I pulled my truck in the neighbors shop this afternoon so I can work on it in there. That probably won't happen til Sunday tho. My next step is to pull the slave cylinder for the clutch off along with the shifter fork and boot so I can take a look inside and hopefully see the starter/flexplate from the inside. If I can't get it figured out from there my next step will be to pull the transmission and take the bell housing off it to reinstall on the back of the engine without the gearbox attached. That way i can reinstall the starter, but still have a good view of it all coming together from the inside. I measured the flexplate from the mounting surface of the starter in several places to see if the flexplate was warped anywhere. Every measurement was identical (just shy of 7/8") so I know the flexplate isn't warped.

It's got to be a clearance issue on something......

 

sorry to hear the problems persists. You sound like you have a good plan of action. keep us posted.

 

SPARKS89 did you figure out why your starter is temperamental about engaging??? I had to start my truck a bunch today and every time required me to spin the crank (usually numerous times) before the starter would engage... Huge pain in the rear!


Does anyone have any ideas how a truck to suddenly develop this after running all winter without any similar issues, then sit for a couple of months, and then have this happen??? Thoughts? Thanks

 

No, I haven't. I messed with it some last weekend to no avail and talked to a guy that worked on Toyota's his whole life. After explaining everything to him he said he has never heard of a problem like this, but if he was working on it he would put a Toyota brand starter on it before pulling the transmission. He told me that he's heard of problems like an aftermarket alternator causing the charge light on the dash to stay on and that problem would only be fixed by putting a Toyota part on it, but nothing like that with the starters. His thought is that the aftermarket brands aren't built to the same specs as the Toyota parts are (that seems to be a big problem) so I'm going to try a Toyota brand before I go pulling the transmission. I ordered it last week and it's supposed to be here by now, but it's not. I took a weekend trip to NYC and was expecting it to be here when I got back home so I could put it on tonight, but NOPE thanks to our great and wonderful US Postal System.

 

Figures... My starter was just rebuilt so I can't imagine that it is that. but maybe. I'm going to call the guy who rebuilt mine and ask his advice too. Please keep me in the loop on you success rate. Thanks bud!

 

Will do! You do the same if you come up with anything.

 

You bet! Although, unfortunately all I expect is some more sulking... :-(

 

Quiggs, did you get it figured out? I ended up having to replace my flywheel. I couldn't find anything wrong with the old one (only a year and a half old), but I didn't know what else it could be so I forked out $90 and got one from Low Range OffRoad. I ordered it the middle of December and finally got it on January 3rd.........

Anyway, I got it put in this past Sunday and I've been driving the truck all week with no issues.

 

No, but I have been extremely busy and we have had some nasty weather in Maine for the last few weeks. However, I am in hopes to get the starter off and bring it into the shop to have them confirm that there is nothing wrong with the gear (and its size).


Was your flywheel new? You didn't see anything wrong with the old one at all??? I will let you know as soon as I have something. I hope to take off the starter on Sunday (for real this time) and bring it into the shop for assessment some time during the week. Keep me up to date on your success with your flywheel change out too. Thanks bud

 

The flywheel that wasn't working was a year and a half old. I couldn't find anything wrong with it. I cleaned it up real good and checked it over as much as I could with the naked eye. I couldn't see anything wrong with it. The only difference that I saw between the old and new flywheels is the way the teeth were cut out on the ring gear. There were 2 distinct cuts at different angles on the old flywheel teeth whereas the new one only has one cut to angle the teeth so it's a smoother transition for the starter to make on and off the flywheel teeth. The only thing I can think of is that the old starter was worn down enough to not cause a problem with the teeth grabbing on these cuts, but the new starters weren't worn down so they would grab and bind up. I don't know if that's what really happened or not, but I know the new flywheel works so I'm leaving it at that.

 

This may be helpful. I have had a intermittent start problem over the past 10 years on my 22re motorhome. Most recently It would not start only make a electrical squealing noise, not very loud. Like trying to get past a short. I had last started it in August 2013. I checked the water level in the battery , was good. then I just touched the pos side connector. Then I was able to start it.
I have a cable from the neg side to the intake then to the frame. The original neg cable screwed to the body was not reliable. BTW I use the Battery Tender Jr float charger. It has worked great since August. Also I might try to leave the starter mounting a little loose and see if the problem is affected. Pete

 

Aloha from Hawaii, my name is Joe and I'm the proud owner of a '94 3.0 manual 4x4. She just won't start for me...I'm in the process of elimination, and have narrowed it down to a wiring issue. I have a new battery, starter, and clutch start switch, but my starter is not getting the power. What and where are all of the starting fuses/relays I should check besides the starter relay under the hood? Was gonna try jump the starter to make sure it's functioning...any advice on how to do this besides a needle stuck in the S terminal of starter solenoid and an alligator clip to the battery? I also very recently had my clutch replaced with an Aisin clutch kit for very cheap...Could a poor clutch job affect the starter performance? Thank you for any help.

 

Hi, I wish I was in Hawaii! To jump the starter solenoid I made a wire with a female 1/4 inch plastic coated plug on one side and a alligator clip at other end which I just touch on the battery with the ignition on. I had many years of trouble with this starting system. I think I have it nailed down now. Make sure the engine is grounded to neg of battery. I cut and soldered every joint I could find below the intake/plenum, about ten. I wish I had used a larger iron though. Clean the #4 starter cable connections at the pos side of the battery. Repost if you're stuck. Pete

 

Thank you Pete for the help. Just wanted to clarify: to jump the starter do I need to remove the female/male plastic spade connector (the S Terminal on starter) and then connect my jumper wire to the connector itself? Or can I just leave the connector connected and pierce the wire with a needle connected to an alligator clip to the battery to jump the starter? (I used the needle with alligator clip to test if the starter is even getting the 12v when key is turned to start and it is NOT...Does this mean it could be my ignition switch?) Should I replace my battery wires, mainly the one from Positive to the fuse/relay box under hood, as I have read that has cured many other people's trucks? Thank you again!

 

Aloha Guys,
You need to let us know what you're dealing with... truck-year-model.

That is a good troubleshooting approach.

You disconnect the spade connector from starter solenoid Then connect starter solenoid male spade connector directly to battery.

Disconnect this,


I made my convenient and safe jumper for the starter solenoid here

That is a good troubleshooting approach. HOWEVER, if it consistently allows you to crank, your truck may have the same wiring flaw as 1986-1988 22RE's. That's why we stress truck-year-model.

AFFECTED MODELS:
May 1986 to 1988 4Runners and trucks with 22R-E
1989-1992 4Runner V6, and 1989-1990 Pickup V6 Thanks, DrCreosote, for sharing your schematic.
Would appreciate if members with different year-models could share their schematics as well.

IF and only IF your truck is affected, flaw and fix are explained here.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE share your schematic so we can have record of affected models.

 

Hi, as RAD says separate the two areas of troubleshooting. That is, unplug the starter small wire and from then on test the starter half with a jumper, check grounds, clean large pos cable etc. Then the upper half is whether you get voltage at the female plug of the small wire. My rig is a 1985 22re Dolphin Motorhome.
I like the idea of this separation into two areas. This would have helped me. I also think instead of a pin piercing the wire I could make up a male ended blade connector to a test light since the plug is disconnected in this troubleshooting scheme. One note is there may be less than full 12volts at the connector. To address this I might hook up an old headlight to load the wire for sure. I never discovered the starter relay in my truck. I will look for it. Mechanical relays are subject to moisture and corrosion. A side note for wire piercing some wires like the O2 sensor have an outer shielding which will short if it is pierced on this engine. I don't trust crimped joints so if there's no or intermittent voltage at the little plug you might try soldering the joints. Setting up a large test light I would simply shake wire loom, wiggle ign sw on and off , tap relay etc. Post again if I need to help more. Pete

 

Hi Pete,
You will not find it

The mid-86 and earlier 22R-E's do not have starter relay. That subjects your ignition switch too much current (approx 12 volts to energize the starter solenoid - yes I measured it).
Toyota tried or thought it fixed it by adding the starter relay on mid-86 to 88 with manual tranny (Automatic trans do not have the starter relays) ....

It IS wired it wrong.


To retrofit your 85 22RE with a relay...


Same here. When I encounter one in locations with extreme conditions like engine compartment, I clean it, supplement with good solder and waterproof & insulate.

 

Thanks, I wish there was a way to leave crimped and solder over but the heat shrink tubes need you to break the connection to get them on. Pete

 

I have two trucks that I went thru the starter relay, starter, new cables, and battery and still got no start symptoms. I did RADs upgrade and now they never miss a beat. I wonder if the problem isn't possibly in the ignition switch, contacts, or the miles of wiring that the electric has to flow the system to get the starter to turn over. RADs fix solved my problem.

 

Hi Pete,
You will not find it

As a general rule the automatics wont have a starter relay. I have seen some 85s with and without a starter relay. 86 and new manual transmissions will have the starter relay