My 95 4runner started having some trouble starting of recent. I just replaced the started angles no more than 6 months ago. I thought it might have been the battery. I took it to autozone and have them test the cold cranking amps. It has more than enough. The guy says the connector on the positive side is loose and that is the problem, he tightens it up, then breaks it. He put a new one on and still nothing. We jump it and I bring it home. I took the starter off last night and cleaned it and checked it. I bench tested it and and it worked just fine. Put it back in, tried starting it and nothing. Anyone have any ideas?

 

What is the problem exactly? From your post it appears that if you tried to start it with your own battery it didn't start but if you jump it, you can get it started. And what you also found is that your starter and battery appear to be in good shape and should start it ok. I had the same problem and found it to be that as these trucks age, the resistance goes up in the wiring so that not enough current can get through in order to engage the starter solenoid to turn over the starter. I ended up having an auxillary starter relay installed that allows enough current to get to the solenoid to engage it and engage the starter. That fixed mine. Or it could be something else in your the ignition system loop: it could be your ignition switch or starter relay is faulty and not completing the circuit to your solenoid to engage the starter. I've never had those be a problem on my truck yet but if your starter contacts are ok, and the battery is ok, then that just leaves your wiring, your ignition switch, or your starter relay.

Hope this helps.
David

 

I gotta agree w/Memphis. Adding a relay seems to have cured my problem(s).

 

Thanks guys. I hadn't thought of that as a possible solution. How difficult is it to add a relay into that system?

 

Pretty easy - all of the parts should be available at Radio Shack or similar place. Get a 12V/40A relay, some wire and connectors. Pull the single thin wire off of your starter and attach it to the activation terminal of the relay (wire may need to be extended). Run a wire (10 - 12ga) from your battery to one of the switchable terminals of the relay. Run a similar wire from the other switchable terminal to the plug on the starter where you pulled the first wire from. Ground the final terminal on the relay.
Now, unless your stock wiring is really bad, turning the key should send juice to the relay, closing the switch and allowing 12V and up to 40A to flow to the starter.
(Hope I don't have to tell you that getting a relay from Toyota will wipe out most of your next pay check; an aftermarket replacement should do just fine.)