After a bit of search I'd like to ask for some help in diagnosing a problem on my brother's '86 4Runner. When he first got it, the starter had displayed the fairly common problems of intermittently working (at first, it was assumed it was the starter contacts.) The engine had no problems starting if push started. The starter contacts were replaced and the problem was not resolved. We checked to see if it was the clutch safety system... pressing the clutch cancel button doesn't change anything. So the starter was replaced... and the problem remains.

When the key is placed in the start position the lights dim as if it were trying to start, but nothing is heard. I'd welcome any ideas or questions that might help my brother in diagnosing this.

Thanks in advance

 

if it's not spinning over at all check your battery and alternator.

 

Start with the simple stuff.
Completely clean and de-crappify the connectors to the battery. Use a terminal brush.

Are your cables good? Any fraying at all (esp around the ends)? Cables can die from the insides out (on the ends) and you wont be able to tell unless you cut the end in half.

Take the ground cable off and clean both ground points - to the body and to the motor...

Personally, I replace the cables in my toyota - every one - with 4GA cable.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. All of the large wires to the started have been replaced. All that's left is the little wire that I believe controls the solenoid. But it seems like the starter would be spinning if that was the problem. I'll work on replacing that wire, but other suggestions are welcome.

 

Surfmobile: It starts just fine 3 or 4 out of 5 times. The battery is in good shape. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

Check out the following page:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#OtherOptions

 

Thanks for the suggestion, 4Crawler. We'll look into that.

 

This weekend we installed the Painless Wiring Hot Shot and it took a sluggish starting 4Runner to having a 4Runner with an started excited to go. It made lot of difference in it's reliability and turning power. It's odd that the solenoid not engaging as energetically made that much of a difference. Thanks, Roger for a great writeup on your site.

 

Seeing that the solenoid takes about 20 amps of current to pull in and make good electircal contact for the starter motor, anything that limits that current will affect starting. It would only take a fraction of an ohm of resistance to drop the voltage (and current) to the solenoid low enough that it would not pull in properly. Toyota seems o put a lot of "stuff" between the battery and the solenoid, with time, all that wire, contacts and connectors build up resistance and you get starting problems. Bypass that all with a relay and it'll work like new.

 

I just re-did mine this weekend.
I replace the starter power and engine ground with quality 4GA cables.
I went to a larger battery - mainly for the winch, it's not necessary.. Just the swapping of the cables out makes a difference - the starter turns faster... Better connections have solved the problem on the toyotas that I've owned.

 

I run 1/0 welding cable on mine and yes, it does make a difference in starter cranking speed, especially when I have two batteries driving it (in parallel). But even so, worn contacts inside the solenoid or tired wiring between the ignition switch and the solenoid can make the starter not work right. So you need everything feeding the starter in good shape, good power and ground connections and a good drive signal to the solenoid plus a solenoid that is in good shape. Miss any one piece above and the starter will not work right.