97 t4r not starting

[CatchM3]

This is very a very broad topic but i cant seem to figure it out. Most days my t4r starts and drives just fine. Every now and then more frequently recently though it wont start. You get in turn the key everything comes on but it wont start(turn over). It seems like a starter issue. Pop the hood put some jumper cables to it and it normally will start except rare occasions. From what I've learned when a starter goes out its out, jumper cables wont help that. I work for a Chevy dealership, not Toyota i know, but a technician is a technician. I had a couple of techs take a look at it they said connection issue. One of them put a new batter terminal connector on. That worked for a few days then one morning nothing. Some days when i turn the key it wont do anything but if i hold the key down after about 5 seconds it starts. Another thing is the ignition cylinder and door and rear hatch cylinders do not match the same key. So i'm guessing the ignition has been switched out but not coded to the same key. The tech also suggested it could be the starter relay. We just had a baby so if i went out and spent a bunch of money on new car parts my wife would murder me ha ha. The only CEL code i've been able to pull was for the crankshaft position sensor but that was from it flooding out from trying to start it but it not turning over. So faulty code clear it and it doesn't come back on. Any help would be great.

(another thing ive noticed maybe not related to this and i dont know a ton about toyotas yet but with the car in any gear i can take the key all the way out of the ignition. this is my second automatic ive owned in 8 years. the first being an 83 bronco. but even it wouldnt let me remove the key unless it was in park. it just seems odd to me)

I cant seem to figure this out. I don't want to spend a bunch of money to narrow down the issue so i'm hoping for some advice.

here is what i think it could be:
BAD BATTERY
BAD STARTER
NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH
STARTER SOLENOID
BATTERY CABLES
IGNITION CYLINDER(and or connections)

 

[kball]

Sounds like your starter contacts. It's a common issue. They say the Denso starters are very well built so you don't want to trade it in for some aftermarket junk. The contacts do wear out though. They only cost about $15. Here's a write up for you.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/63228-another-starter-contacts-removal-thread.html

 

[JayRolla]

Like stated it could be the contacts or the solenoid is failing. When it doesnt start, if you tap on the starter and if fires right up than the solenoid is going out.