1997 V6 Tacoma no crank no start

Hey there - I know this is a common theme and I have tried to do my homework, but would appreciate some fresh eyes. Here we go:

Manual Transmission - had been having intermittent starting issues, meaning sometimes turn the key and get nothing. Jumping does nothing. When the key turns, there is no crank at all. I CAN hear the relay click and even swapped it with an identical relay from my 07 Corolla without a change.
Put in a new starter - no difference

Brought the starter back and had it bench tested in the store - it worked.

Jumped the clutch switch with a paper clip - no difference

Charged the battery, then took the battery out and used it in my Corolla and it started the Corolla easily. Drove it around for an hour so the battery is good and charged.

Cleaned all battery connections well and cleaned three different ground locations that I found.

Tested the starter post and getting battery voltage (12.6V). Tested the solenoid connector when disconnected and getting battery voltage.

So couple of questions: Are there any fuses that could be at fault? Bigger question is should I now be looking at the ignition switch/cylinder? I don't want to deal with the air bag/steering wheel situation if I don't have to. I also have a VW vanagon, so I know plenty about bad ignition switches.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated !!!!

 

What about the neutral safety switch? Assuming your truck has one.

 

You have voltage at the starter battery connection and the solenoid.

Either a bad ground or a bad starter.

Where did you ground your Meter To the starter case??

That points to a bad starter solenoid ,

 

It's a manual transmission so I assume there is no neutral safety switch. Safe assumption?

I watched the guy at Autozone attach the starter and bench test it and it whirred away

I attached the positive lead into the solenoid connector and grounded the negative on the transmission case. It took a while to get a good connection. Wonder if that wire is compromised somewhere along the way. This is originally a CO truck so not much rust and the wiring is in good shape overall. However, I am running out of possibilities. Should I try to jump over that wire/connector and run a wire from battery + directly into the solenoid? Or does that wire have to pass through the fuse panel next to the battery?

 

People sometimes use Neutral safety switch and clutch safety switch interchangeably

Try using the starter case as your ground connection.

Run a ground cable from the battery negative terminal to a starter bolt.you can use your jumper cables

Any jumper wires should have a inline fuse rated for the current draw of the circuit.

good luck

 

This is a starting "system". You are dealing with one component of that system, the starter and it checks out as OK, this means that it is "wiring" issue. It could be a problem with the wiring for the solenoid or starter itself. It could be a grounding issue also. A non tech way to determine where the problem is requires 2 people, one to hold the key in the crank position and the other to grab the large wire to the starter and feel if it gets hot. Do the same for the wire that feeds the solenoid. Be careful as you can burn your hand... resistance creates heat and you are trying to pump quite a bit of amperage.

The tech way is to preform a voltage drop at each connection.

 

This all makes sense. I will try these things out and report back.

 

OK, been trying a variety of things, including many of your suggestions. I tried grounding with a jumper cable from battery neg to starter - nothing. Tried a jumper wire from the power post in the engine fuse box (white wires) to the solenoid. Nothing. I still need to get under and listen to the solenoid to see if it's making any sound. Also want to try jumping directly from battery positive to solenoid connector. It has been pouring for 2 days and there is a puddle under the truck so gotta wait.

I do have a question:

I have been reading the Haynes and studying the wiring diagram. There are 2 Fusible Links, an 80A and a 40A that are part of the circuit. I have no experience with them and wonder how to tell if they are bad. Are these a likely issue or do they rarely fail? Can you see something wrong with them like with a regular fuse? Or can I remove them and test them with a meter for continuity? If there is a thread on these or a handy Youtube video, I would appreciate any guidance.

 

I have a 96 and a 98 manual. As you can see they are similar and different.

 

Go with the 96 edition, I say. The style changed in 98. Sorry I can't offer any real advice on this...

 

I think the 96 is correct. I also think the issue is with the wires to the starter now. Need some clear skies to test this weekend. Thanks to both of you for assistance.

 

If you ran direct from a 12VDC source to the starter solenoid and it did not crank .

It sounds like you have a ground issue yet you went from the starter bolt to negative battery post at the time you also jumped direct to the starter solenoid ?? you need a Complete circuit

We really need voltage readings at different locations if your 12VDC source on the Fuse Block had voltage.

As your starter had been tested as good

I wish I was close enough to help in person

 

Thanks Bivouac - I am going to try again tomorrow once the rain stops. Can someone confirm when I should have battery voltage at the big post on the starter? Should it be always, in accessories, or only when cranking? I think I need to try going from the battery straight to the starter post with jumper cables, including a good ground, while using the connector cable to the solenoid. Will report back.

 

Remove the negative cable clean it and the battery post.

 

Thanks D - I do have a multimeter and will post up some readings tomorrow. I feel fairly confident that I am good from the key through the fuse box. Need to do some more tests and stop chasing my tail.

 

Thanks Tim - Battery posts are shiny and both + and - connections are good. Have tested with 2 different well-charged batteries. Need more multimeter readings and will hopefully narrow it down.

 

Yes you should always have battery Voltage at the starter .

Starter solenoid should only have voltage when cranking .

In the past I have jumped starter solenoid to the starter terminal yes it will spark but if you have a good ground and the battery is charged it will crank,

Speaking of the battery it is up to full charge that is why real reading of voltage area really good idea

 

you can have good voltage at the terminals of the battery, starter, etc, but not have enough amperage to operate the device. This is tested by doing what is called a voltage drop. With a volt meter, either digital or analog (needle style) set the range to DC 12 volts or DC 20 volts, different meters have different ranges but the test is the same. To test the wire that comes from the + battery post to the starter put one lead on the + battery post and the other on the post on the starter and have someone try to start the truck. if the needle or meter shows more than a .3 volt DC reading the wire is questionable or the connection is poor. Yes, 3/10 ths of a volt. Do this for every wire that the starting circuit uses... kind of a pain in the rear but if you do find bad wires and you fix it yourself you are saving $125 hr and you now know more than 90% of the "techs" "in the field".

 

OK, so we tabled the truck repair for winter, but now we are back at it!! First of all, we bump started it no problem, so we know the engine is perfectly good. The battery is solid. I have a specific question about a continuity test that we just did. We tested continuity from the battery + to the white power wire at the end of the fuse box (see photo), and that was perfect, 0.0. Then from that white power wire terminal to the end of the connector that plugs into the solenoid - that read 0.5. We checked it over and over and there was definitely resistance in that wire. I am going to run a separate new wire from that white power wire terminal directly into the solenoid. I am hoping that will send the message to the solenoid to do its thing. I will listen for the solenoid to make some kind of noise by safely getting under there while my son cranks the engine. Does this sound logical? Thanks as always.