rustNdust

Hey all, I have 1995 Toyota Pickup (auto) with a bit of a starting problem.
This just started happening a few weeks ago. I would go to hit the starter and I get nothing except a relay click. I could jump start the truck, so I figured it was the battery. Well, it wasn't the battery. Now, I can't even start the truck with a jump.
The starter relay will click but the starter selenoid won't do anything. I can jump power to the selenoid and it runs fine, so it's not the starter.
I checked power at the power cable to the starter and have like 12.6V, but when I check power to the selenoid start wire (with the key on start), I get about 11.6V.

Is there anything you all know to check? I'm getting a little annoyed here...lol...
Thanks

RobD

Check your grounds at the battery and the frame, check the power lead to the battery.

Look for any corrosion or loose wiring. Clean any acid salts on your battery with a solution of baking soda and water and tighten the clamps.

Other than that, I'd have to check wiring diagrams and see how your starting circuit works.

abecedarian

hmm... check here: http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#OtherOptions

In a nutshell, the ignition switch supplies power to the solenoid and even if you have a starter relay the voltage for the solenoid comes from the ignition switch. If you do a little rewiring, either by modifiying the existing relay (if you have it) or add your own relay, and get the voltage for the solenoid from the battery instead of through the ignition switch, that may take care of your problem... and likely will since you say you can jump the starter solenoid itself and get it running.

rustNdust

Rob, the battery is new and the cables are good. I checked the grounds, but not sure where the one is that goes to the frame. Must have missed it. The one to the block is ok for sure. I may just end up trying to figure it out with the wiring diagram.

abecedarian, that website was the first place I looked before I posted. It's a great website for if your starter is bad, but I can't find anything about my truck.
Thanks though...

abecedarian

well it gives you plenty of information about the starter from 86 through 95 trucks. Not sure where your truck fits in there though. The link I gave was about "what if the starter is not bad". Did you read it?

And I gave you pretty much the summary of what you're experiencing and how to fix it.

rustNdust

I'm not sure what you mean here. You're saying that the voltage comes from the ignition switch to the selenoid, but there is a relay? I thought the ignition switch sent power to the relay and the relay provided power to the selenoid.
Could you please explain (new to these trucks)
I know it has a starter relay for sure, though. It's in the fuse box and it clicks when I turn the ign on to start.
I was thinking of just wiring in a button start, but I'd like to get it right....

abecedarian

yup. that's exactly it. The ignition switch turns the relay on and ALSO gives power to the relay for the solenoid. If you'd have read the link I gave, you'd see that. but no harm, no foul.

abecedarian

And do NOT wire in a start button unless you wire it to also back-feed to the rest of the harness, otherwise you will be cutting off power to the starting circuits of the ECU, Fuel Pump and such and that will cause you a lot of grief later on troubleshooting "difficult to start" issues. I'll explain more about that if you'd like.

rustNdust

I went back and read the website again. (I think I've read it like 5 times today...lol.)
The first part is about the older trucks without a relay.
Then he talks about the later trucks with a relay. He says to check and see if the relay clicks (and it does), and most of the other stuff is about if you don't have voltage, right?
I'm getting 11.6V to the selenoid (when I turn the key to start)... and I'm not sure why so low. Shouldn't it be 12.x?
If the safety switch wasn't working, or the relay, or the ignition switch.. I shouldn't get anything, right?
Also, if I just wired an extra push button and wires between the battery and selenoid, you're saying I'll have problems down the road?
Thanks bud, I appreciate the help..

abecedarian

11.6V to the solenoid... and that comes from the ignition switch, right?

11.6V to is plenty to turn the relay on but it's only giving 11.6V to the solenoid too, since the voltage is coming from the ignition switch.
Cut the lead from the relay like the diagram on 4Crawler's site says, run a wire with fuse to the battery, like it says, and you will get 11.6V from the ignition switch to turn the relay on, which is all it needs... and full battery voltage through the relay contacts to the starter solenoid, which is what you need to turn the solenoid on.

rustNdust

11.6 should be coming from the relay, right? Maybe 12 going to the relay, but I didn't check that because it was clicking and giving me voltage.. (but only 11.6 to the selenoid)

That's a good idea.
I may end up doing that.
Did I miss that? Must have...

I'm wondering why the heck I only have 11.6V to the selenoid on start, but 12.6V everywhere else? It's weird.

I would just hate to have to try and trace all the wire from the selenoid to the relay. It runs in a bundle up under the manifold and chit. Hmmmm... wonder what's doing this..

Anyway, I'll try to splice it out and see what happens. In theory, that should work fine... lol.. (thanks, bud)

abecedarian

even though you have a relay, all of the power to the solenoid goes through the ignition switch- some to turn the relay on and some to power the solenoid, but overall it all goes through the ignition switch. That's a lot of amperage for that little wire and switch contacts to carry over 10-20-30 years, no?

rustNdust

10-4. It is.

I had it in my head that the point of the relay was to keep the ign switch from taking a beating....

abecedarian

but the relay kept beating on the ignition switch anyways.

rustNdust

Ok, well... i installed a little jumper (fused, of course..) and now the dam starter is clicking, but not turning..
I tried to jump start off my jeep, but no luck...just a selenoid click.
Where's the little head exploding smiley?..... lol..

abecedarian

this one: ?

abecedarian

anyhow, what do you mean by inserting a fused jumper?

rustNdust

yep, that's the smiley...

I went from the hot side of the relay to the battery with a 25A fuse in between so when the relay sends power to the starter it comes directly from the battery.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

If this is not figured out I am betting you have bad contacts in the solenoid when you run the jumper wire you are giving it voltage right off the battery . Could also be that the female plug on the wire going to the solenoid is just corroded.

When the contacts start to wear or pit they only make contact over a small surface .

It also doesn`t hurt to up grade your grounds they suck and get worse with age

djackson

Installed new starter & still get just a click once & awhile. Replaced starter for same problem? Its not as bad. It will start now!