Starting Issues (Is it the starter?)

[Gunky]

I had a starting issue that has happened twice already and left me stranded in a parking lot both times for 30 minutes. I am thinking that it could be the starter giving me issues, because I had replaced it with a re-manufactured Denso 2kW starter around 4 years ago when the starter was obviously going bad (clicks and not turning over). What makes me unsure about the issue this time is that there is no clicking from the starter at all when I try to turn the key, and it doesn't attempt to turn over the engine. I hear the slight sound of relays, but nothing from the starter. The starting issue had recently started recently around the time I got a new car and was driving the cruiser less often (at least once a week around town). I also had the battery replaced since I assumed it wasn't getting fully charged from old age and less driving, but it did not solve the issue.

What do you think of my starting issue before I end up spending more money on a new starter and trying to fix it? Friends and family had also suggested that it could be the starter.

 

[baldilocks]

Verify voltage across the battery posts engine off and then engine running. Also, have someone else turn the key to start while you measure battery voltage. The reading should not drop below 10V. Once the battery health has been verified commence cleaning the terminal connections of the large leads from battery to starter and from battery to ground. While you are at it you will also be noticing loose connections and this includes the small wire at the solenoid. The start relay and ignition switch are also susceptible to wear. Have you ever replaced the fusible links?

 

[aclos3]

I had something similar and it ended up being poor contact between the battery posts and terminals. I solved this by removing the terminals and sanding the inside of the terminals and the battery posts. I also tightened the terminals back on to the posts tighter.

 

[Desert Dino]

Try this

Ask someone for turn the key repeatedly at the same time take a long wood a tap on the starter a few times if it starts then it is your starter

It may work ok after that, but it will stop working again this method is for not getting stranded and getting home or to the mechanic shop

If your starter was never overruled I would do this first it will work for many years and it is cheaper than buying new one

or bay a new one

on Amazon 127$ it is advertised as
Remanufactured but I got a new one

Things to consider in this order
1 Helth of your battery
2 fusible link
3. Key switch

 

[Gunky]

I forgot to mention that the starting problem was completely random. In between the week that I would drive it, it would start the first time without any issues. Then, when I stop at a store somewhere about and come back out to the car, it would not start. This is where I would spend about 30 minutes looking around the car at battery connections and everything. Both times I've disconnected the battery at some point, and the several minutes after reconnecting it and multiple turns of the key (still no starter clicking), the car would turn over for no apparent reason.

I've taken a look at the fusible links and that seems good. The battery was changed out to a brand new one, and the problem still happened. I will take a better look and clean the battery terminals to see if that could be a problem. Probably should check voltages around the battery and down to the starter too. Also, if I ever get stuck somewhere again, I am hoping to be able to ask someone to help turn the key while I hit the start to see if that is the issue.

 

[Dullyouth]

Is there an alarm system installed? I’m eliminating mine out of the equation this weekend because of similar circumstances.

 

[Cruzerman]

I would start off by cleaning the battery terminals. Free and easy.

 

[Gunky]

There is an alarm installed, but I don't think that is the cause (never had any issues with starting because of an alarm). I started with cleaning the battery terminals then went out for some errands earlier, so far no issues other than a very rough first start after sitting for a little over a week. Sounded like the first start has been rough and more noisy than normal every time I start it after letting it sit for a week.

Well, thanks for all the suggestions. I'll give each of them a try if the problem comes back up again

 

[PCGuy]

RonCruiser battled this issue for half a decade, tried all the usual suspects and ended up solving it by adding a starter relay kit by Painless Wiring in 2011.

No-Start rears its ugly head. Saga continues. Sleuth(s) still needed.

Because I like to fantasize about easy fixes. :rolleyes: (Wouldn't that be nice!) No, really, it's because mine is NOT clicking at all and because I pressure washed the undercarriage recently and had some short term issues afterwards. This...

forum.ih8mud.com

Here he verifies it is still working in 2018:

Intermittent "cranks but won't start" issue

I have a 94 that recently started to intermittently crank but not start, coinciding the the CEL failing to light up in the "ON" key position. Totally random...sometimes it lights up/starts, sometimes not, hot, cold, whatever. It has a brand new fuel pump. I've looked through the other threads on...

forum.ih8mud.com

See my followup post about adding a new connector to the Painless kit.

Hope this helps.

 

[Gunky]

RonCruiser battled this issue for half a decade, tried all the usual suspects and ended up solving it by adding a starter relay kit by Painless Wiring in 2011.

No-Start rears its ugly head. Saga continues. Sleuth(s) still needed.

Because I like to fantasize about easy fixes. :rolleyes: (Wouldn't that be nice!) No, really, it's because mine is NOT clicking at all and because I pressure washed the undercarriage recently and had some short term issues afterwards. This...

forum.ih8mud.com

Here he verifies it is still working in 2018:

Intermittent "cranks but won't start" issue

I have a 94 that recently started to intermittently crank but not start, coinciding the the CEL failing to light up in the "ON" key position. Totally random...sometimes it lights up/starts, sometimes not, hot, cold, whatever. It has a brand new fuel pump. I've looked through the other threads on...

forum.ih8mud.com

See my followup post about adding a new connector to the Painless kit.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't had any starting problems since my last post. The last thing that I did was clean the battery terminals with a wire brush, even tho there was no visible signs of corrosion or anything. It seemed to have solved the problem all together for me. Hopefully, those posts would help anyone else that is browsing through here with a similar problem

 

[bigredmachine]

I've taken a look at the fusible links and that seems good

just replace them, they can get corroded internally and cause an intermittent hard/no start condition. pick two of them up, one to swap and one to keep in the glove box as an extra