1995 toyota pickup 2wd.

be hard to start (slow to turn over, sometimes just a click, but if you work with it for a bit it will start).

Replace battery with a sweet optima red top.

Still have same issue.

My assumption is that my starter is basically done. Opinions?

 

Swap the starter relay with another.

 

Did you try arching the starter?

 

So this is kinda an intermittent issue, has been for a little while. It was more of a problem before I bought the optima red top... and has not been a big deal since... except for the day I posted the original comment here. The truck nearly left me stranded.

It seems almost like there is an issue with a sensor... The clutch has to be depressed to start the truck, and I feel almost like the sensor that says the clutch is down has some issues. Most of the time this pops up, I can hear a distinct click when I turn the key, and then nothing... like a dead battery. But then, after working with it (key and clutch) for a bit, it cranks up. The day I posted this the starter was barely turning the engine over, and I know it wasn't the battery. Knock on wood, but since that day it has started flawlessly. The next time I think I am going to bang on the starter with a hammer and see if that changes anything. I'm inclined to believe punchy is right, some sort of solenoid or relay has an issue. If I just knew when this was going to happen, I'd have my wife try to start it so I could listen under the hood.

 

Starter solenoid contacts are most likely worn.

 

Definitely sounds like contacts to me. Either replace the starter or just the contacts, preferably just the contacts. Starters from auto parts stores are usually re-manufactured. Basically all they do is clean them up and replace the contacts. Contacts are cheap and simple to install.

 

If these battery cables have never been upgraded I would look at them as well.

These cables are really on the small side one of the first things I do.

 

check your starter solenoid. hook up a female spade connector on the end of a 3ft wire. hook it to the male spade connector next to the main battery cable on your starter. turn your ign "on" but do not turn to start.
take the 3ft wire and touch the pos battery terminal. if it turns over and starts it is good......at that moment. and the problem could be else ware.
main starting issues....
battery
battery cables
ign switch
starter relay
positive wire to the starter solenoid from the main harness to the male spade on starter motor.
starter
clutch/nss switch or clutch cancel switch.

but the method I described WILL get you home if most of these fail besides the starter or soloniod

 

+1
Yes, do above and report back. Use jumper assembly I have on my post here to make it easy and convenient. Jumper kit will also get you un-stuck if circuit upstream of starter solenoid is completely shut.

IF this jumper kit starts it all the time, see cranking system explained in my sig to troubleshoot starter relay back to ignition switch ST contacts.

 

Well, I ignored the problem till it got too irritating... and so last weekend I replaced the starter. Why the whole thing? If one part is getting warn out, I figure the whole thing is soon to follow, and BOY am I glad I did. That baby was in ROUGH shape.




You could take the new starter, shake it, and hear no movement. Shaking the old starter was like a rattle... the bearings and things in there were TOTALLY shot, and there was end play in the gear portion. (here I will point out that the truck starts up better than a new vehicle now. Its amazing how much better it is!)

How I did it: First, I had no ramp, no lift, no jacks, and my truck is low to the ground. SO, I was on my back with my head pushed up against the cross member... a lot.

Bottom bolt was easy... and Yikes at all the build up down here...




Top bolt was supposedly a MASSIVE pain to get to... but after looking at the truck I saw this


Almost right in the middle of the screen, I circled the starter top bolt in red




A little searching the house for extensions...
.

Pro-tip: this is how you keep extensions from falling apart while you work!



And, once you snake it through under the intake manifold, you end up w this



Starter came out in like... 10 minutes max. Getting it back in was a TOTAL pain though, as I had to support it with part of my hand... while my hands were trying to get a bolt to thread. NO fun working without a jack doing this! lol.

Hope the pictures and comments help anyone else out w similar problems. I am MUCH happier with the truck.

 

Thanks for sharing. Wud surely help, especially knowing how much extension to use.