(Another) Starter Contacts Removal Thread!
 

I know this has been done before, but not being a mechanically inclined person I had a bit of trouble along the way and decided I'd like to add my 2 cents (and pictures!) to the available information. I would have added this to others' thread, but I didn't think I would want to post without permission. So here it is! The non-mechanically inclined thread to replacing the contacts within the starter WITHOUT removing the starter from the engine bay! Yes, even YOU can do it (with the right tools). I will note that these pictures were taken in reverse order (as I was putting everything back together).

BEFORE STARTING THE BELOW STEPS, REMOVE THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE. Safety is important!

Step 1: Remove the FRONT PASSENGER side wheel and set your truck on jack stands; leaving it on a floor jack is unsafe! FYI, these are FJ Cruiser rims, not the stock T4R rims.
http://i.imgur.com/ahISd8V.jpg

Step 2: Unclip the fastners that hold the rubber splashguard. I reached behind and used plyers to squeeze it together and then pushed through. I hear you can use a flathead screwdriver as well for this. I also only took out the top three fastners and let it hang. You can take them all out and remove it completely if you want to.
http://i.imgur.com/BdJzvZo.jpg

Step 3: Remove the bolts holding the brake line in place. It's not needed to completely remove the brake line, but it helps to move it out of the way sometimes. Note there are 2 bolts here, one on either side and they can be reached with a 12mm ratchet.
http://i.imgur.com/KiRxt32.jpg

Step 4: There are 2 connections to the starter itself. The yellow arrow points to a plastic cover over one of them, and the blue arrow points to a kind-of clipped in connection. Remove the plastic cover and unclip the smaller black connector. Both of which might be easier to do coming from below the frame.
http://i.imgur.com/3cNk0ta.jpg

Step 5: Unscrew the bolt holding the first connection to the starter. I used a couple long ratchet extentions down past the skid plate to get this one off. Again, I did this from below.
http://i.imgur.com/LKzveaj.jpg

Step 6: Remove the exhaust pipe bracket. There are 3 bolts total shown in the picture to remove. This allows us access to the bolts holding the starter in place against the transmission. I remove these and the starter bolts while below the truck and used a 14mm socket.
http://i.imgur.com/613ztey.jpg

Step 7: Remove the two starter bolts holding it in place. I left them loose in the below picture to make it clear which two needed to come out. The top bolt is SHORTER than the bottom bolt. Make sure to not let it get banged up! I used a 14mm socket and socket wrench with an extension bar to remove these, but others have used a swivel as well.
http://i.imgur.com/eAKiwmk.jpg

Congratz! The starter is now free of its restraints and you can move it around within it's small area. I used a small block of wood to help hold the starter up for the next several steps. It was about 6 inches tall.
http://i.imgur.com/CEf5eY1.jpg

Step 8: With the starter sitting on it's side, we now have access to a plate that behind it contains the contacts. Remote the 3 bolts here that hold the plate on. These should be able to be removed with 7mm socket.
http://i.imgur.com/cA9vEvU.jpg

Step 9: Remove the plunger and long spring; put them aside somewhere they aren't going to get dirty (sorry, I forgot to include a picture). You should now be able to see the contacts inside on either side. They are held by bolts on the outside of the starter.
http://i.imgur.com/aDSwCCq.jpg

Step 10: Because the starter is loose and free, getting the bolts off to remove the contacts can be a little difficult. To help with leverage I used 2 wrenches, 13mm on the contact side and 14mm on the bolt side. I have a ratchet-type wrench here so it was a little easier than using a standard wrench.
http://i.imgur.com/d3ITdpR.jpg

Once you have the contact and bolt removed from the starter, you should have the following pieces pulled out in the below order:
http://i.imgur.com/eTCyWku.jpg

Here's the difference between my old (on the left) and new (on the right) contact! I only replaced the one as the other looked fine.
http://i.imgur.com/P7NGAqB.jpg

Putting it back together took me about 1/4th of the time, but it's basically the exact opposite process as above. Once done, you're all set! I did the above just like I explained it and now have a 4Runner that starts up right away!


Thanks for taking the time to read my step-through! It's my first I've done when it comes to vehicles, so please let me know how I did and what I could do to make it better! Also, I apologize for any fuzzy pictures too.

Another great resource that I found other than these forums was at the following website: HaveBlue's 3.4 V6 Starter Replacement

Have fun!

Nice write up! :trophy:

very nice write up

I just did this job and removed the started which was easy with my 1" body lift and didn't require me to touch the exhaust header. Mine had major corrosion, lots of mud and lots of wear after 165000 miles and a lot of offroading.. I was glad I took it all out and really cleaned it inside and out. WOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!! Whole job took an hour and a half start to finish but was so easy.

excellent write up! I'm sure I'll be referring back to this in the future.
Only thing I would add to the write up is: part numbers, required tools, etc.

Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

subscribe

need a little help.
I need to do this on my truck but I'm not sure about the contacts, I see they have long bolt and short bolt. Can anyone help.

Those wheels look good, CoMarc.

Man, it's weird seeing a V6 in that bay!

I should have a new truck by the end of summer so I will know it soon enough.

Good write up.

very helpful photo illustrations
 

I am just about ready to do this myself and for a buddy's ride and dang I could not ask for better instructions or pics.

skorpion go to the 4crawler.com web site and all will make sense. Roger is most helpful and very specific- but read first and read thoroughly.

Great write up as it was very helpful for my change of the whole starter.

The hardest part was getting the top bolt off of the starter. I had to use a universal joint and several extensions and after a 30-min struggle, finally found the right position to get it off.

Thanks again for the help as my Hanes repair manual was horrible and would have left me stranded and helpless.

Excellent write-up! I rebuilt the starter on my FJ62 and it's very similar, except a WHOLE lot easier to access than the T4R...

I replaced my plunger while I was in there....

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...2.jpg~original

Here's a little more "exposed" pic....
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...7.jpg~original

As a former tech writer/illustrator in the automotive industry I would give the workflow an A...

Two questions - if the contact that was not replaced in the write-up needs to be, is it easily accessible from the wheelwell like the contact that was replaced?

Is it absolutely necessary to disconnect both cables or can the starter be worked on without doing so?

Hey theskeezix,
First off, thanks for the comments!

The other contact I'm sure could have been replaced by removing the connector and bolt on the other side. I didn't try it myself as I didn't know how far in I really wanted to get into it.

As for the cables, removing both from the bottom of the starter definitely helped me be able to move it around to a spot that I could easily access the contacts without too much hassle. Plus, both cables are relatively easy to get off and put back on.

(Another) Starter Contacts Removal Thread!
 

Just in case you decide to remove the starter altogether, here's a starter rebuild thread I did on the FJ62 which appears to be the same starter on our 3rd gen's...



Here are the Toyota part #s for a starter rebuild.

ETA updated url:
Here are the Toyota part #s for a starter rebuild. | IH8MUD Forum

This was the best write up for it yet. I just replaced the contacts in my starter today. It took me a long time but I could probably in a 1/4 of the time if ever needed again. One thing to not over look....the 2nd bolt that holds the brake line in place. That 2nd bolt makes all the difference in the world.

Thanks a lot for the write up....it helped tons.

p.s. The contact exchange was successful...starts every time.

It's a little different.....one of the contacts is the same the other is offset.
P/N's
28235-54380 Plunger magnet switch
28226-54340 Kit starter repair
28226-72010 Starter kit

:cheers:

Man I'm having a hell of a time getting the exhaust bracket bolts off. The first came off easy, the others feel like they're welded in there. Got my buddy coming over tonight with better tools...hopefully I can get them off without stripping them.

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5...ketremoval.jpg

Hey guys, was wondering if anyone can help here. The bolt on the right in this picture is impossible to get out (so far). Gonna hit it with the impact wrench today and hopefully that will get it out. Regardless, it's been chewed to hell and I'll need a new one, but I can't find this bracket in the FSM. Does anyone happen to know the part # on that bolt?

EDIT:
Found it in the FSM...the bolt shows 44 (450, 33) next to it. What do those numbers mean exactly?

Hopefully it came out ok.

The three numbers are torque specs in different units of measurement.

:cheers:
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/6559/autotranny1.jpg

Finally figured that out, thanks!

Things didn't turn out all that great...that bolt wouldn't even come loose with an impact wrench and is pretty chewed up. Then I realized that I didn't even need to remove that, I could reach the starter bolts with an extension and swivel. I've got the starter opened now, gonna do the contacts here in a bit.

Even if you found it, the Toyota IPL usually only shows "STD PART" for a bolt like that.

Finally got it all put back together...works great! No more clicking and worrying that one day it's just not gonna start!

Excellent write up! I just did this yesterday. Saved my bacon in a big way. Thanks! :cheers:

I'm having trouble getting the black clip connection off the starter. How exactly does the clip work? Any suggestions?

Whoops. Got it! Too easy lol

Just did this on mine. Dealership was out of stock on plunger so I just cleaned it up and replaced the contacts.

Discount Car Parts Stuff - Car Accessories & Truck Accessories - Cheap Auto Parts - Car Cover - Floor Mats - Cargo Liner - 1997 Toyota 4Runner Starter Contact Set

this site had the contacts fairly cheap...cheaper than dealership...might give it a try if you guys are attempting this

cheers

starter off! Now where'd that bolt go?
 

Hey all!

Based on the fantastic thread here I decided to remove my own starter for this contact replacement yesterday (1990 3.0 4Runner). So I loosened the top bolt (thank you 24" rachet extension and u-joint attachment) and was removing the bottom bolt (from the front of the vehicle) and when the starter dropped the starter DROPPED! Wedged itself in nicely and settled in, which made for a PITA extraction...

Here's the problem: I can't find that top mounting bolt now. It never hit the ground, and I haven't felt it resting on anything in the engine bay...

So my question is: what is the worst case scenario for that bolt? Could it have fallen into the transmission under the flywheel by route of the hole created with the starter removed? I didn't want to reach in there because my hands were covered in power steering fluid, etc but with clean hands you think i can reach in there and pull it out? Or where else would it end up?

Thanks in advance! I'm going to clean up and disassemble the starter tomorrow and see what a difference its going to make.

Brian

This may be redundant but if you remove these yellow circled bolts you will be able to separate your transmission downtube and remove the top half getting it out of the way (top pic of bolt on trasmission downtube to be removed). The second bolt (bottom pic in wheel well) removed will allow you to move your brake lines further out of the way so that you can pull your starter completely out of the wheel well area. Be careful with those brake lines so that you don't bend them too far.

Attachment 41030

How the crap do you get the top 14mm mount bolt out? I see very little clearance to turn a socket. I tried a 14mm gear-wrench in between the exhaust pipes from the side, but couldn't get enough torque on it. From below, the bottom bolt looks possible, but I need a swivel. The top? I have no clue...maybe a 1" extension and a swivel, with a long breaker bar?

I've already taken everything else apart, so the truck is now stationary until the parts come in on Tuesday. Going to need to run to Ace for more tools, I guess.

You're right, that bolt is a toughy! It's been so long now since I did this I'm having a hard time recalling what I did, but I didn't have a swivel at all (I hear this would have been very helpful in this situation). I have a breaker-bar type socket wrench so I'm sure that's what I used, then used a much smaller ratchet to get it out quickly. Good luck!

Oh, good idea. I have a 1/2" drive breaker bar and a 1/2 to 3/8 reducer...that might just work.

Well, after trying just about every tool I have, I finally got the upper mounting bolt out! Ended up pulling the starter down towards the sway bar, and took the cap off there. Seemed a little easier than working around the brake line from the wheel well.

I took out the plunger and the longer contact, and honestly things don't look too bad. A little dusty, and slightly worn, but not bad by any means. But, since I have it apart, I'll replace the contacts anyway. I cleaned/polished up the surface of the plunger, as it was dirty and pitted, but barely worn.

Parts come in tomorrow, so hopefully I'll get it back together tomorrow night.

Contacts replaced today. Both sides, all OEM parts from the kits. I hope I got the order of parts right! Wasn't quite sure where the o-ring went, but in the end it didn't really matter.

Took probably 6.5 hours total. If I had to do it again...probably 1 hour. Just way too much ****in' around trying to find tools to fit, trying to get the starter out, etc. FYI - I removed my sway bar and it still wouldn't come out. But, it did give me more room to work.

Two big bummers:

1. For some reason the 3rd cap screw wasn't threading in properly. I tried several times to get it started by hand, but it would get hard way too fast. Well, like a bonehead I just kept turning it. It was going in just fine (albeit tough), but when it made contact with the cap, the bolt head busted off. *(&^%^&(O&FF!!! Only about 1.5mm of bolt was left sticking up, so I couldn't get a vicegrips on it. Tried cutting a slot in the end witha dremel, but it wouldn't turn out with a screwdriver. Then I just drilled consecutively larger holes in the bolt (which sucked), and sort of tapped in a new screw. Some locktite and a lockwasher, and I think it'll be fine. The other two bolts went in no problem.

2. Got everything put back together and was about to torque the mounting bolts...when I noticed the G.D. plunger on the floor! W---TEEEEE---EFFFFF? Son of a...
Took everything back apart, slid in the plunger, all is good. But then I snapped off the little rubber "breather" thing by that 3rd bolt! Jeezus, could this get any worse? A little RTV, and I was back in business.

In the end, I don't even know 100% if the problem will be solved, as I said the contacts I removed looked fine...just a little dirty and slightly pitted. We'll see, I guess.

Thanks for all the tips, y'all. I need a beer!

Seems like too many jobs I do end up going like this. The end result is fine, but man the process just kicks your butt every step of the way.

Totally agree. I feel fairly mechanically inclined too! I work on both cars, my motorcycle, and several bicycles...and I have just about every tool I need. Not sure why it's always a struggle. I guess the radiator/t-stat/hoses/rear heat lines project went fine...so it's not ALWAYS terrible. But damn, at some point I need to learn that my time is more valuable!

I made an account here just to thank CoMarc for putting together this guide. I've got a 99' 4runner that was having this same problem. I replaced the starter contacts using this guide and it solved the problem.

You're welcome! That's exactly why I made this guide, especially for some of us out there that aren't that mechanically inclined (specifically myself). I'm glad you were able to use this to fix replace your contacts.

Sent from my Android

AMEN!

I look at it as a matter of building a skill set in case I'm ever stuck at the end of a logging road in the winter out of cell phone range with a broken down truck. Then again, I'm a total beginner.

I also figure I'm not dumb enough to get that lost, but a person never knows. I also keep enough gear inside to survive a week or two, anyway.