Schump

I own Sluggo Thu Mule, my 1992 xtra cab 3VZE 4WD yota, and just after rolling over 160k, he's being...well...stubborn as a mule.
Last wednesday, jumped in (late as usual...a bit anyhow) 2 go 2 work, and the battery was a stone. I don't remember leaving my lights on, although i could've turned them off as soon as i jumped in, but i have maybe 6v left in the battery (1.5 yr old interstate) my stereo is a nice, aftermarket setup, however, the original owner did wire it correctly, aka no ignition key turned, no power to the head unit and amp.
well, my roommate has a jump box, and that fixed her up fine.
the day before, however, at work, she did not want to start adn the battery had plenty of nutz left. i'm guessing maybe a hung starter or failing starter solenoid. i pushed it so it was lined up with the alley down the hill to our shop and bump started him no problem.
been a bit nervous driving since, only bit me one other time-saturday ready to hual a second bed full of cherry back to my house to feed Cookie Monster, aka our wood burning stove.
I put the house owners newly bought jump box on him, but it didn't help.
also, it would show 12+ V on the gauge in the truck, but then when i'd press the brake pedal, it would drain all the voltage adn i could watch the voltmeter gauge needle bury itself low.
with the jump box attached, starter would still not cooperate.
I ended up going the wrong way down a 4 lane road as there was a curb in the way and with other people there preventing a demo derby, was able to bump start it again. even w/ 13v on tap, the starter looked at me like i was on crack asking it to actually do its job
i tried to bonk the starter a few times with a splitting maul to shake the solenoid loose to no avail.
now yesterday and today, he started fine.
any suggestions as where to start?

another issue and prob. not related, but whenever i start him when he's cold, idle is way up at 1600rpm or more. once he warms up, it'll drop to 1200rpm, and then when it feels like it, back to 850-900 like it's supposed to be. any ideas here. don't think the two are related, but it's killing my gas mileage (like a 3VZE gets great gas mileage to start anyhow....lucky to get 220 miles out of my tank. best was when i bought him w/ 90k on the clock, got 18.5 mpg driving from DC down to Roebling Road in spring 2001 to help old friend with his Formula Mazda @ a SCCA national...

any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. sorry for the pseudo-encyclopedic length of this, just wanted to get all teh details on paper for others to peruse....NEVER should've taken typing in h/s!
Thanks guys,
Dave "Porsche Boy" Schumpert
parts manager, Volkswerks
'73 914 2.0 (folding up like a taco-parting out for loot to supply project for 2 yrs from now...aka jap 32v twin turbo 914 V8...need 1011 hp (GOTTA beat the $1.6x10^6 Bugatti by 10hp!)
'76 Celica GT hatchback w/ 180k-my pops car, my 1st car...only made it ~300 miles before original clutch and carb died on way home fr skool-$20 from the junkyard and the seats became office chairs...
'82 $1 house w/a big block-still somewhere in Mammoth, CA
'83 Suzuki GS550E -$500 1st bike-rebuilt tranny on bedroom floor at VT
'85 Nissan Minima aka The Meatwagon-223k and the poconos 2 vail and back be4 tranny took a terminal illness-tax writeoff for the parental units, ha!
'88 barely street legal racebike, aka Honda Hawk "Left Coast Lindsay"-she shattered my femur after 10k miles in 1 yr at VT and in Mammoth
'88 VW Junka Gli-soon to be T GRM $2008 challenge car-only 166k-gearbox torn apart on the bench right now...
'90 ZX7-"Lindsay"-trailer wreck restoration to be sold soon w/ much upgraded suspension (2006 ZX636 front end and fox twin clicker out back)
'92 xtra cab 4WD V6 TOYota truck-"Sluggo Thu Mule"-we've been x country together 3 times, daily driver/gas hog...begging for a locker in the rear soon...then 92-93 24v camry heads...then....
'98 Ducati 900SS F.E. #187/250-Jenn-wreck restoration that I made $2100 profit on with which I bought my Hawk 1 week after dropping her off at friend's house...actually used student loans to buy her, then paid them back when duc sold!

95SASMudRunner

as far as the starting cold and idling high that normal there is a cold start sensor so you run rich untill the truck warms up, as far as the electrical check for shorts perhaps at the ignition, or starter solenoid. how does it run when you push start it? any mods or changes to bring this all about?

MMA_Alex

first step would be to check both batt connections @ the cables. then i'd take the batt and get it tested.

Schump

I'm going to clean the terminals today and test the lump of lead w/ our tester...terminals are definitely quite corroded.

-truck ran fine when push started. i even accidentally dumped the clutch at the bottom of the hill while doing something else waiting 2 turn around, and it fired right up off the starter like normal.
nothing has been added or f'd with lately electrics or otherwise for the most part. my ignition module went bad and it was replaced last January or so. so was the EGR valve...bo bo mechanic thought it was bad and although you can test them easily for vaccuum w/o removing, he had to remove it adn it was rusted to pieces once big iron flange nut came off manifold.

i also replaced the thermo time switch which was bad per my check engine light and testing its resistance...and the fact that it came apart in almost 2 pieces once removed-the other CTS that controls the cold start injector and the one you get whored out by the yota dealer for since they're your only source...GOTTA LUV paying $94 wholesale for a part that cost them about $2.50 to manufacture...shoot, even VW green or blue CTS's are only $19 my cost!!! bastards! oh well

MMA_Alex

you'd be surprised how little corrosion it takes.

I had a no start issue where the starter would only turn slowly, and it had only been a month since i had cleaned the terminals, and it ended up being corrosion on the positive one.

try to get a look at the cables themselves too. if the batt corrosion is that bad the cables might be bad too.