here on MUD. Already searched the forum and found a good article on a starter rebuild (looks the same on a FJ62). Here are the Toyota part #s for a starter rebuild.

Question to the gurus - which just want to confirm since that thread is quite old:

• Would you recommend a rebuilt OEM starter or a new Aisan/Denso starter?
• If it turns out to be the coil/armature portion - could I just rebuild that portion? I know I won't really know until I take it out. I still have to try and she if she even starts up. I didn't have time to do so bc I had to get to work.

Other symptoms I noticed in addition to the louder engine noise which I believe was the coil/armature spinning were there was no grinding of the clutch assembly like when you try to turn the ignition of an already started engine. Also, the starter didn't keep on spinning when I turned off the engine.

Any help on diagnosis or recommendation is appreciated!

 

[OSS]

Just replace it with a Toyota remanufacured starter. It's pretty cheap. Then it'll be good for another 30 years. Yours got cooked. A reliable starter is pretty dang important. Maybe life support. It's super easy to replace.
At least that's how I see it. Don't mess around trying to band-aid life support components.

 

[morganism]

Sounds like the starter arm is locked out in contact with the ring gear, it's the only way anything there would smoke.

use it as the trade in core...

 

[slacker24-7]

I’m fairly hard on starters as I run in quite a bit of water so I went with a lifetime warranty starter from orileys which appears to be a rebuilt oem but I’ve had it replaced twice for free over the years.