I have an 87 4Runner with 197xxx miles. I recently drove this truck about 3 miles to get some food to wear in the brake rotors and pads I had just installed. Come back out to leave and the battery is nearly drained. Try to turn it over, and now its dead. Jump it, and it starts right up. Lights get extremely dim when I stop, and when I get home, turn it off, and its dead again. So I put in a new Optima Red Top battery and now, it wont even turn over. Starter clicks, so I banged on the starter, but that did nothing.Becoming very frustrated and would like any help anyone can give me. Thanks!!

 

You have a ground problem somewhere, or your alternator may be crapping out! I'd start by:

1. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY POSITIVE TERMINAL!
2. Unbolt the battery to fuseblock connection, clean with a wire brush, and reconnect firmly.
3. Do the same where the battery ground connects to the body.
4. Repeat procedure at starter & engine block ground connections. Now might be a good time to pull the starter & replace the contacts. Now is around the time the contacts start going out (150k+).

 

I will have to check that. Thanks man. Any chance that maybe the new optima is junk?? Ive heard that about 50% or so are defective to start

 

So just a quick add of info....hooked it up with jumpers and it turned over after about 1 minute of working the key on and off. Ran the truck for about 10 minutes, and shut it off. Chugged about twice on the restart and then fired right up. Shut off and turned it on about 3 more times before it would turn over no more. Please reply if anyone has had similar experiences, and have a resolution to this problem. Tomorrow will be getting replacement battery, and new ground wire from battery to frame.

 

So the brand new Optima I purchased was junk. I am replacing tomorrow and will post if anything changes. Thank you TNRabbit for the reply

 

Check your alt...

 

Its definetly a ground or alternator problem.

My brother had the same issue with his 96 buick, lights would dim when he stopped, constant starting issues-it was the alt.

 

So I replaced my battery, and replaced my ground to block cable, and she runs great again. Thanks for the help guys.