Having issues starting a fresh build, went to prime the motor and to my luck just got a click. took the starter out thinking i banged it up a little too much taking it out but when the girls connected it at advance it spun up.

Took the battery for a test today came back weird readings so replaced anyway.

Before changing the new battery i was getting a click, now i am getting nothing, unless i cant hear it cause of the lawn mower in the neighborhood. but kinda stumped at this point. checked all my grounds.
drivers side (attached to block)
drivers side bracket (alternator)
drivers side under battery
passenger side near the power steering pump
and the two that bolt up to the heads on each side

am i missing something???

Time to get the hi wattage test light out, some folks build one with vice-grips, wire and a headlight bulb. Need to make sure you have power and ground in all the right places. If you want some schooling on this look for YT vids from South Main Auto and Pine Hallow Auto. Those guys have some really good diag videos on finding electrical problems.

Are you able to turn the engine over by hand, like with a ratchet?

I guess if it was immobiliser/ECU related you wouldn't even get the click?

I can turn engine over by hand.

short answer.. yes, you're missing something. Did you pull the motor for the rebuild? What exactly did you do?

have you gone through your fuse box and check all the fuses? Do you hear any relays clicking on when you turn the key to IGN on?

yes checked all fuses, before i got a new battery i was hearing a click at the starter, now with the new battery no noises.

engine is a brand new 0 mile from toyota so yes pulled engine, haven't even had a first start. took out the volt meter and placed on the starter lead and numbers kept fluctuating, happened when i placed the + lead on the terminal cable not the battery as well. So took out the wire harness to see if anything was broken or snipped and have not found anything but a dirty wire harness.

cleaned up wire harness, took some voltages again, getting power everywhere except at the starter plug when you go to turn the key. im reading 14v everywhere except for there.

well after diagnosing no power to the starter connector with my mom bumping the key, i moved on to the ignition switch, upon removal low and behold hopefully found my problem. the corner of it was popping up when i took it off, went to push it back together and it broke into pieces. so ordered a new one from rockauto and hopefully that was the issue.

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What do you mean a new 0mile engine? Did you buy a short block from a dealer?

yes i did, they had a march madness sale for 25% OFF, since i blew my previous button end jumped the gun and bought brand new.

Nice! I was just curious, Toyota doesn't do anything beyond a Short Block so if you had found a Long Block or a crate motor I was gonna be like, "where the hell did you find that and can I get their number?" lol

Well done mate, excellent diagnosis skills I would never have found that

havent used a multimeter in years and probably only used one no more than 5 times ever. but had a general idea of what to test and how to do it, so started at the battery and worked my way down, when i got to the starter lead plug it had no reading, so next step in manual was ignition and was obviously broken. part comes in monday, will keep posted of status.

well the ignition switch did absolutely nothing, started with the multimeter again and this time when i turn the key i'm getting power at the starter lead plug. so i'm assuming the starter was messed up to begin with as well.


update: changed the starter and now i dont hear or get anything. before i changed the starter i tested with the MM and got 13v when someone turn the key, but changed the starter and nada. moved the starter relay with the horn one as i saw a video to test out and still nothing. now i'm stumped.

double update: watched a video to jump the starter relay to see if the ignition is the issue and sure enough i got some action and starter spun up. i just replaced the ignition switch, but what next.

plug in an odb2 scanner. if it lights up and reads your vehicle then you can rule out the ecu (vehicle will report to the odb2 with ignition in on position). if the ecu isn't operational and reporting information to your odb2 with your ignition in the on position, you will get zilch when you turn the key. which seems like what you're describing. good luck!