Since I bought my 4runner in september i have been experiencing pretty sporadic starter problems. I would turn the key and it would just click. It has been happening more and more often since then. ive checked the electrical connections and they appear ok. i was almost positive i just needed to replace the contacts and plunger in the starter to fix the problem until today when i started the car and the starter would not turn off. I took the key clear out of the ignition and the starter motor kept turning for a couple of minutes. this has happened one other time but only for a few seconds.

will the simple fix replacing the plunger and contacts solve this problem or will i require a new starter?

 

Mine just did this. I had to replace the starter. If it ran for a few minutes you then the starter is toast.

 

i had a 4runner that did that and I had to buy a new starter to fix it...

 

This is probably true......... aftermarket starters are crap compared to the Denso ones though.

 

You are probably right about the contacts and plunger. It sounds like they had welded themselves together. This happens because of poor contacts resulting in high resistence which in turn creates high heat.

Replacing the contacts and plunger will likely fix the problem.

 

Yep, new contacts and/or cleaning the plunger in the solenoid usually fix this issue:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#Introduction

What can also happen is that as the contacts wear, usually unevenly, that can cause the plunger to get twisted in the bore of the solenoid since one side of it's contact ring wants to sit lower than the other side due to the uneven contact wear. If it gets jammed hard enough the release spring can't push it out.

 

What you're calling plunger is also called a Bendix spring/drive that not retracting.
Anyone have an exploded view of the starter parts ? I don't really know if you can service this like on most older car starters........?

 

I had that happen when I owned my Corvette until it drained my battery. Replaced the starter, charged the battery back and was good to go. That car was a big pile of mess.

 

He's talking about the solenoid plunger that actuates the bendix.

 

Here look at this.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxjPp...e=channel_page