So my starter in my 4runner has a few dead spots, It hasnt bothered me too much since I have just been driving around the city most of the time, and I can always manipulate it by popping the clutch or something.

I decided to replace it, since I had a few hours to spare yesterday. I went and bought a replacement duralast lifetime warrantied part from autozone. The first thing I noticed (other than how much of a bitch it was going to be to get to the bolts) was that the starter was a Toyota OEM Denso. I was starting to wonder if I needed this individual part.

It took me about an hour to figure out how to get the old starter out, and a little less to get the duralast one in. When I went to turn the engine over nothing. Autozone checked it before I bought it, and said that it worked fine. Something wasnt lining up I think on the inside.

It took me another hour to mess with it a little and try it again. Eventually I put the old starter back it, and it fires right up.

My question is this. Where to I go to pick up Denso parts around town? Checker? Carquest? Napa? There is no way I would attempt to put another duralast one in there. It is not a lot of fun getting to that starter (no matter how much beer you drink during the job).

 

To answer your question directly, you can buy them through trdparts4u Toyota Parts Sales (http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...?siteid=214074). They are much cheaper than the prices I pay here in California.

You can also find a lot of Denso parts through RockAuto.com

Lastly, have you read much about the starter issues on this board? 99% of the time, all you need to replace are the copper contacts inside the starter. They are under $10, and since you need to take the starter out, its not much harder to just open it up and replace the contacts.

 

Copper Contacts? I have always replaced the whole starter. Guess I might have to do some searching and check it out.

 

The two copper contacts cost me $23.47 from the stealership. ( Part # 28226-54340 & 28226-72010). I would get an electronic parts cleaner and a steel brush and clean the inside of the starter before putting in the new contacts. Btw, I have a 98, 3.4L.

And please keep the rubber o-rings on your old contacts. You might need them when you change your fuel filter.

 

Rockauto.com is a good site for parts. They have good prices and ship very quickly.

 

just do the contacts and it will be good for the rest of the time you own the truck or have to replace the contacts in that high quality OEM starter.
for reference this is all that duralast did besides clean it up and ship it!!

 

try 4crawler