Starter rebuild (1 Viewer)

[justbecause]

I think my starter is going south. At 235k miles I'm not upset about it. I just don't want to take it apart because I'm afraid I won't be able to get it back together. If I bought a rebuild kit could anyone walk me through rebuilding it? Iv read online that it is easy an straight forward but this site makes engine and manual tranny swaps look as easy as takin out the trash....

posted on the fly using my thumbs.

 

[bhmmapping]

It's harder than taking out the trash but easier than a manual transmission swap. Rebuilding isn't the hard part - getting it in and out is(only the first time you do it). What is yours doing? Staying engaged, click but no start...?

 

[justbecause]

It's harder than taking out the trash but easier than a manual transmission swap. Rebuilding isn't the hard part - getting it in and out is(only the first time you do it). What is yours doing? Staying engaged, click but no start...?

It has not messed up enough times to really explain it but the two times it really got my attention are
1) parked in the national forest, walked around for a little bit maybe 10 min. Went back to leave (way to hot for a hike) turned the key and nothing, lights all came on no clicks no pops nothing cycle the key she cranked right up.
2) last night I believe it stayed engaged. May have been only for a second but it was enough to tell me something was up.

It has done the "turn a key and nothing happenes" a couple of times but cycling the key has always been enough. I just don't want to be stuck out of cell range with a very long hot hike back into civilization.

Are there other things to check before rebuilding/replacing the starter? I work next to an advance I can go get my battery checked at 5.

posted on the fly using my thumbs.

 

[justbecause]

Scratch that. Their battery tester is broken. The guy said it sounds like the switch not the starter. What do y'all think about that?

posted on the fly using my thumbs.

 

[Godwin]

Since you have the parts go ahead and rebuild the starter, it's not difficult. Just pay attention to the parts as you take them out. Getting the contacts aligned needs to be done for best results. There are good threads on starter rebuilds in the 80s section. Also check your cables and clean them up if they need it. If a rebuild doesn't fix it up a reman starter from Toyota will.

"The guy said it sounds like the switch not the starter." Don't listen to this guy.

 

[justbecause]

Since you have the parts go ahead and rebuild the starter, it's not difficult. Just pay attention to the parts as you take them out. Getting the contacts aligned needs to be done for best results. There are good threads on starter rebuilds in the 80s section. Also check your cables and clean them up if they need it. If a rebuild doesn't fix it up a reman starter from Toyota will.

"The guy said it sounds like the switch not the starter." Don't listen to this guy.

i dont have the parts yet, but they arent expensive.... i didnt like the switch idea i dont want to take my steering column apart.

heres the latest: I think i may have found the common factor when i get the "turn the key and nothing happens" setting I hit the auto down driver window and started turning the key while the window was still going down and no cranking, no clicking nothing, but once the window was all the way down it cranked right up.

I dont want to go out and just grind my starter but over the next few trips I am going to continue to hit the window down and try to crank at the same time. If it fails while the window is rolling down then Ill make sure to only crank while the window is not moving. Should have an answer by Sunday.

 

[bhmmapping]

There are several things you might check before taking the starter out. First I would get the battery tested and replace the fusible links as PM if they have not been replaced lately. I chased a no start issue off and on for about a year. with mine I would turn the key and hear a click but no start. sometimes tapping on the starter with a hammer while turning the key would help, sometimes not. It only stranded me once.

I replaced the fusible links, rebuilt the starter, replaced the starter, replaced the ground to the starter, replaced/upgraded the large power wire to the starter, replaced the good battery with a better Sears marine battery and still had intermittent no starts. After some research I found that the starter logic circuit that runs through the ignition, neutral safety swicth and then activates the solenoid in the starter can degrade over time. Instead of replacing that wiring I ran a new wire directly to the logic circuit of the starter and added a new solenoid on that new wire. The old logic circuit now activates the new solenoid(which requires less current) and the new circuit activates the starter. I haven't had a single no start in over two years. I posted some pics in the 80 series forum. The solenoid I wired in was way overkill - a bosch relay would have worked just as well.

 

[justbecause]

There are several things you might check before taking the starter out. First I would get the battery tested and replace the fusible links as PM if they have not been replaced lately. I chased a no start issue off and on for about a year. with mine I would turn the key and hear a click but no start. sometimes tapping on the starter with a hammer while turning the key would help, sometimes not. It only stranded me once.

I replaced the fusible links, rebuilt the starter, replaced the starter, replaced the ground to the starter, replaced/upgraded the large power wire to the starter, replaced the good battery with a better Sears marine battery and still had intermittent no starts. After some research I found that the starter logic circuit that runs through the ignition, neutral safety swicth and then activates the solenoid in the starter can degrade over time. Instead of replacing that wiring I ran a new wire directly to the logic circuit of the starter and added a new solenoid on that new wire. The old logic circuit now activates the new solenoid(which requires less current) and the new circuit activates the starter. I haven't had a single no start in over two years. I posted some pics in the 80 series forum. The solenoid I wired in was way overkill - a bosch relay would have worked just as well.

Thanks Matt Ill replace the fusible link.
I have been trying everything to duplicate the no start, the windows dont seem to have anything to do with it, I have only had one problem since I said I was going to test the windows, today leaving work I had my ipod plugged in and both front windows going down at the same time, but I have duplicated that since then and it worked without issue.

Thanks for the info I am going to keep at it....

 

[bhmmapping]

Mine was completely unpredictable too. I should have also mentioned that before the starter I had old fusible links and it did the same thing except no click of the starter. Check your battery connections too.

 

[Land Speeder]

It's too bad you're not in Auburn, cause there's a mechanic down here that can have it out, fixed, and back in before you can price parts for it.

That said, it's not hard if you follow the instructions.