How tough of a job is removing the starter and replacing the contacts and plunger on my 99 4Runner (V6/5spd)?

Can the foil ID# tag be seen on the starter with the starter in the truck? I need the ID# to get the right KW contacts for the truck.

Thanks for any help,
Hodag

 

https://www.yotatech.com/~corey/tech...r/haveblue.htm

also check rockcrawlers pages
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#Introduction

 

Got my starter contacts changed today on my 2001 4Runner. Hopefully that was the cause of the intermittent starting problem. Seems to be working fine now.

Haveblue recommended removing a section of the manifold to get the starter motor out but it was a major PITA when I was trying to do it on mine so I moved my brake lines a bit more and that allowed it to barely clear with a bit of patient wiggling and maneuvering. I did need to unbolt the brake line and remove the transmission dip stick like he recommended which was pretty easy to do. The starter motor has the gear side that goes to the fly wheel and the plunger side that is on the opposite end of the starter. When removing the starter I led the movement with the plunger side.

I noticed some green corrosion on the starter contacts indicating moisture. There was also a lot of black powder and the contacts were blackened from use. There was some wear on my original contacts but I took a wire wheel to them and had I put them back in I think I would have been good for years to come. Now they are my back up set

Apparently there are three different sets of starter contacts for the 3rd gens and a couple of different dealers recommended taking the contacts out and taking them to parts so they can match them up.

Special thanks to Alan for the great write up. Had you not posted that I likely would have taken it in. I called a dealer (not that I would take it there) just for grins to see how much they charge and Burt Toy quoted $196 labor and $249 for the starter motor. The service writer said they would not just replace the contacts. So you sharing knowledge saved me $440 bucks and now I know a little more about my rig. Thanks! Hope to see you on the trail soon!

 

I did that job on my '99 Limted.

I relased the starter and dropped it down near the sway bar, but it wouldn't come out.

After a few frustrating minutes, I found that I could leave the starter sitting down near the sway bar and replace the contacts without completely removing it from the vehicle.

It's worth saving the $200 and it's an easy job.