Turn Key....Click! - Permanent workaround

[Stephen835259]

Vehicle: 1986 HJ61 12HT
Like so many of us I struggled with an intermittent starting issue. We often spend a lot of money replacing the starter switch, relay, glow plug relay, battery, etc. None of which did any good, even after cleaning and polishing up all connections. My starter in my vehicle wasn't that old, only 4 years, so I didn't suspect it that much. Needless to say it was the only thing I could reason that was wrong.

This weekend I replaced the starter with a brand new one, but as an addition to it I installed a push-button momentary switch that would allow me to bypass all relays, intake heaters, glow plugs, starting switches, etc, in case these were the issue. See the attached diagram, its really easy, and has worked beautifully.

Layout:
1. Two ends of the momentary button switch connect to the starter through at least 8 gauge wire, one to the hot side of the starter where the battery cable is directly connected, and the other to the small solenoid connection.
2. When you press the button, this allows you to take energy directly from the hot battery side and feeding, and thus jumping, the solenoid - which then starts the engine.
3. Your normal key start will still work as a primary method to start the car.

A couple considerations:
1. Your key must be inserted in "run" or "on" mode. Otherwise, your car won't continue to run.
2. Your glow plug relay will still count down, but after a few seconds the dash light turns off. No big effect whatsoever.
3. This write-up assumes your battery or starter are still in good working condition.
4. Your car can attempt to start in any gear, as the neutral start switch is bypassed.

Stephen

The black 8 gauge wire goes to the small screw connection, not back-plate.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

@ontherxs

 

[Seth S]

Even better and safer consider wiring in a fender mount starter relay. This way you can run heavy battery cable from the + battery terminal to the relay and then from there to the starter. Then your factory switching circuit can be used to activate the new starter relay. This way you have a much safer circuit with less of a chance of say....a fire.

One of these basically (usually about $10)

 

[Stephen835259]

You could add a secondary solenoid, but you’d have to wire it so it still activates the solenoid on the starter. If you don’t, the gears won’t push forward to engage the flywheel. Activation of the starter solenoid physically pushes the gears into the flywheel so they mesh, then battery power spins them together. I think you are way overstating a chance of a fire, otherwise you have fire hazards on every solenoid connection in the whole vehicle.

 

[Seth S]

Yes. I’ve wired very similar starters with fender mount solenoids before to solve the same issue. It allows you to run some nice heavy 2 Gage welding cable to the main power supply on the battery which easily handles 500+ cranking amps. Wiring so both solenoids Fire is simple enough.

I’m only aware of one “unprotected” solenoid circuit in these trucks and that’s the starter cable from the battery. There is a fuse in the wire from the ignition switch to the back of the solenoid. All other solenoids in the truck are fused on both switching and power sides (solenoid = relay).

 

[Seth S]

essentially run your 8 gage wire to the fender solenoid and then to the back of the starter solenoid. Use the stock Toyota trigger wire that used to be on the starter to trigger the new fender solenoid.

Now your truck operates as stock design and has a higher amp wire feeding the solenoid to help it fire when it gets hot.

 

[Stephen835259]

Yea that could work but then you get away from the whole point of doing this, and that is to bypass all of those mechanisms (fuses, fusible links, starter switch, trigger wire, neutral start switch, etc). Your way forces you to still use the key, and just add another solenoid. I don't really see the fire hazard in this case unless poor workmanship leads to bad wiring and a short circuit. Many of the circuits on the Landcruiser (all vehicles) have fuses and fusible links because they have continuous electricity running through them. Like your headlights running in the middle of the night. The push button switch during starting is so brief, that its a mute point to put a fuse in there, even a big fuse that would take 20 - 30 sec to heat and melt.

 

[Seth S]

Your setup has continuous power from the battery on the hot side. The main risk is now you have a considerably heavier wire routing a longer distance and into the passenger compartment. If over time it or something else chaffed the insulation now you have a potential high current carrying wire that might go to ground and no protection. Hence my concerns. It’s your truck and you will do as you see fit. Just trying to offer an alternative that’s a little safer and less noticeable and achieves the same result.

 

[ontherxs]

@ontherxs

Brilliant