I have acquired a 91 4runner with 248,xxx miles on the clock.

As it sits right now i turn the key and nothing happens. The batter voltage drops on the gauge but no starter kicks in. I have never had this problem before with the truck. the battery has good voltage.

where should i start looking?

 

How long has it been sitting? Could be a bad starter? I know some may not like this but give it a few good taps with a hammer. Not too hard but enough to get it's attention. Sometimes this works...

 

I just drove it into work this morning!!!!!

I will try giving the starter a few whacks...i am hoping that is the problem! i know she has oil and was running decent this morning but i am starting to think that maybe i have seized the motor

 

Well if it has oil and ran alright this morning and didn't over heat it should not have seized. If you can try and push start it...well if it's a manual.

 

Starter just needed a little abuse is all...

Got it started no problem after 3 whacks and i fixed my alternator belt while i was at it!

 

Good deal!!! Too bad not everything can be fixed with a few whacks...

 

Well... sine I've been visiting the site since I bought the truck back in December.... I figured it was about time I registered and left some words of thanks....

Truck ran fine all day, have had very few problems with it until tonight, when it would not turn over... at all.. it clicked, the ABS actuator whirred, but nothing.. no dimming of the lights, no crank... just.. nothing...

After much verbal abuse to the truck, and coming back to this site to read ( go awesome working search option, points to the webmaster ) I went out there and beat on the starter.

Fired right up

Thanks posters, you rock. I never would have thought to beat on the thing.

(also, first time Toyota owner)

 

It's gonna happen again...do yourself a favor & get new contacts for about $15 and replace them...the starter will be good for another 10 years. DO NOT buy a crappy aftermarket starter...

 

I agree! I put an aftermarket in mine and it only lasted a short time. Took the advice from here and put one in from the dealer and have had no issues. Paid a little more but it was well worth it in the long run. I would have rebuilt the old one but it was aftermarket also so now I'm good!

 

Sorry for the delay... been an interesting week.

I'm pretty sure I saw a walkthrough, or at least a link that showed me some easy ways to rebuild the contacts.

Thanks for the heads up

( I keep a 3 foot beater bar in the Runner now.... Just in case )

 

4Crawler (a member here) has a info on how to do the contacts on his site @ http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Starter.shtml

 

Hey! That's thing I had mentioned seeing a link for! I remember reading it

(I've formatted twice since posting, Once to Vista Ultimate ( fail ) and then to the Windows7 RC ) I lost all my links

 

Damnit... it didn't post the entire reply....

The first line was a "Thanks for showing me that!" So, Thanks!