Starter Issues (long)

[tiorio]

Ok, here's the background:

Truck wouldn't start, seemed kinda like bad contacts BUT I couldn't here the solenoid engaging. I pulled the starter wires and tested voltage, got 12v to the main starter terminal and to the solenoid terminal when the key was in the start position.

So I ordered contacts. Pulled the starter and replaced contacts. Bench tested starter and it worked great. Put it back in the truck and no joy. So I re-tested all connections and everything was still within spec. So I pulled the starter again and bench tested. Starter worked. So now I'm thinking wiring or connectors at the starter. I wired up jumpers for ground, positive to starter and positive to solenoid. Installed the starter and juped the soleniod connection to battery, sucess!

So you're thinking it's wiring to the soleniod, right? Me too. But I rechecked voltage and resisitance on that circuit and all is well within spec. So I figure it's the snap-connector, so I clean and bend the tab to be sure I'm getting good contact, grease and install. And everything works great...

But I'm not so sure, this starter is a Toyta remanufactured unit that's only 2 years old, so I keep my jumper for the solenoid in the truck, just in case.

Lo and behold, after sitting for 1.5 days, the truck won't start again. I'm thinking I'm pretty smart for having the wire to jump the solenoid. So I hook it up and jump to positive and...nothing. No solenoid engagement.

Ok, so now I know it's something in the starter. But I don't know what and I'm 2 hours from home with no tools or parts on a Sunday afternoon. So I borrow a hammer, have my wife hold the solenoid jumper and I whack the starter from underneath with a hammer...

And she starts. The trusty hammer trick! I knew she wouldn't leave me stranded like that!

The problem is that now I know I have a problem with the starter solenoid itself. Basically the solenoid won't engage intermitently. Loose connection or short somewhere, but where?

Any ideas?

BTW: 2 years on a $200 remanufactured starter? Seems kinda like they should last a little longer than THAT, no?

 

[tiorio]

Nothing, huh? How about parts availability? What do I need/can I get to rebuild the starter? Or is it a dumb idea and I should get a remanufactured again for another 2.5 years?

Trying to make a plan quickly as this is the wifey's DD...

 

[tiorio]

Anyone rebuilt anything in their starter except for contacts?

Anyone? Anyone?

 

[alaskacruiser]

tiorio- not sure if this is related to your problem as I haven't rebuilt my starter, but I recall others on the forum saying that you should replace the plunger as well as the contacts when doing the rebuild. Hope this helps!

 

[Kalawang]

Ok, here's the background:

Truck wouldn't start, seemed kinda like bad contacts BUT I couldn't here the solenoid engaging. I pulled the starter wires and tested voltage, got 12v to the main starter terminal and to the solenoid terminal when the key was in the start position.

So I ordered contacts. Pulled the starter and replaced contacts. Bench tested starter and it worked great. Put it back in the truck and no joy. So I re-tested all connections and everything was still within spec. So I pulled the starter again and bench tested. Starter worked. So now I'm thinking wiring or connectors at the starter. I wired up jumpers for ground, positive to starter and positive to solenoid. Installed the starter and juped the soleniod connection to battery, sucess!

So you're thinking it's wiring to the soleniod, right? Me too. But I rechecked voltage and resisitance on that circuit and all is well within spec. So I figure it's the snap-connector, so I clean and bend the tab to be sure I'm getting good contact, grease and install. And everything works great...

But I'm not so sure, this starter is a Toyta remanufactured unit that's only 2 years old, so I keep my jumper for the solenoid in the truck, just in case.

Lo and behold, after sitting for 1.5 days, the truck won't start again. I'm thinking I'm pretty smart for having the wire to jump the solenoid. So I hook it up and jump to positive and...nothing. No solenoid engagement.

Ok, so now I know it's something in the starter. But I don't know what and I'm 2 hours from home with no tools or parts on a Sunday afternoon. So I borrow a hammer, have my wife hold the solenoid jumper and I whack the starter from underneath with a hammer...

And she starts. The trusty hammer trick! I knew she wouldn't leave me stranded like that!

The problem is that now I know I have a problem with the starter solenoid itself. Basically the solenoid won't engage intermitently. Loose connection or short somewhere, but where?

Any ideas?

BTW: 2 years on a $200 remanufactured starter? Seems kinda like they should last a little longer than THAT, no?

I feel your pain. I have had this problem for a year now and unfortunately, I now have 2 starters, have checked all relays, wiring and a flock of suspected solenoids, and still no solution. My last effort was to open up the unmounted starter and check all parts. It passed the bench test and we found no problems on the bench so I'm going to mount it today and see what happens.


Kalawang

 

[tiorio]

I feel your pain. I have had this problem for a year now and unfortunately, I now have 2 starters, have checked all relays, wiring and a flock of suspected solenoids, and still no solution. My last effort was to open up the unmounted starter and check all parts. It passed the bench test and we found no problems on the bench so I'm going to mount it today and see what happens.


Kalawang

Hells bells, not the answer I wanted. I've kept the starter solenoid jumper connected, so I have to raise the hood to start the truck and it's mostly reliable. I have had to use the hammer even with this setup though. Guess it's time to find another starter...

Let me know what you find (if anything), and thanks!

 

[tiorio]

tiorio- not sure if this is related to your problem as I haven't rebuilt my starter, but I recall others on the forum saying that you should replace the plunger as well as the contacts when doing the rebuild. Hope this helps!

Thanks for the tip, I did the contacts and plunger (thanks CDan)! Still no joy...

 

[Kalawang]

Thanks for the tip, I did the contacts and plunger (thanks CDan)! Still no joy...

That's bad news for me too. I was planning on a new plunger next.


Kalawang

 

[tiorio]

Update:

So I figured it was SOMETHING in the starter and I don't really sleep well knowing the wifey-poo is toodling around town in a 300+ HP Porsche 930. So I ordered a used starter from cruiserparts.net (great cruiser parts vendor BTW!) and haven't had an issue since.

Gonna get the old starter (ok, 2 year old remanufactured) intimate with the toolbox when I have a little free time. I'll post what I find.

This was DEFINATELY NOT contacts though, and not a wiring problem in the truck. Something has gone bad causing the solenoid not to engage, no clunk.

BTW replaced with a 2.2Kw starter. What a difference! Talk about high-RPM starting!

 

[Romer]

FWIW- I had a similar problem on my FJ40 and i replaced the solinoied. 18 months and no issues.

 

[MLX450]

I feel your pain. Within the past year i had to do the hammer method 3 times. The first two were just taps to the starter but this last one about a week ago, i thought she was gonna leave me stranded. I could hear the solenoid click then no go.... several blows later... still no go.... arrrghhh.... finally she started. Went to a local toyota dealership (thank goodness i purchased an extended warantee) heres a breakdown:
Starter: $265 +30 core
Labor $145
I said ouch. (I have to pay $100 deductable. I wonder if they will let me keep the starter? Im suppose to have the work done this tuesday)
Anyway theres my story on my starter. I dont know much about the history of my rig. I still need to go to a lexus dealer avd pull the VIN and stuff. But the starter is probably remanufactured since it has a label beck-arnley or something....

 

[tiorio]

I feel your pain. Within the past year i had to do the hammer method 3 times. The first two were just taps to the starter but this last one about a week ago, i thought she was gonna leave me stranded. I could hear the solenoid click then no go.... several blows later... still no go.... arrrghhh.... finally she started. Went to a local toyota dealership (thank goodness i purchased an extended warantee) heres a breakdown:
Starter: $265 +30 core
Labor $145
I said ouch. (I have to pay $100 deductable. I wonder if they will let me keep the starter? Im suppose to have the work done this tuesday)
Anyway theres my story on my starter. I dont know much about the history of my rig. I still need to go to a lexus dealer avd pull the VIN and stuff. But the starter is probably remanufactured since it has a label beck-arnley or something....

I can tell you that in your case, it 95% sure that you have worn starter contacts. If the solenoid is engaging and the motor is not turning the contacts and plunger need to be replaced.

If you only have $100 deductible, it's probably best to have the dealer do it. You're looking at about $30 in parts to fix it, but you have to R&R the starter. That'll set you back 1-2 hours (although I've gotten it down to about 15min each way with all the practice). The contact replacement takes about 1/2 hour. You'll have to ID your starter before you order the contacts as well...

So although it's an easy job, for $100 you get a fully remanufactured starter installed. That's a good deal IMO.

Good luck!

 

[MLX450]

That's what i thought. Thanks for the info. I'm gonna ask them if i could keep the starter.

 

[Romer]

Normally, the price of a starter includes your old one as a "core" so it can be sent back for rebuild. This is standard on starters and alternators, so don't be surprised if they say no.

 

[TX_TLC]

torio-
While you were bench testing your old starter was the kick-out gear....kicking out?

I replaced contacts and plunger in mine to no avail. This kickout gear wasn't. Replaced with a reman from C-Dan. Zero prolems since.

 

[tiorio]

torio-
While you were bench testing your old starter was the kick-out gear....kicking out?

I replaced contacts and plunger in mine to no avail. This kickout gear wasn't. Replaced with a reman from C-Dan. Zero prolems since.

On the bench the starter worked every time, flawlessly. In the truck it was intermittent. I went so far as to run a seperate ground, seperate positive connection, and a seperate wire to the solenoid. Still intermittent in the truck.

I would've gotten another re-man but this one is like 2.5 -3 years old! That's $100 a year ($250-$280 for the unit which lasts 2.5-3 years) and for that price I figured I'd try a different model starter. Plus the extra starting power doesn't hurt on those cold-weather trips!

 

[landtank]

So what do you think the odds are of getting a 2.2kw unit as a rebuild. I'm sure Toyota doesn't throw them out when returned.

I'll bet the odds are 0 from CDan, that bastid.

 

[tiorio]

I think the consensus is pretty much that the odds are nil

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=58595

(which is a thread you've seen, but others may not have)

 

[landtank]

What I was reffering to is if someone changed out their 2.2kw with a factory reman, then that unit would be put into the system to be rebuilt. You wouldn't be able to order one but it might still be in the box when you opened it.

 

[MLX450]

So there i was..... 3 hours at the stealership.... just to replace a starter.... I must of read all the newspapers/magazines in there.... checked out the new 06 100. Man that things $$$$$ sticker was $66K. It had a new headlight design. Well anyway i think total cost was $460+. But here is the good news: i got to keep the starter! One thing i've noticed about the new starter was the cranking sound it made. It sounded crisp. (or was it just me) oh well.