Tomh4x4

I have a 91 4runner v6 4x4 m/t.I used to have a problem where it would crank up just fine but if you turned it off and turned the key over nothing would happen. The lights are on, however when you turn the key the clock light dims off.
Now it seems like what ever the problem was there is completely broken, because it will not turn over at all. I have replaced the starter, starter relay under the dash, replaced ignition switch and checked all wires and fuses. I bypassed the clutch switch with a paper click to make sure that wasn't it and it still did nothing. What am I missing, I know it has to be something stupid but I can't find it.

Any ideas, I have had this problem for about year and half, working on it then letting it sit, and well now I am ready to fix it so I can enjoy the truck.

Thanks,
Thomas

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Try this simple test:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...shtml#EasyTest

And have a look at this as well:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#OtherOptions

Tomh4x4

The starter does not click at all. I replaced it yesterday, thought just maybe they gave me another bad one but it was good.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

But do the voltage test as described on the page above. Basically you want to check the voltage at the starter solenoid terminal as shown below:



If you are not getting within 1/2 volt of the battery voltage at the solenoid, your problem lies upstream from the starter.

camo31_10.50

try turning the motor over by hand...that will also determine that its not the internals on the motor....make sure you take the spark plugs out...as it might have water in it...but surely if it was headgasket you would have told us...

Tomh4x4

Well I know the starter and solenoid are good, I'm at work so I can't check the voltage right now. I talked to a guy at the auto parts store yesterday. He said with the m/t clutch switch and cancel switch, that I could check this by using a paper clip in each side of the connector basically by passing it. I did this and it did fix it. I have replaced the starter relay and I can here that clicking. So correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the starter relay the last thing to the ignition besides the starter and if it the relay is clicking then the problem lies between the starter relay and starter wiring?

Tomh4x4

where does the solenoid terminal wire run to?

Tomh4x4

My drive way is on a hill and I can roll it down the hill for about 5 feet dumped the clutch and hooray its started but I can't always find a hill at the gas station lol.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Read the other section of the web page I posted earlier (or below):
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#OtherOptions

Relay clicking just says that the relay coil is getting power, but you may have the issue discussed on the page above. Basically, the power for the starter relay is still fed through the ignition switch, which sort of makes the relay not really do anything:

Tomh4x4

So if I am reading correctly cut the wire from pin4 to pin3 and run a new wire from the battery to pin4. And if this works lets say the starter does get stuck what do I do to stop it.

Tomh4x4

Stupid question but why if I bought an ignition switch (took it back when it didn't fix it) and replaced the start relay that it wouldn't work like it should from the factory? BTW I did have a problem where my starter got stuck on so obviously something is wrong with the starter relay but why wouldn't everything work if it was replaced as factory, rather than hard wiring something?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Could be a bad wire some place, or a bad connector or socket or who knows. WIres can corrode and/or break under the insulation and while they look OK from the outside, they do not conduct the 20 or so amps needed by the starter solenoid. That is where you need to grab a volt meter and start at the starter solenoid and work your way backwards until you find good voltage, assuming that is the source of your problem. So you basically want to check voltage at the starter. Is it good or not? If not good, check it at the starter relay. Is it good or not? If not. keep moving back towards the battery until you find where the voltage is OK. Then the source of the problem will lie someplace between the point at which the voltage was good and the point is was bad.

Tomh4x4

Ok I will start with checking the wire voltage. How can I check voltage at the relay though. Take the relay off and touch those connectors. Electrical is not my thing as you can tell. And will the voltage be half of the battery voltage as the solenoid

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

The Factory Service Manual lists the 1/2 volt drop for most of these components. So if you have 12 volts at the battery, you want to see at least 11.5 volts at any of the down stream components under load. As my '85 has no starter relay, I can't tell you how to measure the voltage at it, as I have never seen a factory starter relay nor tested one. Usually you find the wire that comes from the relay and runs to the starter and try using the volt meter probe on it, or if needed, scrape a little insulation off the wire. The important thing is that you must measure the voltage under load as the problem you are describing sounds like it is a bad connection issue some place. Will probably test OK with no current flowing, but with 20 amps, the voltage drops too low to make the starter solenoid pull in and cause the starter to crank over.