Starter mystery...help please!

[FJ62]

So, I have two starters, both in good condition. The original Toyota starter has had a rebuilt contacts and plunger, worked fine afterwards. Then, the mystery started...

First, the car wouldn't start. Moving the gear shift back and forth, it started again. Assumed I had a bad switch contact in park. Local Cruiser guy tightened up everything, and things seemed to work great after that....until...

Went to start it again, and all of the lights inside dimmed (clock went almost dark). Moved gear shift several times, still no start. Came out the next day, started up fine.

Any recommendations on troubleshooting an intermittent starting problem? I was wondering about all of the fuse looking connections near the starter, could there be a loose connection somewhere?

 

[Output Shaft]

all of the lights inside dimmed...

Check the contacts at the fusible link at the battery. Maybe poor connection.

 

[DentonDentonUSA]

Try bypassing the pos cable from battery to starter with a jumper cable. Had the same issue on another vehicle. Ended up being a bad connection at the battery.

 

[FJ62]

Thanks! So there are two connections at the positive post of the battery. One is a thicker wire, I am assuming it makes it way to the starter. the second connection has three wires, one with a green fuse holder. Is that the fusible link?

 

[Output Shaft]

Yes & yes

 

[FJ62]

So, here is what happened today:
-in park and in neutral, turned the key with no clicking noise
-cleaned the thick wire connection at the positive post, no change
-connected jumper cable to positive post to the starter, no change
-connected the ground from the battery to the ground of the starter, no change, removed jumper cables
-unplugged the connection from the starter at the solonoid, shorted it with the power, starter clicked over
-I then tried starting it again, no noise in park, but a click in Neurtral. A few more tries, and it started.

Seems the problem is an intermittent connection at the neurtral start switch. How big of a job is it to replace the neutral start switch?

 

[DentonDentonUSA]

confusing fj62 starting problem

 

[vipergrhd]

Check all your ground connection it looks like your ground is weak.

 

[Randy88FJ62]

There is a Neutral Start Switch (NSS) on the side of A440F auto transmissions. I remember there being an issue where adjusting it helped bring back my reverse lights.

I wonder if the NSS could also be causing issues with your starter in park versus neutral.

 

[Randy88FJ62]

 

[Randy88FJ62]

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Your NSS is directly related to your starter. It's position (which can be adjusted) may be your issue.

See the FSM for adjustment.

 

[KruiserK]

FJ62s are crazy. Does it have an aftermarket alarm or other additional electrical doodads?