YAY,..intermittant start issues->no start

[lastresort576]

So Ive been reading countless threads on here over the last few days and I'm struggling to narrow down the issue.

'97 LX450 223k
Part time converted

I started off a few weeks ago having the intermittent start issues.

Turn key----->>> Single click.
<Repeat a few times>
Starts.

Search on Mud...Sounds like I need to replace the contacts and plunger.
Check.

*Initial start up after contact replacement,
------> single click
----->repeat a few times starts up.
-->Figured it just needed a minute to settle itself in.

Works well for a week or so starting each time. Then Same exact symptom again. Turn key and single click.

Deal with the intermittent starting again for a few days. Leading me to yesterday.
(It had started first try for 2days prior to yesterday)

Went to Walmart(120th/Sheridan-Worst Walmart ever lol) yesterday and when I went to leave...Turn key and single click. Only problem this time was that it would not start no matter how many times I tried. I even tried tapping on the starter while my buddy turned the key....no dice.

-->Ok find a remann'd starter in stock at advanced. I get a ride there to pick it up. Install remann'd starter in Walmart parking lot.
-------> Turn key and single click, no start....WTF!!

Ok maybe it's the battery...and not enough voltage is getting to the starter.
-->Battery is 1-year old, dated 12/15
----->Take battery to parts store to have tested.....tests out fine.

Tail between my legs...Call AAA (thankfully gold member)

Get the 80 home and do some voltage checks..

>Battery still metering out at 12.6V
>Lead to starter...12.5V
Hmmmm...Now stumped.

*Bench test old starter with Jumper cables and a jumper wire, Solenoid kicks out the gear and spins it nice n quickly.

*Turn engine over by hand to make sure its free.
---> spins just fine.

****Get on MUD all night...Ok maybe it's my NSS. Sweet Ive got a lead on what It might be...Oh wait, My A/T oil temp light and oil fill light's both illuminate on the dash when I turn the key, along with the other associated start up lights...Damn because according to ??Beowulf's??? interpretation of the EWD
*Those 2 lights will NOT illuminate when turning the key..


And now here I am making this post. This is my DD so I obviously need to get it up and running ASAP.
Any ideas on what to check out that I may have missed whilst searching half asleep last night?

Thanks guys, really appreciate it!
-Dwight

 

[bajaphile]

Looks like you did all the steps I would have taken, that is interesting.

Assuming you've already checked that the battery terminals are on tight and that the fusible links and starter cable are all attached well. No corrosion issues? Check starter ground, battery ground as well.

Have you tried jumping the truck with another running engine? Does it still just click? If the jumping method works then you know it is the battery. I've had batteries go bad in a few months. Did you check it for cranking amps at the shop/store?

 

[lastresort576]

Looks like you did all the steps I would have taken, that is interesting.

Assuming you've already checked that the battery terminals are on tight and that the fusible links and starter cable are all attached well. No corrosion issues? Check starter ground, battery ground as well.

Have you tried jumping the truck with another running engine? Does it still just click? If the jumping method works then you know it is the battery. I've had batteries go bad in a few months. Did you check it for cranking amps at the shop/store?

I'll start off by saying that I come up way short on knowledge with using a multimeter. with that said the tow truck driver is who helped me figure out the voltage to the starter when it was cranked over.

The battery terminals: are on tight and I grabbed a terminal brush to clean them up just in case that was it.

Cranking amps: they only tested how much voltage it had, no load..I found that odd too... Ill head over to oriley's in a few to have them load test the battery.

Battery ground: So from the terminal I see one 8/10awg? wire going to the fender well inside the battery box. The other 4awg? wire I follow to the wire harness where it disappears...but it almost looks like it exits out of the wire loom at the block. They both seem to be intact and more copper looking than green...So id assume theyre good. Ill try putting some power wire from the terminal to the fender and see if that changes anything.

Fusible link: if this was bad, it wouldn't even get to the single click part correct? I'm cleaning up those terminal post connectors now. They're a little dirty. It does look like it could use replacement just because I'm sure its original and insulation starting to crack in spots...are those $$$?

Starter cable: is definitely on tightly as it wont wiggle..maybe its hung up on the plastic it sits in and isn't flush?..I check that shortly too.

Starter ground: Doesn't the starter just ground on the bellhousing? and shouldn't be an issue id think?


Jumping: I have tried jumping it in the past and that didn't seem to make a difference in getting the truck to start, just fiddling with the key did. This time and now that I'm dead in the water I have NOT tried jumping it...Ill do this in a few after I clean the terminals and put the starter back in. I redid the contacts today to make sure that they were still installed level.

thanks for the ideas...always helps bouncing them around when im frustrated..did I mention I have a 7-week old boy at home too? my wife isn't too pleased with me right now haha. Maybe, Hopefully one of them will work?

 

[jonheld]

There are 2 connections on the starter.
The small wire that goes to the clip on terminal is the logic side that energizes the solenoid.
The large wire that has a snap on plastic cap and a 12 mm lug is a direct connection to the positive battery terminal.
If you're hearing/feeling a thump when the key is turned to start, that is the solenoid pulling in and pushing the starter bendix out. This also completes the circuit to the starter motor and IF THE CONTACTS AND PLUNGER ARE INSTALLED CORRECTLY, will fire the starter motor.

I have gotten 2 faulty OEM starters from Toyota that were bad out of the box. You need to make sure the contacts are flat as they will rotate as you tighten the copper nuts.

There is no ground wire on the starter. It is grounded through the case.

 

[bahamasair]

I'd check for full 12v on the small wire when you turn the key. You can also touch a piece of wire from the big terminal on the starter to the small spade terminal and see if it turns over.

 

[lastresort576]

Alrighty, so I had some time today to mess with the truck.

Battery tested good and as expected for a 1yr old bat.

Originally when I got replacement contacts from Toyota, they gave me two lose 'universal' contacts. When I compared them to the original contacts in the factory starter the voltage input contact was much smaller than the original. I called Toyota and they said it should work no problem, and that I should have been offered the 'rebuild' kit when I placed my order...Maybe it would have worked, idk.

So now, I installed the starter contact rebuild kit that comes with all the plastic and hardware in the Toyota labled baggies with them pressed and locked in place per the fsm with the block of wood.

I tested the original starter after I rebuilt it with jumper cables and it actuated and spun perfectly fine..So I reinstalled the factory starter and returned the Remann'd one..Thankfully they took it.

I also took a look at the wires from the battery... so my terminals where the clamp onto the posts were clean and tight. However the post where the starter lead and fusible link bolt onto was a little corroded..Not bad by any means. So I cleaned all the connectors up to shiny brass.

I also had a 4awg power wire that went to a bass tube in the back. Nothing powerful at all, but that was also mounted on that battery post. So I didn't reinstall the power wire just in case that had something to do with it.

I didn't separate my NSS but, everything upon visual inspection looked intact. I know it could be broken within the clip, but I surely knew id break something if I disconnected it.

Anyways, after getting all the leads cleaned up and tightened down I tried to crank it over. Expecting to again get the single click, it turned over. Took a second to catch and fire up, (but my guess that's from the excess of fuel being dumped into the engine.)

So far it's started up first try the last 6-starts, although I haven't done any hot starts yet. We'll see how it does in a few hours as I run some errands on my way home from work.

I still don't fully trust it just yet, but time will tell. It's definitely starting easier and faster than it was before too.

Thanks guys. I really hope CindyLex is good to go now. I was planning on hitting up Imogene pass for the first time on the 30th.
And I'll be sure to report back on how the truck's doing.

 

[Bryan E.]

I've been having the same issues with my 94. Had a bad bicycle crash and fractured both hands so can't work on it now, just reading. Read this thread.. No-Start rears its ugly head. Saga continues. Sleuth(s) still needed.

Esp #69. It seems the relay fix that was suggested to Ron earlier in his original thread ended up finally being done by Ron in the end after replacing almost everything else and he say's now to do this fix first.

 

[Madwatch]

I had the same issue a few weeks ago. I took the starter out and cleaned the contacts. It worked great for a week and then got the same click... I changed out the fusible link and all has been good so far. (fusible link looked good and connections were tight)

 

[LS1FJ40]

ALWAYS have a spare KNOWN GOOD (read: NEW) fusible link on hand. ALWAYS check this first. It takes 5 minutes and it often the culprit.

 

[NOTHD]

Where is the fuse able link located?

 

[LC4LIFE]

Normally, it comes right off the positive terminal. You can get a new one here if needed - Fusible Link for 80 Series Land Cruiser

 

[jonheld]

Where is the fuse able link located?

Connected to the positive battery terminal. There are 3 of them and they look like this:
Fusible Link for 80 Series Land Cruiser

 

[jonheld]

Beat me to it...

 

[NOTHD]

Connected to the positive battery terminal. There are 3 of them and they look like this:
Fusible Link for 80 Series Land Cruiser

Thanks. Mine's not exactly like that. One is paired up with the gray plug and the other is separate. Different years I suppose

 

[lastresort576]

Well since my thread was bumped, and I forgot to report back...it’s been two years since replacing the contacts in the starter with the proper ones. I’ve had essentially zero issues since then.
On cold days it almost seem to continue to start for a split second after the engine has fired up. Something I’ve meant to look into further but, yeah that involves having free time.

 

[jonheld]

Thanks. Mine's not exactly like that. One is paired up with the gray plug and the other is separate. Different years I suppose

No. There was only 1 part number for fusible links from 1991-1997 on US spec 80 Series.