I've done a ton of searching on this one, but I still have some unanswered questions. I have a 1990 4Runner with the 22re engine. I started getting the dreaded ticking with no startup. I replaced the starter in 1999 with a rebuild, and it's been great till now. So I had a lifetime warranty, pulled the old starter, installed new (rebuild) and I'm still having intermittent problems. I went ahead and replaced my battery connectors, put a new connector on my ground cable going to battery. Cleaned all other connections and didn't have any problems for a couple weeks. It's acting up again and the only way to start it when it acts up is to tap the solenoid. I'm going to pull the starter and check the contacts. What else do I need to do? What does it mean when it clicks? Is it getting a good signal, but not enough voltage(12v)? Thanks for any response. p.s I'm thinking of putting in one of those relays to assist with the starter voltage.

 

See:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...shtml#EasyTest

 

Your battery may be going. Try putting some grease on the gear before you put it back in. If the gear does not engage all the way the solinoid contact does not make contact with the main power.

 

Okay. So I took the 4Runner to work (this is my wife's kidrunner). I started fine coming home. After I parked, I tried to restart the vehicle, no go. So I made my little tester per 4crawler's link, and I only had 6.9volts at the the small connector to the solenoid coil. So now what? What are the likely suspects to this low voltage?

 

Read more on the page, follow that wire back towards the battery and find out where the voltage drop is. That test is telling you that the starter is likely OK but something electrical is causing the solenoid not to work. So, for example, test the battery voltage, if it is also 6.9 volts, there is your problem. If it is still 12.x volts, then there is a problem someplace between the battery and the solenoid. I like the "divide-and-conquer" approach, find some place in the middle and test there. If it is OK, then everything upstream is fine, etc. Or just punt and installa starter relay or bypass the silly factory wiring:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#OtherOptions

 

The battery is fine, I've tested it while cranking and it still has 12volts (battery is only a year old). I'll just start checking the wiring back to the battery. Where does this wire physically go to? I know it goes up from the starter solenoid, into a wiring loom up through the intake manifold, then where?

 

Your guess is as good as mine. When I got to that point, I figured I could spend hours tracking down the problem (likely worn contacts in the ignition switch) or I could spend 20 minutes installing a starter relay and just bypass all the Toyota wiring:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#OtherOptions

 

4Crawler,
I appreciate all your responses. I think I'll just install the starter relay. BTW, this isn't the original ignition switch. I remember the key broke off in the cylinder and I just replaced the whole thing. So, how do you go about getting this relay? Do you call them, or just order online. Thanks.

 

I ordered the kit I use (Painless Hot Shot) from Summit Racing. You could make one yourself or do the re-wire mod listed on the web page.

 

I'm going to order it from Summit, they have a pretty good price. Does it include everything? Is there anything else I should get to add to this kit. Thanks again.

 

Just hook it up. One wire to the starter power terminal, one to ground and then what I did was splice into the existing solenoid wire. I cut that wire near the starter and put a male spade lug on one end and a female on the other end (so I count reconnect to stock if needed) then use the opposite gender connectors on the relay. Relay coil gets the signal that used to go to the solenoid and the relay output wire goes to the solenoid.

I got the fancy kit with the push button start feature. Have not used that yet, but it is all pre-wired. Should be handy with working on the engine, setting timing, etc. Also, may ultimately run a second push button to the dash to use on the trail.

 

4Crawler,
I'm picking up my starter relay kit after work today, they have it in stock at Team C Performance. I printed up the installation instructions and was wondering if you used the original connector that goes to the solenoid when hooking up the relay output wire to the solenoid? The reason I ask is the purple output wire is heavy gauge and the original wire connector is not.

 

Like I said, I cut the wire to the solenoid and put in a pair of mating spade lugs then put matching spade lugs on the input and output wires of the relay. Probably other ways of doing things, but that is what I did.

 

Thanks alot 4Crawler. I installed the hot shot starter relay tonight and all went well. Sorry for so many questions, but I like to be thoroughly prepared for a project like this.

 

I was going to do a writeup of my install, but it was so simple, just followed the instructions with the kit, hooked up a few wires and it was done. No time to stop for pictures:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#OtherOptions

Been starting without a hiccup for about 8 years now.

 

Just wanted to do a follow-up on the hot shot relay. It's worked flawlessly since the 11th when I installed it. Thanks again 4crawler.

 

In case anyone was thinking of installing the hot shot relay kit, it's been over a year since I installed, 4Runner has started every time.

 

How is the relay kit doing now? I was thinking of doing something similar to mine. New redtop battery, new cables, all new ground straps, etc, starts quick when warm but when cold cranks over slowly sometimes BARELY enough to start it. Do i really need this "relay kit"? Do you have a part number from summit? Ive heard i could just replace the 20a relay with a 30a one? Any opinions on this?