Slow starting, battery or starter? (1 Viewer)

[Bleu62]

I changed the battery and started the car a few times and it was working great. It could have been the new battery just having higher charge but it got better the second and third time starting. I assumed it was the battery after putting it on the trickle charger and still getting the slow start.
would you still check the alternator?

 

[ericm979]

The new battery was probably on a low charge and that's why the starting got better after running the car for a while.

 

[Bleu62]

I just got back from helping in western NC after Helene. What a mess. It’s going to take a lot of time and money to help that entire region.
My wife told me that the car start is slowing again. So I took it to the dealership today.
No codes and no other issues other than what I stated before.
battery is new, and being charged to the proper voltage. So that leaves the starter slowly going out.
Has anyone here changed the starter? Looks like I have to take out a section of the exhaust manifold.
Any insight into how bad this job is going to be?
I got this vehicle bc I didn’t want to put up w this crap. But oh well.

 

[185]

When you have these slow start conditions, what is your battery voltage? If its above 12.4V then i would start suspecting the starter circuit (dont fixate on a part unless you have experience with the 150 having a weak point there). However if below then I would hold off on the starter replacement and simply test for a phantom/parasitic draw.



Good luck.

 

[r2m]

Did you ever reply to the status of your alternator? Is it putting 14+ volts? And enough amperage?

 

[adlx450]

I just got back from helping in western NC after Helene. What a mess. It’s going to take a lot of time and money to help that entire region.
My wife told me that the car start is slowing again. So I took it to the dealership today.
No codes and no other issues other than what I stated before.
battery is new, and being charged to the proper voltage. So that leaves the starter slowly going out.
Has anyone here changed the starter? Looks like I have to take out a section of the exhaust manifold.
Any insight into how bad this job is going to be?
I got this vehicle bc I didn’t want to put up w this crap. But oh well.

Hi I know this is an older thread but did you end up replacing the starter? I am having a very similar issue on my wife's 2012 GX460. New battery, intermittent VERY slow start, NO parasitic draw, and Auto Parts store test shows Battery Good, Charging System (alternator) Good, Starting system-FAILED. Pointing to a failing starter. Not much info on replacement of starter so just wondering if you got yours done. I am thinking because of age/mileage since they are relatively close to each other, that I may end up replacing both the alternator and starter.

 

[Hiluxforever]

Toyota starters should be serviced and not replaced, if it's turning slow it's probably the cables to the starter and not even the starter.

 

[adlx450]

Toyota starters should be serviced and not replaced, if it's turning slow it's probably the cables to the starter and not even the starter.

I agree that it's definitely a good idea to check cables before getting into such a big job as replacing a starter but I have had to replace one already in my son's 2014 5.7 Tundra. His Tundra had about 135K miles and had intermittent no-start. After going through and checking cables for improper gounding, checking relays and fuses, battery and alternator, it came down to the starter. Big job because of the location of the starter but after replacing with another OEM starter, no issues since and it's been about a year and a half. So I gree it's not very common but they can definitely fail

 

[Hiluxforever]

I agree that it's definitely a good idea to check cables before getting into such a big job as replacing a starter but I have had to replace one already in my son's 2014 5.7 Tundra. His Tundra had about 135K miles and had intermittent no-start. After going through and checking cables for improper gounding, checking relays and fuses, battery and alternator, it came down to the starter. Big job because of the location of the starter but after replacing with another OEM starter, no issues since and it's been about a year and a half. So I gree it's not very common but they can definitely fail

Yep, but they can often be serviced for pennies on the dollar. I had to put 25$ in parts for the starter on my 98 tacoma. Just needed new plunger and brushes on the solenoid.

 

[adlx450]

Yep, but they can often be serviced for pennies on the dollar. I had to put 25$ in parts for the starter on my 98 tacoma. Just needed new plunger and brushes on the solenoid.

Oh ok understood. I'll look into that thank you. Bad thing about the 4.6 and 5.7 is location of the starter is difficult to get to but I will check if it can be just serviced, would save me some $ since the oem starter is around $300 for the GX. Thanks again.

 

[Southwest]

!
I've been using Odyssey batteries for decades. Smaller than lead acid, but heavy. I have PC1200's in the stock location, one for house, other to starter.
View attachment 3734923 View attachment 3734924

Was looking for folks’ battery setups - this one’s great.

Can I ask where you went to ground from the battery negatives in these photos? Did you take the 1/0 AWGs down to the drivers side frame? Did you find a threaded hole somewhere?

Also did you upgrade the engine ground, and if so where did you connect to the engine block?

 

[r2m]

Was looking for folks’ battery setups - this one’s great.

Can I ask where you went to ground from the battery negatives in these photos? Did you take the 1/0 AWGs down to the drivers side frame? Did you find a threaded hole somewhere?

Also did you upgrade the engine ground, and if so where did you connect to the engine block?

Kept the factory battery ground and ran the 1/0 AWG and all other grounds all the way back to the battery. The 1/0 AWG black and red run underneath and tucked up under the driver side rock slider, up and over the rear axle and then into the rear fold down seat area via a factory rubber plug grommet on the underside. I don't have a spare tire under there, so that grommet may be hidden by a spare tire. I then go up into the driver side cubby (where the jack is kept) and then to the 3,000 W inverter and accessories plugs..
I wanted to make sure it was a solid ground, even though 20 feet of 1/0 AWG black wire is a little expensive.

 

[Southwest]

Thanks that’s helpful and wow what a run of giant cabling hah!

 

[r2m]

Thanks that’s helpful and wow what a run of giant cabling hah!

I needed that gauge for that 3k W inverter. I run our fridge and e-chainsaws off of that thing and they pull some juice.