hi guys. need some input pls .my toyota truck (90 pick up) wont start.if i turn the ignition on,i just heard click soung insidet he dasboard.sound like relay problem correct me if im wrong.any idea where the relay starter located.many many thanks
relay
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The starter solenoid sounds like it is under the dash to many people. It is in the engine compartment at the base of the firewall on the passenger side. Have somebody try and start the truck while you are listening with the hood open. Where is the click you are hearing coming from?
Note: the starter solenoid can be faulty and make a click. If it isn't working, then it likely has burnt contacts, a bad spot on the commutator, or a bad winding. Burnt contacts is most likely.
A classic starter test is to bypass the key switch, etc. and run a wire directly to the starter solenoid from the battery to see if it starts. This is a potentially dangerous test. You MUST put the transmission into neutral and set the parking brake. Turn the ignition on but not to start, and run a wire from the starter solenoid terminal to the battery positive terminal. Keep hands away from all that moves like the fan, belts, etc.. When you make electrical contact from the battery to starter solenoid terminal the truck will start, or the starter or starter solenoid is faulty. If you hear a click and the battery voltage doesn't drop allot, then likely the solenoid or starter is bad. If the battery voltage drops allot, then something is likely preventing the starter or engine from turning.
Note: the starter solenoid can be faulty and make a click. If it isn't working, then it likely has burnt contacts, a bad spot on the commutator, or a bad winding. Burnt contacts is most likely.
A classic starter test is to bypass the key switch, etc. and run a wire directly to the starter solenoid from the battery to see if it starts. This is a potentially dangerous test. You MUST put the transmission into neutral and set the parking brake. Turn the ignition on but not to start, and run a wire from the starter solenoid terminal to the battery positive terminal. Keep hands away from all that moves like the fan, belts, etc.. When you make electrical contact from the battery to starter solenoid terminal the truck will start, or the starter or starter solenoid is faulty. If you hear a click and the battery voltage doesn't drop allot, then likely the solenoid or starter is bad. If the battery voltage drops allot, then something is likely preventing the starter or engine from turning.
Good deal. Have you also checked out the cables and mounts? I have seen what appeared to be good cable have internal corrosion. Run your hand along the cable. If you feel ruff bumpy areas under the rubber coating, there is a good chance it is going bad on the inside. Had a friend in Wyoming that replaced the battery and positive cable on his rig, but he still had starting issues. Turned out to be the negative on the engine/frame end. Could be the relay, but that is not nearly as common as other problems. John
Agree! I've had two Auto zone cables fail. Not only did they look good externally, one of them was only two years old. On the FJ40 it was the ground cable that failed. The 4Runner just did exactly what you described. The crimp at the starter end failed, even though it was still attached. A new cable solved the problem.
Even with the starter relay control wire disconnected on my '86, i can hear a relay in the dash click when i turn the key to "start" - i suspect it has to do with the cold-start injector relay/timer.
The starter relay is attached to the starter. You can pull the control wire off of the relay and attach it to a circuit tester or meter to check that it is getting voltage when you turn the key. If not, check fuses, check the safety switch on the clutch pedal (or that it is in park or neutral if A/T.)
If you have a volt meter, you can check the battery cables while they are attached to the battery. Put the leads of the meter on each end of the cable you are testing, and confirm that there is not more than a few tens of millivolts reading on the meter (not sure exactly the number - depends on the gauge and length of the cable.)
Good luck.
The starter relay is attached to the starter. You can pull the control wire off of the relay and attach it to a circuit tester or meter to check that it is getting voltage when you turn the key. If not, check fuses, check the safety switch on the clutch pedal (or that it is in park or neutral if A/T.)
If you have a volt meter, you can check the battery cables while they are attached to the battery. Put the leads of the meter on each end of the cable you are testing, and confirm that there is not more than a few tens of millivolts reading on the meter (not sure exactly the number - depends on the gauge and length of the cable.)
Good luck.
Bastler said:
On the 86 trucks there is a starter relay on the passenger inner fender close to the firewall, it receives a 12vdc trigger from the ing key and directs higher amperage current to the starter solenoid, attached to the starter, to allow the starter to engage when the key is held to the start position. Common faults are, faulty wiring, starter relay and the starter it self. I personally had problems with old wiring, I had voltage but no current from the relay to the starter. The fix was to disconnect the supply wire from the wiring harness and connect it direct to the battery, fused of course, this allows for much better current and better starting.
The cold start timing switch is located on the engine, it is actually a thermostat, when the water temp is below 40deg the cold start injector is triggered, most people think the cold start injector works every time the engine is started, NOT TRUE, only 40 deg and colder.
Don't forget that just because a multimeter reads voltage does not mean what you are reading is good, current is the rate at witch electricity flows, you can have voltage and no current which is no good. Through troubleshooting intermittent starter failures on my 86' 4Runner I was reading 12vdc to the starter but no current, which of course is why my starter was not working, further inspections lead me to find very badly corroded wires which created far too much resistance which then led to a loss of amperage, or current. To date the biggest problem with my truck has been old wiring, I've stripped insulation bak 6 inches to discover very badly corroded wires.