MudMachine88

Hey Guys,

I have an issue with my 4Runner, where i Turn the key in the ignition barrel and all it does is click about 20 times and then start. once its warmed up though it will be like 5 clicks and then starts or sometimes if i lucky it will be 1st click.
a quick run down of my truck,
It is a 1992, Toyota 4runner, with a 3VZ-E engine in it, about 205,000 Kms on the engine, its original, to the car,

I bought it of a dealer, about 7 months ago, and was running mint,
i noticed that the valve cover gaskets where pissing out oil, so i popped off the intake manifold and changed the gaskets to the valve covers, put a new intake manifold gasket on it as well,
after i did all that and put it back together, i noticed that id drive to and from work, park for 5 mins, and then go to start the engine, and it would idle between 400-500rpms almost at the point of stalling.

Last weekend i decided to pull it all off again and check to see that all the vacuum lines were connected properly, bolted it back together and it stopped doing the idle surging,
so i also advanced my timing from 10 to 12, and it runs great now, with advancing the timing i get no pinging. which is great.
BUT.........

see attached photos


I took out the Cold Start Injector, and as you can see from the top photo, it was caked in carbon build it, so i polished it up and cleaned (2nd photo), i feel like i did a great job of doing that.
and replaced it and seems to run a bit better.
( living in Melbourne, Australia, its coming into summer now and is not really cold in the mornings) but still, was good to clean it up.

so ive also done that,

Next, tonight, i want to remove the EGR from the intake manifold and clean it up as well.

But my major problem is that no matter when i try to start my car, i turn the key and all it does is click, click, click, click, click, click, click,........................................ and then it tries to start, and i can here a metal noise from the starter motor, and turn the key again and it starts.

I am trying to figure out what my problem is, and why the key wont turn over the engine with the first or second go??
it really has me stumped?????
i turn the key to the start position and it just clicks and doesn't even crank,
i hear relays clicking, i have fuel coming from the cold start injector,

any help would be greatly appreciated,

*Admin, please move if this is in the wrong spot,*

thank you
James

coloyota1023

So when you turn the key, the engine clicks, but doesn't crank? Your starter motor might be sticking. Next time it does that, take a long extension or screwdriver and tap on the starter motor. Is it the original starter?

MudMachine88

yeah, when i turn the key to start the engine, i just hear clicking noise. like a tick tick and nothing, i have to do this a handful of times for it to even click over, but its random at the moment.
like this morning, i clicked once and started on the second shot.
I have tried "tapping" the starter motor with a bar and nothing happens,

I do believe from looking at it, that the starter motor is original to the car, and yes its probably wise that i do replace it, and see how that goes,

Ive noticed that there are 2 types of starters for the engine, but i have to remove the starter to see the part number, which is annoying, but i guess will give me practice for when i get the replacement one