06 Tacoma Starter Spins But Doesnt catch HUGE UPDATE!!!!! I have another update....

Starts, when you push, start it. I'm thinking the Bendix is bad? This is a new to us vehicle so is the bendix a part you guys suggest we replace or just replace the whole starter?

 

Just replace the whole starter or see if there is anyone local to you that rebuilds them. I’ve went the rebuilt route on a few vehicle and usually cost less and doesn’t take long for them to do.

 

I'm like 70. Back in the day we used to rebuild things. Replacement parts were cheap and components were less complex so the average joe could do it. I do realize that practice has long been abandoned in general and even by myself. I dont typically replace parts in things anymore. This is a new vehicle for us and different vehicle owners have different approaches. On my JEEP forum, some like to retain original equipment believing that aftermarket replacements are inferior but original MOPAR is the best quality but very pricey. So there, they often do take the time to replace parts within larger components. A good example would be power steering pumps. They like to hold on to the stock pumps for as long as they can. In my experience its not typical to have a Bendix fail, its usually the starter motor itself that goes. I'm checking here to see what the practice within the Tacoma community might be for this situation.

 

I haven’t personally seen many starter failure threads. But most people on here including myself usual recommend OEM Toyota parts over anything else.

 

This one has 180k on it and I am amazed at its condition. Outside it looks good as new. The whole engine bay looks to be brand new. Even the undercarriage looks perfect. Apparently it had been well cared for by its 2 PO's or all those rumors about TOYOTA quality are apparently true. That coming from a guy who drives a 30-year-old Chevy K1500. The stock starter on my Chevy crapped out only 2 years ago and I'm still driving with the stock rear brake shoes. I'm assuming that even TOYOTA starters fail at some point and that is the case here. A new starter at Autozone is $160, $130 for rebuilt. I'll price one from the dealer here. Thanks.

 

You can still buy starter rebuild kits. Just do a Amazon search.

 

Do some taps on the starter with a ball peen. It may free it up to work. Sometimes that will last, sometimes not. Worth a try.

If you have a local electrical shop worth their salt, they will often remove, rebuild, replace such items as this and alternators for about the price of a reman bit (where you still are on the hook for labor.

I've not bought an OTC electrical part like this in 20+ years because of using such a shop.

 

We replaced the starter and the problem persists. The second starter worked fine for 3 times and now it just grinds just like the first one did.

 

If true I would be looking at the flywheel gear teeth, remove the starter and look in the hole where it bolts up. I'm thinking that the teeth on the flywheel are chewed up.

The odds are against getting two starters that are broken the same way.

 

We took the starter that we removed and had it bench tested and it tested good so that points to the new one being good as well. . We have had this Toyota for several months, bought used of course. If the teeth on the flywheel were messed up I'm thinking that this issue would have been present since day one.I have had vehicles with teeth missing on a flywheel and the flywheel landed on the starter very irregularly, like a few times once a year. This vehicle is spotless inside and out and while that is a possibility, I dont think its a real one. Only 2 previous owners and someone invested a LOT of money in upgrades which I dont think they would have done if it had a bad flywheel. , I'm thinking its a voltage drop issue. The battery tests good but if the correct voltage doesnt make it to the starter the bendix wont throw out far enough. My son is going to take it to a local mechanic since I'm at a loss. We'll keep the flywheel issue in mind. I hope its not the case. A new clutch was installed shortly before we bought it. If the flywheel was bad, it would have noticed and that would have been the time to replace it.

 

It is a 6 cylinder when you shut it off the engine it will only stop in 3 points so if there is a bad spot on the flywheel your odds are pretty fair it will land on that spot.

 

It would be nice to think that, but most folks replacing a clutch are only looking at the flywheel for heat checking and scoring, not for worn gear teeth.

As has already been suggested, take a peek at the flywheel teeth with the starter out. If they are bad, it's going to suck to pull the transmission back out, but there are worse jobs out there.

 

Points are well taken. I'm hoping thats not it. I'am done for today. Thanks much.

 

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There is a very different sound between the 1 way clutch in the starter drive slipping, and chewed up flywheel teeth. A bad starter drive goes Zzzzzzzzzzing. A chewed up flywheel sounds like trying to shift a manual trans into reverse without pushing in the clutch. More of a GZGZGZGZGZ. On the other hand, if the flywheel teeth really are chewed up, there would definitely be signs of chewed teeth on the starter drive. I wonder if there's something hinky related to the clutch job. Like, wrong flywheel, or something.

 

I thought it was the bendix but the starter we took out tested fine. I agree with you about chewed teeth on the starter drive. There was none. If it were the wrong flywheel it would have been wrong from the beginning. This just started and appears to be intermittent to a point.

 

If the bendix wasn't going out then the starter would never turn. The contacts for the starter motor are inside the solenoid in order for the starter to get voltage the "bendix" must go out.

The below isn't a Denso Starter, but it uses the same concept. In order for the contact disc to connect the battery terminal to the starter the solenoid has to engage the bendix.

 

This is better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4sTBK6J5kI

 

This is my sons truck and I think I have reached my limit with it. We took it to a local mechanic and they pulled the starter and it appears the "Flywheel IS Toast". So much for a clutch job that was done less than 2 years ago. Not very encouraging. So for all you folks that suspected the flywheel, you were right on the money. Thanks again for everybody's help...

 

I'm glad you found the root cause. Too bad about the flywheel. Don't blame the vehicle though. Sounds like whomever did the clutch work did something wrong. I've seen more than a few loose starters in my time.