Going to change my starter any tips?

Hello I'll be changing my starter tomorrow morning. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on how to get it done easier? I sort of got it figures out. But anything to make my job easier Will help! Thanks for the help.

 

You might find some ideas on youtube. 4Runners are really similar.

 

Get beer.

 

Drink a couple beers first, starters are not that bad to replace.

 

Go thru the side. You can remove it easier by taking off the passenger wheel. You will have to carefully bend a brake line out of the way.

 

isn't it on the driver side?

 

My 01 TRD v6 is on the passenger side .....

 

Pay someone else to do it. (hey, you asked for easy)

If you DIY, disconnect the battery first.

If you are lifting the vehicle, do it on a good surface, chock the rear wheel(s) and use good jackstands. Saving labor $ can be quickly negated with a chassis lying on your chest.

 

Excellent advice, because an ECM is expensive to replace.

 

My tip is don't replace it, just replace the solenoid contacts, but it sounds like you're going to replace the whole thing at this point. Do us a favor and take the cover of the back of the old starter and let us know if worn contacts were the problem. 99 times out of 100 they were.

 

if you didn't do it yet...
http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/densoparts.html

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/starter/

 

I just did it guys! I have trd headers so I I had removed them! Pain in the ass!! But it all went smoothly after that.

 

Lol when i saw the title i instantly had this run through my head!

 

Agreed. Most likely starter problem is worn solenoid contacts.

I just recently rebuilt a Denso starter on my skid steer. The contacts become worn and grooved and no longer touch when the key is turned. New contacts are readily available online for just a few bucks. I didn't even use the new contacts I bought, but just filed down the old ones, cleaned and greased everything, reassembled and installed. Good as new.

 

And you kept the original new quality Denso starter instead of some 'reman' Denso that was remanned in chumbawumba.

 

Exactly!!! The denso is a superb component that people throw away and replace with a piece of shit that cost 100x's more than it would take to replace the wear items in the high quality original!...stupid...

 

I think it's usually that owners just don't know what they have available to them. Most don't know that these starters are rebuildable. Even if it's not just the contacts, 99% of the time it's always them though , the bearings are replaceable, etc. This way you keep the superior starter. And even a lot of times I've pulled the cover to the contacts on starters and the contacts weren't seated all the way or properly. Many times you can just clean up the contacts and plunger and smooth out the pitting in them and have a 'new' starter better than any reman.

 

Very true! Heck i didnt know you could replace wear items in that thing till i learned about it here several years back...