1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

No Start… 3 Starters in 4 Weeks

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Wadar, Oct 4, 2022.

  1. Oct 4, 2022 at 5:55 PM
    #1
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    About a month ago my ‘02 3.4l X-Cab 4wd suddenly wouldn’t start one afternoon. I was able to pop the clutch and drive it down to a place to work on it. I replaced the starter and life was good for about two weeks. One morning the I went to turn the key and click… nothing. So I warranted the starter, life is great again. Today it fired up no problem this morning to go to work, then mid morning I had to run an errand and click… nothing. I replaced the battery and started this evening, and click… nothing. For giggles I did a bench test of the starter I just pulled and it works fine. Now I have a new battery and a new starter, but no go. The battery I replaced was from March of this year and had 12.5v the new battery has 12.6. If I pop the clutch it fires right up. Any thoughts?
     
  2. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:00 PM
    #2
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2010
    Member:
    #42625
    Messages:
    21,363
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Deogee
    Vehicle:
    07' TRD Off-Road, Auto
    STOCK
    Does it crank if you use the clutch start cancel switch?
     
    Dm93 likes this.
  3. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:02 PM
    #3
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    Unfortunately no, same thing. I hear the solenoid engage but that’s it.
     
  4. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:05 PM
    #4
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2010
    Member:
    #42625
    Messages:
    21,363
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Deogee
    Vehicle:
    07' TRD Off-Road, Auto
    STOCK
    Do you have a volt meter, and do you know the basics of how to use one?
     
    Bivouac, Dm93 and tcjacado like this.
  5. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:06 PM
    #5
    02hilux

    02hilux What do you mean there’s no road, I’m here

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2016
    Member:
    #197244
    Messages:
    6,354
    Planet: EARTH
    You have power to your cluster and interior?
     
  6. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:06 PM
    #6
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    I do have access to on and yes on the basics.
     
  7. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:07 PM
    #7
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    Power to everything.
     
  8. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:07 PM
    #8
    02hilux

    02hilux What do you mean there’s no road, I’m here

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2016
    Member:
    #197244
    Messages:
    6,354
    Planet: EARTH
    What about power to your starter and signal pigtail?
     
  9. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:10 PM
    #9
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    Seem to, when I turn the key I hear the click of the starter solenoid.
     
  10. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:11 PM
    #10
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2010
    Member:
    #42625
    Messages:
    21,363
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Deogee
    Vehicle:
    07' TRD Off-Road, Auto
    STOCK
    Pulling the starter relay and testing the terminals will cut diag down by half.

    Pull the relay and check
    Pin 5 for power at all times
    Pin 1 power when cranking
    Pin 2 for a ground
    A3C52C5C-9F77-4F4E-85E9-9CBC52B9D94A.jpg 25A99322-E895-4D69-B408-BCB748D014FD.jpg
     
    Toyko Joe and Dm93 like this.
  11. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:13 PM
    #11
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2010
    Member:
    #42625
    Messages:
    21,363
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Deogee
    Vehicle:
    07' TRD Off-Road, Auto
    STOCK
    If all the above are good, we can move on to the starter control and power wires.
     
    Madjik_Man likes this.
  12. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:14 PM
    #12
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    I’ll give it a shot
     
    TnShooter[QUOTED] likes this.
  13. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:18 PM
    #13
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    I’ll have to jump into that tomorrow evening, it’s in my shop at work. If the relay checks out then checking the control wire while turning the ignition for power would be the next step correct? Essentially that triggers a relay in the starter completing a circuit?
     
    TnShooter[QUOTED] likes this.
  14. Oct 4, 2022 at 6:21 PM
    #14
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2010
    Member:
    #42625
    Messages:
    21,363
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Deogee
    Vehicle:
    07' TRD Off-Road, Auto
    STOCK
    Correct:thumbsup:

    You sound like you know what you’re doing.
    You’ll have it fixed in no time.

    If the control wire is good.
    I’d then do a voltage drop test on the big wire from the battery.
     
  15. Oct 4, 2022 at 8:06 PM
    #15
    Dm93

    Dm93 Test Don't Guess

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2015
    Member:
    #150066
    Messages:
    13,812
    Gender:
    Male
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 DC OR 6spd 4x4
    Predator tube steps, Ranch Hand grill guard, Magnaflow CatBack exhaust, Toyota tool box & bed mat, 2LO Module by @Up2NoGood, Rearview Compass/Temp Mirror, Tune by @JustDSM.
    All good info above but being it works momentarily when you replace it and also that you are hearing the starter solenoid clicking that leads me to think there's corrosion in one of the wires at the starter or one of the battery cables.

    Easiest to test with a test light if you have a helper to hit the key for you, see the video below.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS-xqoXRiXc
     
    Bivouac and TnShooter like this.
  16. Oct 5, 2022 at 11:14 PM
    #16
    mechanicjon

    mechanicjon They call me "Jonny Stubs"

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2016
    Member:
    #203828
    Messages:
    10,151
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jon
    Scottsdale Arizona
    Vehicle:
    04 Taco SC 4dr SR5 TRD Prerunner
    Supercharged, AEM FIC/6, Meth Inj, ION Alloy's, Radio & Phone steering Wheel controls,Fabtech AAL, Billie's wrapped with 880's , Tundra big brake conversion, bully bars and Pioneer DDin Stereo/dvd with exterrnal usb ports. 290K and going strong.
    How does the positive battery cable look? The large of the cables coming off the positive post. Have some one try and start it and check for power at large positive post at the starter at the same time.
     
    Toyko Joe likes this.
  17. Nov 26, 2022 at 7:04 AM
    #17
    Wadar

    Wadar [OP] Not Well Know, But Shows Up From Time to Time.

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161403
    Messages:
    1,260
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Wade
    Western Slope, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    ‘02 XC TRD-OR, & ‘20 DCSB TRD-OR
    A few.
    Update:

    I ended up getting an OEM starter, and there have not been any issues since. Also replaced the starter relay OE, and when I got home I put a new X2 24F AGM battery back in it. As for the X2 it’s made by the same company that makes Northstar and Odyssey AGM batteries.
     
  18. Nov 26, 2022 at 9:07 AM
    #18
    Bivouac

    Bivouac Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2021
    Member:
    #376253
    Messages:
    11,582
    Northern Lehigh Valley Pa
    Vehicle:
    2000 Tacoma 5 speed 3.4
    Remains to be seen I bought the tires and wheels the rest came along
    The quality of remanufactured electrical parts has really declined.

    You never really found the cause of the problem unless you did not mention what you found.

    I give it sometime and your issue returns . I hope I am wrong.

    Every thing is new but the cables . Have they every been changed ?
     
    Caslon likes this.
  19. Nov 26, 2022 at 9:46 PM
    #19
    Caslon

    Caslon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2020
    Member:
    #319290
    Messages:
    619
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2003 Base Cab. 2 whl drive. 5 speed
    Score one for OEM parts. Was it Densa? It’s unusual but not beyond the realm of possibilities that you got 3 bads or incompatibles. Ahhh…Densa!

    29FA7385-FFFC-44EB-99B8-F67A32F0B612.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2022
  20. Nov 26, 2022 at 10:01 PM
    #20
    ABA180

    ABA180 It burns when I pee....

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2012
    Member:
    #88520
    Messages:
    24,958
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    East Bridgewater MA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Tacoma Regular Cab Slider
    Pioneer CD, Megaloud/JBL amps, Rockford/Polk speakers.
    I remember the Click and Clack radio show making a joke about rebuilt starters. The joke is they go buy 500 starters from the junkyard and test them..the 250 or so that work get thrown in a box and sold as rebuilts.
     
    Bivouac[QUOTED], Wadar[OP] and Caslon like this.

Products Discussed in

To Top