87 4 runner, dash lights on, no start

[ccoker]

Had some intermittent issues with my 87 4runner not starting, won't turn over.

Dash lights come on, click from ECU on kick panel on passenger side.

I think it might be a nuetral starter safety switch going out as I have had this happen before and messing with the shifter got it to fire right up.

However, it might be wiring related as I have messed with the battery cables and had it fire right up.

To add more complexity, I felt the positve terminal and it was hot and we heard a crackling sound making me think something was short circuiting.

Couldn't find anything obvious but there was a cable going from the positive and negative that ran to the cab to power up some lights. I cut the wires to eliminate that variable. This makes me think perhaps the fusible link got blown.


The truck sits on our hunting property about 1.5 hours away so I am trying to line up things to test/replace (including bypassing the neutral starter safety switch if need be)

thanks in advance for any tips..

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

Clean those battery terminals first, get them tightened down properly and make sure there's no corrosion anywhere on either post. Double-check the ground wires from battery to frame and block, this can also cause the starter to act up, along with o2 sensor to make truck run rich (don't ask me how I know this!).

Clean and check positive wire at starter, make sure the little spade connector is tight when you snap it into the starter's solenoid (roundish box mounted onto the starter itself).

I'm assuming the truck runs fine, it just has issues getting the starter to actually turn the motor over? You can check to see if it is the ground wire by running a small-gauge wire (around 16 gauge is fine) from +12 at the battery to the starter's solenoid (pull the small wire clip out before touching the spade lug inside the plastic housing on the solenoid). If it doesn't crank over, you have ground problems or a bad starter/solenoid. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN GEAR WHEN YOU DO THIS! This will just test to see if the power cable to the starter is okay, as well as having a proper ground cable connected to the block, which completes the circuit for the starter.

If she cranks over just fine, you have issues with the key, or clutch safety switch, or starter relay, or wiring to/from any of those points.

I'd check the relay also, make sure the contacts are clean and that its getting power/ground. Of course, before any of all this, try shorting the clutch switch first to make sure its not that. Try the easiest stuff first, but only after you get that battery terminal cleaned and tightened.

 

[ccoker]

thanks..
FYI it is an automatic with EFI 22re