I am new to this site but have been looking at it alot in the last week. It is official now though, I am a member. So I need a little help. I recently bought 86 4Runner with the 22RE motor and love the thing. I week and a couple of days ago now it started leaking water from the head. So I tear into it replace the gaskets and even replaced the oil pan gasket. What a pain in the arse the was. I dont think they couldve made it any harder if they tried. My problem is not the head though at least not yet. I got everything together wire harness and the amazing puzzle of vaccum hoses in thier spots. At last I am done I thought, I jumped in the car turned the ignition the dash lights, dome lights, clock, and even the radio worked. Turned the key the rest of the way but it did not turn over. I can hear the starter relay click. The battery has 12.3v the selinoid wire was reading 11.3V as soon the key is turned over and then dwindles down. I jumped the selinoid to the lead on the starter and then it would turn. Lost for things to try and poor electrical knowledge I removed the starter and took it to Advanced Auto they tested it and said it was bad. So I bought a new one thinking it would fix it but still the same problem. I think I have tried everything but wiring the relay to the + side of the battery that I have seen in many other post, but I am not sure that will solve my problem. Please any info is appreciated, I am going crazy here.

 

Read thru here:

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Starter.shtml

 

It's an 86 so no starter relay. Ignition switch supplies voltage directly to the starter solenoid.
Anyhow, try triggering the starter manually with a wire from the battery + to the solenoid wire.

Also, you didn't mix up the oil pressure switch with the starter solenoid wire, did you?

 

make sure you hooked up your grounding straps back between your body and block. i would even add a few extra.

 

thanks for all the info. I do believe I am down to the by-pass the relay trick. 1986 4runner are the first years for the starter relays, I am fairly sure. I have checked all grounding straps and they seem to be there. Any more info is appreciated. I will get to the starter this afternoon after work.

 

Where are all the grounds in the engine compartment. The battery grounds goes to the block, there is another on the EFI, and another on the exhaust manifold. Is there one that I am missing?

 

normally the one that you have on the exhaust would go to the back of the head, on my truck i have an ground from the battery to the block the battery to the body the battery to the efi from the body to the head. and from the body to one of the starter bolts, i had an similar problem to you after i rebuilt my motor. i had a one to the block and one to the efi and it wouldn't crank over. i thought it was my battery so i replaced that and it still wouldn't crank so i replaced the starter. and then i tried jump starting it and i found if i put one the negitive lead from the jumper cables to the motor it cranked right over. so i added a couple of grounding straps and its been working great sense. try putting an jumper cable between your battery and your block and your battery to the body both neg of course and try cranking it

 

I've an 88 4Runner and a 91 Pickup and neither has a starter relay.

 

Did you try actuating the starter solenoid manually, by jumpering voltage to it, ike I suggested?

 

You should have a ground from the battery to the engine block, one at the rear of the cylinder head, one by the alternator / power steering brackets and one in the EFI harness at the intake manifold.

 

I checked all the grounds and look good. I checked the wire at the solenoid and got 11.3V still no turny. So I ran a wire from the starter to the + side of the battery and got it started. I am thinking about wiring in a start button and bypassing everything. It may be a little hokey but it will work. Anyones thoughts???

 

This may sound redundant, but carefully check the main wire running to your starter. I ran into this problem a while back on my 85, the insulation was destroyed and there was a lot of bare copper exposed. My rig started much better after it was replaced.

 

I did this on my 89 Runner after dealing with this issue for years. Everything had been replaced except the ignition cylinder. I'll tell you I always suspected the connection in the plastic junction box next to the starter but it was just easier to install a hidden switch in the cab. I never had start issues after I installed that switch. I still kept the key start functional but if that didnt work I would just hit the hidden start switch.

Good Luck,

 

Thanks for everyones input i went ahead and installed a switch inside bypassing everything. It works fine now. Again thanks for everything.