Morphine

Ok, so I've been away for a while (works been busy) and I've neglected my Yota Project. Well I got back to it today. RECAP:::

3 months ago (give or take) my 91' V6 3vze 5sp wouldn't start. Voltages tested fine. I replaced the starter solenoid contacts, still no go. I replaced the starter, still no go. She "Click, clicks" at me. Re checked battery, cables, grounds, starter leads...Everything "seemed" fine. I was tired and went in.

PRESENT:::
I started working on the Yota again, rechecked voltages, seem fine. battery is 12.24v, lights on she's at 12.18v. A little low but still within spec (I think) and after 3 months not bad. I try to start her (Wishful thinking) and "click click". I pull the starter and run down to Kragen. Test's on the starter PASS. I see the gears spins. I come home and try again. Still no go. I tested the power line from the battery to the starter it reads 12.23v. Lead line in, 12.22v. All looks good. I checked all of the fuses in the engine bay and in the cab, all are good.

I move on tto the coil/ingintion. According to the haynes manula my Primary Coil resistance should be .4 - .5 ohms. I'm reading at .8 -9 ohms. High. However the secondary coil resistance is within range, 9 - 15k ohms I'm at 12.2k ohms. Then on the insulation resistance I can't get a reading. The manual says it should be, "Infinity at least 10M ohms" My volt meter just reads "OL" and this is at all of the settings for my meter.

Is it possible this is my culprit? Any more tests I could run? Please help, I miss my Yota.

sandiego

I am willing to bet you have a connection problem some place.

1. Check the connection at the starter. Starter connection may be loose (Plus side of the starter).
2. Make sure you have a solid ground from the engine block back to the battery (This should be your black cable. This should go from the negative side of the battery to the engine block. You need a good ground here.
3. If all this checks find and your satisfied you don't have a bad connection, pull the starter and grab a set of jumper cables. Connect the jumper cables to the battery and the other end of the cables to the starter. With the solenid engaged your starter should turn. If it does your problem is in your connection to your starter, if not your problem may be in your contacts inside the starter.
4. Both sides of the contact surface should be clean (Check the disk that comes in contact with the starter contacts).
5. If this still doesn't work, check for a starter relay.

6. Battery is in good condition? Check the voltage when the starter is trying to engage. Do you still have a good voltage reading? If it is low (<10.7) your battery could be weak.

This is the order I recommend checking based off what you already changed/checked. I hope this works out for you.

Good luck

Morphine

Thanks for the reply. I already tested the starter, it is known good. I tested the voltages mant times on the battery and all were within an acceptable range. The lowest I ever got the battery was running the sterweo for 5 minutes, doors open, headlights on and then trying to start her. Even then she dropped down to onlty 11.48v.

I do like the idea of using the jumper cables to bypass the cables already installed. Do I connect the negative jumper cable to the chasis? Body of the starter? where?

Sequoia'd

Check out this link:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/ok-its-not-starter-contacts-42154/

I had the same trouble, been over a year since I installed a relay in the starter circuit and it's been starting perfection!!

Radyota

Make sure your engine isn't seized or "hydrolocked". I had a Datsun I was working on just "click" too. I pulled the spark plugs out, cranked it over, and antifreeze shot out of a cylinder and against the garage wall. Head was cracked. It's easy to check with a breaker bar and a 19mm socket. Just don't forget to take it outta gear when you do it.

Morphine

man I pray the engine didn't seize as i just did a top end rebuild earlier this year.
Click Here

I like the relay switch idea. Should I just order the painless kit or make my own? How hard is the wiring? is it as simple as it sounds? could you possibly send me the instructions from them?

Thanks again for all of the help everyone.

Bumpin' Yota

as much as it bothers me to say it....
...pull the plugs and see if she turns over...

there should be a wire that runs from your key ignition to the starter to activate the solenoid inside. if your voltage was low for whatever reason on that line you'd get clicking but no turning over... ...or if the ground side of that relay's coil wasnt grounded properly.

Do a continuity check btwn the case of the starter and your neg terminal of the battery. The DMM should beep and read a value close to zero...

sandiego

Attach the negative from the battery to the body of the starter. This eliminates any ground problems. Positive goes to the starter and the solenoid. The solenoid should kick in and power is applied through the contact.

You said this was checked off the engine. If it doesn't turn over on the engine and the battery is OK, you may have an engine problem.

Try turning by hand with a socket and breaker bar. If it doesn't turn, pull the plugs and find out what is keeping it from turning. I few guys above mentioned a seized engine or hydro lock. Seized engine won't turn at all with plugs on or off. It will take a lot of force to break it free. Not saying it can't be done, but you will have to pull it apart anyway. Throw some oil, wd-40 or some kind of penetrating oil in the cylinders to help break it loose. If it's light rust it may be okay. If its hydro locked it will turn over with the plugs off. Either way I recommend some penetrating oil in the cylinder when turning it over. This will dissipate the condensation and lube the cylinders making it easier to turn.

Good luck

EDIT: One thing I would also check is the wire problem some of the guys mentioned. This may solve all your problems. If you don't understand how the wire may cause this problem ask one of the guys. I'm sure they will help you out and explain it so you will understand how it works and what is going on.

Good luck dude. You'll get it fixed. If you can replace/repair the heads you can fix this starter problem. These are good guys and they will help you out.

StoogeBrother

I ran into this a while back as well. Found bad connections at the pos. battery terminal. The wire that runs from the Pos. terminal to the fuse box is prone to corrode, eithor at the battery end or the fuse box. Check both sides of the connection. Hope that helps.

Morphine

To StoogeBrother,

I saw you posted this same solution on a few other threads. I'll check it later today if I can. Any advise on how to replace this wire if it's needed? Size, length, etc??? thanks.

cootees

You may also want to check this link. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...hlight=mystery

On a side note. I had a similar instance happen a couple weeks ago. I drive my truck to work cut off the engine go to start it up and it would not start. Try and jump it and it still would not start. Put in a new battery and it still won't start. Try to push start it and it started. So I change the starter. (Guess what?) It still did not start. Then I change that wire and still no luck. finally just for fun we hooked up a jump box to my new battery and for some reason it started. And has started every time since then. It made no since to me?!?!

Snorkeldepth

I shut my truck down after coming home from work a while back and the whole truck went dead. I called my mechanic buddy to give me some guidance. He said to check the battery terminals before anything else. Sure enough it was one of the wires to the battery terminal that had broken INSIDE the housing. So, you couldn't even see it until you started flexing the wire! You said that you were getting a click when you turned the key. That sounds more like the starter solenoid contacts . . . but you said you replaced those. Hmmmm . .. . .

Tragic Drive

Ive been plagued by this no start problem with my 89 Runner for over 7 years. I followed all the suggestions I could find ,starter contacts, Relays, Grounds, new cables, Starters, new batteries . Several years ago I just wired up a two pole switch to start it when the key didnt work no problems after that.
Fast forward now I've let My friend keep the truck for a few months and we were talking about this and I told him the only thing I haven't changed was the switch on the bottom of the ignition key cylinder.
I'll say this he has replaced it and has not had a single problem since. That was literally the last thing in the starter circuit that wasn't new.
It might be worth a shot after you have ruled everything else out.

Goodluck, Thomas

StoogeBrother

Morphine, I believe that you can use a higher gauge wire as a replacement, although I just repaired mine. if in doubt Id go to the dealer and purchase a new one... i think they have updated the connectors on the fuse box side and will be included with the new wire assy. from the dealer. Hope that helps.

Doc279

I've been thorough all this crap with my 1990 4 runner. I replaced everything and every couple weeks to a month for no apparent reason it just clicks when you attempt to start the motor - no rhyme and no reason.

I just attached an aditional wire to the connection at the starter motor and ran it up to the battery - I installed a 20 amp in-line fuse - now when my runner won't start - I leave the key in the Ignition position and pop the hood.
I touch the wire to the positive post and it cranks immediately. The end of the wire has a Heat shrink butt connector on it to prevent shorting to anything. One side of the wing nut on the positive connector easily slides into the butt connector. The wire is zip tied to the positive cable so it can't go anywhere.

I have an automatic and this wire has been in use for 7 - 8 months - I got tired of being stranded !!!! This maybe a rigged job but it works !

I went the route of replacing the contacts, then the starter, then cable and wire ends etc. etc etc. - nothing ever permanently fixed it - so I put in the extra wire.

hektikwon

My 91 does this from time to time. Can't be the starter cause this is the third one that has passed through my hands and it has new contacts in it. I just checked my connections at the starter tonight and they seem fine. I also went over my battery connections and fuse box connections and tighted them up. It would do this when I had the 3.0 in but I doesn't happen that much. Oh and I have a 2 gauge wire between the battery and fuse box/starter that I changed from a 6 gauge.