terribleturbine

Hey everyone, first post, first 4runner, and first vehicle I've owned in years. I'd appreciate anyone who might be able to answer some questions, my general vehicle maintenance knowledge is not great but I'm looking to change that, so bear with me.

Rig: '91 4runner, V6, automatic. Idles fine, drives fine, but I've been having startup issues.

When I turn the key, lights/CD player will come on, but oftentimes it will not start, or there will be a delay between the turning of the key and ignition. I will hear a click and a whine, which I believe is the starter(?). I got the battery tested, they said it should be good but it is near the end of it's lifespan, so I got a new one just to rule that out. Obviously, issue still exists with the new battery.

I really notice the problem when I'm trying to start the car up within an hour or so of it having been started up already. If i leave it overnight I don't have issues starting up the next morning. Unfortunately this sucks for quick trips anywhere as I have to leave it running. I've been jumped in a few situations like this and that works.

Anyone experience this or have any idea what it might be? If I had to guess right now I'd say the starter, so I'm going to look into rebuilding/replacing it, whichever one is cheaper/easier.

jennygirl

Click is the circuit opening relay and the whine is the fuel pump. That's good!

Definitely sounds like an issue around the starter. If not the starter itself, it's the connections going to it or the starter relay. Your ignition seems to be fine if the circuit opening relay is working

Sometimes the connector to the starter gets grimed up being that it's in a harsh spot, and a good cleaning and some dielectric grease can do the trick (it happened with mine when I first got the truck).

Also check for good clean and tight ground connections, same rules apply. If it really won't start, have someone tap it with a pvc pole or something soft as you turn the key. If that works, it's definitely your starter!

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

This will fix it>>> https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f199...l#post51975700

I did Rays Starter Upgrade. Last week Misty had mine at the store and it would not start for her. I showed up and jumped in and it started right up. I asked her if she was turning the key, had the key in the ignition, and even had the keys, lol. It has done this to me before as well so I was just teasing her. I have replaced the Solenoid Contacts and cleaned the Starter Relay Contacts as well and it still will just click every once in awhile. For me I can usually start tapping on things and getting it going. Misty doesnt quite understand how to get around something like that and the clicking issue is frustrating.

I got Ray on the phone and he stepped me thru on doing the upgrade and what all was happening. He did a great job on explaining how the electric flowed that I could understand it. Thanks Ray for your help. I had just gotten anotherrr new phone as I dropped my other new phone and broke it. He had to contend with me trying to learn all of that as well. One time even trying to find the key pad to call back.

If you look at the plug with eyes, mustache and a smile, the one you need to cut is the right side of the mustache as you are looking at it, hehe


What I am trying to show here is the thinnest little black wire with the red stripe is on the left. The wire on the right is the one you want to cut which is diagonally across from the red stripe wire. Going from Left, Top, Right and Bottom, it is the Right one. The wire that I cut and is where my pinky is going to get wrapped back up into the wiring harness and will not be used again.

I eventually want to run a kill switch inside the cab and to do the AFM and Battery Swap. I also have an 82 Supra AFM that I want to install when I do all of that. I feel this will fix the click only issue and Thanks Ray for taking the time to step me thru it.


To try and show how I have it and how it is routed, it comes off of the batttery with a 30 Amp Fuse connector, along fender well to the Starter Relay Plug. I have left the wires loose just for explanation purposes but did route it tighter and cleaner.


Cleaning the Starter Relay contacts help.
Cleaned the Starter Relay Contacts. Bend these 6 tabs that hold the cover on.


Here is the contacts that need cleaned on these.

terribleturbine

Thanks for the replies guys. I read through that guide and various other 4runner startup issue threads, and took a look at things, a few questions and concerns:

To confirm I've seen this referred to as the starter relay in some pictures, but it says ABS relay, just wanted to be sure of this before going forward:
That is located passenger side above the wheel well.

It looks like in the pictures provided that the wiring from the starter relay leads into that cylindrical white plug. I have no idea where that is, or if I even have one. The wiring goes into a hole in the side of the engine compartment(phrasing?) and I don't know where beyond that.

This next one is a picture of the connection coming from the battery and into the starter, If I understand correctly, and a piece of blue wire that was just hanging out where you see it. Is this anything important?

Still don't see where the starter relay actually connects to the starter.





and last but not least, this appears to be a relay that, again, was just hanging out unconnected. I'm hoping the previous owner replaced it with something and just didn't see it, but I don't even know where this would go.



Was gonna clean the contacts on the original relay, but couldn't figure out how to get the damn thing open without damaging it.

So, again, I guess I just need to figure out answers to these questions before continuing with that fix. Tapping the starter hasn't really done much to help, so I don't believe that to be the problem.

RJR

That blue wire looks suspicious. It's obviously not stock, but the end is pretty clean, meaning that it was connected to something up until a few days ago. My suspicion is that the PO by-passed a failing starter relay, and his "blue-wire fix" has now also failed and left you to diagnose it and fix it correctly. Track that blue wire to the other end and see where it goes.

terribleturbine

Sorry, I guess it's not apparent from the pics, but that blue wire is not connected at either end. It's about 4 inches and was just resting there. It may be nothing, but I'm always cautious about throwing things like that away, only to realize what it was for later.

terribleturbine

Update: So, after several instances of tapping the starter with the ignition turned which resulted in it starting up, I ordered a new starter and waited.

Jacked it up, took off the wheel, removed old starter, and tried to replace it with the new one.....only to find that there is a slight difference between the two which JUST makes the new one unable to fit.

I took the old starter apart and cleaned the contacts, put it back in, and now when I turn it, I don't hear the click like I did from before, I hear an electrical humming/whining noise which sounds like it's coming from the BACK of the vehicle, unless I'm just losing my mind. Bleh.

I'd like to just order a new one and try again, but I'm gonna need this truck for a new job coming up, so I might just have to bite the bullet and take it to the shop. Damn. Oh well, I learned alot.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

I am not sure but did the 3.0 even have the starter circuit issue like the 22r series engines .

Then I don`t think the auto transmissions even had the starter relay kinda hard to find something not there.

Just why would your new starter not fit??

terribleturbine

The starter I ordered from this company is nearly identical except for this face:

So looking at this image, see that going outwards from the gear, there are two concentric ridges or lips, and then about a half inch until the edge. That is how my broken starter is.

On the one I received, that outer lips is out further, to where there is only 1/4 inch of smooth surface until the edge: I/E the ridge is bigger and thus won't fit into the rest of the engine as intended.

I can take a picture tomorrow if it is unclear, but in a nutshell: Part won't fit...

Unless...maybe I can swap the face from the old one into the new one? It looks to be otherwise identical...hmmm

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Some one put the wrong nose on the starter you ordered great quality control

If the bolts line up and the mounting holes are the same place the noses should swap .

The back to front of the noses are the same distance

You can tell better with them side by side.