Hi guys, I am a noob, and not experienced wrenching at all, just enjoy getting my hands dirty...
I just installed a reconditioned starter in my 99 4runner. Now it is hard to start, it just cranks away, and eventually will start, with a heavy fuel smell in the air....

I did not have this problem at all prior to installing the starter....

any ideas?

Is it possible I knocked something loose during the install?

thanks in advance

cheers

PJ
Peyton, CO

 

Something is definately wrong there....
Double check what you touched and make sure you didn't knock anything loose.
A starter should not affect the car starting other than to turn over the motor.

 

you don't press the gas pedal while starting do you? that's not a good thing to do. that could be why you smell gas.

check to make sure all the plug boots are securely snapped onto the spark plugs.

 

okay, I went ahead and replaced my spark plugs, no problem, replaced the air filter, no problem. The 4runner starts now, but there is no power when I step on the gas...it is still rough starting....

Any ideas?

 

Guess I'm unclear. There's no power when you step on the gas after the truck is running? This doesn't make any sense if all yo udid is replace the starter. If nothing else, pull the starter off and take it to a local autozone and have it tested. They cna make sure it's working properly on their diagnostic machine. Sounds like you could be causing a good deal of harm if your starter is bad. Otherwise, there's some strange coincidence happening. I'd rule out the starter first though.

 

Is it possible that this is an ECT problem? It is almost as if you were trying to start out in 3rd gear or something...

When I first started having problems with my starter, I would turn the key and just get click...then if I took the auto shifter out of gear into park, and then back into drive, it would start. Eventually that trick no longer worked, which is when I put the recon starter in.

 

sounds like the park/nuetral interlock is failing or maybe you have a loose wire or connection there. sounds as if your starting is working fine. keep eliminating the possible problems as you go. eventually you'll find it.