CedRunner
New member
1 hr starter replacement 96 limited t4r 4x4 automatic
I started my day out with an itch to work on my truck today. Posted myself as the stealership at 8 to purchase red coolant and at the last minute I decided against doing a flush today. Still having the itch to turn a wrench or 2, I decided to do the oil change instead. I purchased my truck used about a month and a half ago with 180k miles and no real idea of previous maintenance other than this was the best shape (engine, trans and body) that I have seen since I started looking over a year ago. When I bought it I knew that the starter was going to go at some point. Well, before I did my oil purchase I decided to stop by my house and have lunch. On my way to wallyworld for a case of mobile 1 I decide to stop at a gas station, one block from the stealership I was at earlier that day. When I got back in my truck to start it...my starter just spun, no clicks just the sound of a starter spinning...bad plunger. I partly blame me walking into the dealership for this, like they put a spell on my rig...you'll be back today lol all the way to the back! Well, $305.71 later (tax and core) I am walking out with a Toyota starter. I know, there are after markets for cheaper, but that's not the topic here. I need my ride on Monday and I want reliable so I bit the bullet. I am not willing to pay the $450 labor the dealership wants and I did start the day with and itch to turn wrenches...boy did I get served...so I thought. I read pretty much everywhere how hard this is, and I must say that I found it rather easy. Did a little further reading and came up with my own shortcuts. Thought I would share to give some karma back to the forum. Before starting i disconnected the battery and should have turned my wheels to the left (lets see if i remember in 10 years). First of all, the only things I removed were the top half of the transmission dipstick and according bracket, rubber wheel well shield, disconnected break fitting and obviously the starter. When I pulled the starter out I found that flipping it so it was upside down and the teeth pointing inside made for an easy removal( easyer than taking it apart in the engine bay as some threads suggest). Didn't need to wobble it or wiggle it out, just slid right out of what seemed to be an opening designed just for that. Installation was the exact same, insert teeth first upside down and rotate once inside cavity, it took a little more finessing to do that and align it with bolt holes but none the less it was less than 10 minutes. Bolt it in and reassemble the rest. I will start it in AM once I acquire some break fluid to bleed breaks ( broke a brake line open =bleed breaks). All of this took a little less than an hour. I used a 12mm wrench, 12 socket, 14mm socket, 12 and 8" extension and a swivel adapter along with a crescent (line wrenches would be better for break-lines) and my wife to hold starter in place while I drive the bolts back in. Hopefully this will help someone out. Moral of the day, if you walk into a dealership, plan on something happening to your truck hours later. LOL!!!
Wheel well flap removal
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/060_zpsa00470c6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/060_zpsa00470c6.jpg" border="0" alt="Rubber Wheel Well flap"/></a>~original)
view of breakline and dipstick in the way
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/061_zps4c061bab.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/061_zps4c061bab.jpg" border="0" alt="Starter with Lines in way"/></a>~original)
Dipstick bolt removal, just pull up on dipstick after removing bolt and plug lower dipstick tube so nothing gets in it.
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/062_zps9ff9921f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/062_zps9ff9921f.jpg" border="0" alt="Dipstick Bracket"/></a>~original)
Break-line disconnect, don't forget to wipe up spilled fluid...
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/063_zpsafa4824d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/063_zpsafa4824d.jpg" border="0" alt="Breakline Connection"/></a>~original)
Bolt on inside rail for break-line bracket
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/064_zpse26af4b0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/064_zpse26af4b0.jpg" border="0" alt="Breakline Bracket"/></a>~original)
Disconnect the constant Hot
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/065_zps50374f70.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/065_zps50374f70.jpg" border="0" alt="Hot"/></a>~original)
and the ignition hot
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/066_zpse0902c5f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/066_zpse0902c5f.jpg" border="0" alt="Ignition"/></a>~original)
undo 2 starter mounting bolts
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/067_zpsa7deea0f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/067_zpsa7deea0f.jpg" border="0" alt="Starter Bolts"/></a>~original)
flip and rotate starter out, fits perfect in opening. Install new starter in same position through opening then rotate and flip once inside the engine bay.
![a>~original](http://<a href="http://s220.beta.photobucket.com/user/Nascarr97/media/068_zps16f62e9c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd84/Nascarr97/068_zps16f62e9c.jpg" border="0" alt="Starter Removal"/></a>~original)
I started my day out with an itch to work on my truck today. Posted myself as the stealership at 8 to purchase red coolant and at the last minute I decided against doing a flush today. Still having the itch to turn a wrench or 2, I decided to do the oil change instead. I purchased my truck used about a month and a half ago with 180k miles and no real idea of previous maintenance other than this was the best shape (engine, trans and body) that I have seen since I started looking over a year ago. When I bought it I knew that the starter was going to go at some point. Well, before I did my oil purchase I decided to stop by my house and have lunch. On my way to wallyworld for a case of mobile 1 I decide to stop at a gas station, one block from the stealership I was at earlier that day. When I got back in my truck to start it...my starter just spun, no clicks just the sound of a starter spinning...bad plunger. I partly blame me walking into the dealership for this, like they put a spell on my rig...you'll be back today lol all the way to the back! Well, $305.71 later (tax and core) I am walking out with a Toyota starter. I know, there are after markets for cheaper, but that's not the topic here. I need my ride on Monday and I want reliable so I bit the bullet. I am not willing to pay the $450 labor the dealership wants and I did start the day with and itch to turn wrenches...boy did I get served...so I thought. I read pretty much everywhere how hard this is, and I must say that I found it rather easy. Did a little further reading and came up with my own shortcuts. Thought I would share to give some karma back to the forum. Before starting i disconnected the battery and should have turned my wheels to the left (lets see if i remember in 10 years). First of all, the only things I removed were the top half of the transmission dipstick and according bracket, rubber wheel well shield, disconnected break fitting and obviously the starter. When I pulled the starter out I found that flipping it so it was upside down and the teeth pointing inside made for an easy removal( easyer than taking it apart in the engine bay as some threads suggest). Didn't need to wobble it or wiggle it out, just slid right out of what seemed to be an opening designed just for that. Installation was the exact same, insert teeth first upside down and rotate once inside cavity, it took a little more finessing to do that and align it with bolt holes but none the less it was less than 10 minutes. Bolt it in and reassemble the rest. I will start it in AM once I acquire some break fluid to bleed breaks ( broke a brake line open =bleed breaks). All of this took a little less than an hour. I used a 12mm wrench, 12 socket, 14mm socket, 12 and 8" extension and a swivel adapter along with a crescent (line wrenches would be better for break-lines) and my wife to hold starter in place while I drive the bolts back in. Hopefully this will help someone out. Moral of the day, if you walk into a dealership, plan on something happening to your truck hours later. LOL!!!
Wheel well flap removal
view of breakline and dipstick in the way
Dipstick bolt removal, just pull up on dipstick after removing bolt and plug lower dipstick tube so nothing gets in it.
Break-line disconnect, don't forget to wipe up spilled fluid...
Bolt on inside rail for break-line bracket
Disconnect the constant Hot
and the ignition hot
undo 2 starter mounting bolts
flip and rotate starter out, fits perfect in opening. Install new starter in same position through opening then rotate and flip once inside the engine bay.
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