Hello everyone. New to the site and hoping to get a little advise.

I have an '01 4 runner and I just finished replacing the timing belt, idlers, tensioner, water pump, hoses, belts, etc.

As many have stated the crank bolt is a real pain to break loose. I was reluctant to use the starter bump method due to safety and possible stress on the starter. But after making several attempts to remove it and reading numerous posts about how easy it is by using the starter, I tried it. Well, one quick tap of the starter and it broke the bolt loose. Amazing.

After I finished replacing all the parts and everything was ready, I hooked up the battery, turned the key and got a lot of clicking. Since the truck had been sitting for a few days, my first thought was low voltage in the battery. I hooked up the charger had lunch and then load tested the battery. It wasn't the battery causing the problem.

i then checked the starter relay and it was operating fine. I plugged it back in and the engine started. Drove it for a road test everything was fine. Parked it and shut it down and restarted it three times and everything was fine.
Next day hit the starter and nothing but clicking. Checked the battery, had 12.6V. Terminals are clean and tight. Have good ground on the engine block.

Pulled the relay, tested it and it works fine. Jumped post 3 & 5 in the relay socket and got clicking at the starter. Tried jumping it again to try and isolate the clicking noise but instead it started up. I shut it down and tried the jump several more times and the starter worked fine. Plugged the relay in and it started.
Tried it a few hours later and nothing but clicking.

Any ideas? Has anyone heard of someone having problems with their starter after using it to break the Crank bolt free? It's difficult to believe this starter problem, is just a coincidence.
Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

 

Could very well just be bad timing .or bad luck

When were the solenoid contacts and plunger last replaced ??

 

^^^^Saved me typing the exact same post.