Something besides the starter?

Love Toyota, have been driving them since 1982, but when there is a problem it seems to raise it's ugly head regularly, so throwing y'all this one.

Can get in my truck and turn the key and get only a low single click and then nothing. Can keep turning the key off and then back on to engage the starter and usually after several attempts the starter will engage and turn the motor full power. No visible loss of energy in the starter, no dragging.

Have had a few ocassions where no mater how many times I've turned it off and back on, it wouldn't engage the starter. Walk away from the truck to do something else and come back 15 minutes later and it will start right up.

Again, the starter isn't showing any loss of power or dragging. Could it be something else? I have a 2005 Tacoma PreRunner 4.0. Thx, Greg

 

Start simple and cheap. Check and clean battery post and chassis grounds.

 

If you have an automatic transmission, check the neutral safety switch.
If you have a manual transmission, check the clutch safety switch. If these switches are damaged or have corroded terminals, they could be causing the problems you describe.

 

And while you are at it, have a legitimate tech load test the battery.

 

Thought of the neutral safety switch. If I moved the transmission to neutral, could this switch still have a negative effect? Have done so, but still wouldn't engage the starter. Best way to test it? Thanks...

Reference the battery, did check and clean the posts, but not the chassis ground, this has been going on for over a year, didn't load test the battery, but even with 6inches of snow on it this past winter, the battery didn't hesitate, so I don't believe that is it, but thanks also. Definitely will check the chassis ground.

 

Sounds like a ground issue to me. Check chassis grounds and clean as necessary. Always start with the free/cheap options first lol.

 

Bad starter solenoid. Replace the starter.

 

It's the starter, I just replaced mine this week.
It had been occasionally clicking for months, last week it got bad.
I like reliability, so a new starter was the solution, well a new battery a month ago as well.

 

If its not connections or cables, its probably the solenoid contacts in the starter. I wouldn't replace the starter for that, the contacts and plunger in denso starters are easily replaced and rarely does anything else go wrong or wear out.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cWm8j1SkUD8

 

I'll second the starter solenoid. You can disassemble and clean and lube the solenoid.

They also sell the parts to rebuild it or get a new starter.

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/densoparts.html

http://www.starteralternatorrebuildkits.com/

 

^^X3^^ save yourself 200$ and buy a solenoid rebuild kit

 

when you hold the key in the 'start' position do you here the starter motor running? If it is and it's not engaging onto the flywheel then it is 100% the solenoid. Have a buddy hold it in the 'start' position and gently tap the starter from underneath, if it engages you know what it is.

 

The senario you have laid out isn't possible with a Denso starter unless there is a broken drive or drive yoke, which wouldn't be intermittent. The electrical contact to the motor cannot complete until the starter drive is engaged with the ring gear.

By FAR, the most common issue with Denso starters is arced out contacts in the solenoid, and easily replaced as shown in the video. The symptoms match OP's description to a tee as well.

 

If the starter solenoid does appear to be the culprit, I would be doing the rebuild too, rather than big bucks for a reman unit.

But another reasonable alternative for those not too wrench inclined is to take the starter (or the truck) to a local electrical shop that specializes in starters/alternators/generators etc etc.

They have the test equipment to do full bench analysis and proper repair. Even if you have them do the removal, repair, replace odds are it will come out less than the OTC part from Autobone etal.

And if you talk to one of those guys who is a bit long in the tooth you'll find that they'd much rather refurb your OE unit than dink with your OTC bit 2 years from now.

 

I had a bad battery in my Ranger that was causing the same symptoms. Turn the key, click, turn key click, several times, then it would start. Put a new battery in it, and no problems at all.

 

if your getting 12v to your solenoid but it wont engage, its a bad starter solenoid. you can put direct power to the starter to see if it works, if you just want to replace the solenoid

 

Got the solenoid parts from Nations Starter & Alternator http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/densoparts.html a couple days ago for $34.95 (w/ S&H). Rebuilt the starter today. From the time I rolled into my shop to putting the tools back up and locking the door; one hour and 15 minutes! I was anticipating 2-3 hours so I'm thrilled. Starter not missing a lick at this point, but will be convinced after a week of not having any issues. For the gentleman that mentioned cleaning the ground, I did that also, since it coincidentally was right there at the starter and in the way of pulling it out. Only issue I had was I broke off one of the rubber nipples that either lets the starter pull in air or lets the water bleed out that happens to get into it. Not sure which. Hope to find one of those at a local auto parts store. I did pull the rubber flap out of the wheel well to get a better view of the starter and it did let the light in to see what I was doing better, but actually did everything straight from the bottom. Thanks for all the feedback gentleman! I'll post in a week or two once I determine if I definitely took care of the problem.

 

12 days later hasn't missed a lick... Thanks again gentlemen!

 

Good stuff, glad it worked out for you.

 

Your starter contacts are worn out. Get a starter rebuild kit.