SOLVED - 01 Runner will not crank

[theBEAR]

SOLVED - 2001 4Runner SR5

Last winter when I went to cold start the motor I would get nothing on the first key cycle. I would cycle the key 2-3 times and it would then crank the motor over. I thought it was the cold weather. It started happening again in the spring so I rebuilt the starter with TOYOTA parts including the plunger. This seemed to fix the problem for a few months. Well, its happening again. When I cycle the key the dash and radio go dark and I get nothing. I think I can hear the starter plunger engaging but it does nothing.

I'm not great at diagnosing problems so any help would be appreciated. I have spent hours trying to find a solution but none that I have found seem to match my symptoms.

Current steps taken
Reinforced (-) terminal to ground
Added a ground from chassis to motor block
Parts on the way to complete "Big 3" Wire #8
Getting power at the starter
Good voltage from battery

Thanks in advance

SOLVED ********** The seal on the Starter Solenoid had gone bad and the plunger, contacts and solenoid were heavily corroded. When rebuilding your Starter Solenoid you must reseal it with RTV or some other sealant.

 

[Mauzer]

Lets start with the basics, is it crank/no start or no crank/no start? It sounds like no crank/no start but want to confirm

What is the voltage reading on the battery?

Can it be jump started?

 

[TravThePro]

2001 4Runner SR5

Last winter when I went to cold start the motor I would get nothing on the first key cycle. I would cycle the key 2-3 times and it would then crank the motor over. I thought it was the cold weather. It started happening again in the spring so I rebuilt the starter with TOYOTA parts including the plunger. This seemed to fix the problem for a few months. Well, its happening again. When I cycle the key the dash and radio go dark and I get nothing. I think I can hear the starter plunger engaging but it does nothing.

I'm not great at diagnosing problems so any help would be appreciated. I have spent hours trying to find a solution but none that I have found seem to match my symptoms.

Current steps taken
Reinforced (-) terminal to ground
Added a ground from chassis to motor block
Parts on the way to complete "Big 3" Wire #8
Getting power at the starter
Good voltage from battery

Thanks in advance

My 96 SR5 did the same thing last winter then into the spring it went again... (it also went out on my 97 limited in early summer... dang toyota starters...) rebuilt the starter and it wore through the connectors in a few months time.

I rebuilt my 97 Limiteds as well because its contacts had worn through and it has worked perfectly for the 6-7 months it's been rebuilt but with my 96 I just went ahead and replaced the starter motor because the contacts were wearing out way too fast, the new Chinese one I bought as the replacement has been perfect for the close to a year it's been going.

You can try rebuilding it again but I wouldn't be surprised if it wears out in a 2-6 month period time.

Hopefully this helps, good luck!

 

[TheDurk]

If I had this, I'd open the starter up and try to figure out how I'd screwed up the rebuild. I did my rebuild as PM three years ago when I did my clutch. No problems at all since then. NO WAY would I turn in a near bullet-proof factory Denso on a Chinese rebuild. Just no way....

 

[WillSharp]

Ive had this several times.
1. If your starter motor is old, pull it out and either clean or rebuild the copper contacts inside. Or get a new starter.
2. If 1. doest work then check your wiring for the relay you can do several tests such as jumping the relay to pinpoint where your issue is.

I had a huge issue one night about a year after buying mine. Turned out the previous owner had installed a hidden starter inhibitor switch (for anti theft I guess?) and the switch had rattled off. Took me like 6 hours to figure it out.

 

[snow junky]

01 Runner will not crank

I have had to wirebrush the plunger contacts a few times(they don’t like being dipped in water and mud)

The last time I dissembled motor too and cleaned it all up and I sealed it up with rtv. That has seemed to do the trick for past two years.


If your unsure that’s it, smack it hard with a hammer a few times and it will start back up. Works like Magic every time. [emoji375]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[theBEAR]

Lets start with the basics, is it crank/no start or no crank/no start? It sounds like no crank/no start but want to confirm

What is the voltage reading on the battery?

Can it be jump started?

No crank / no start

11.8 on the battery right now. It was a solid 12 when I started trouble shooting a few days ago.

Jump starting it was the first thing I tried. Same results: no crank, no start, with interior dash and radio lights dimming.

My 96 SR5 did the same thing last winter then into the spring it went again... (it also went out on my 97 limited in early summer... dang toyota starters...) rebuilt the starter and it wore through the connectors in a few months time.

I rebuilt my 97 Limiteds as well because its contacts had worn through and it has worked perfectly for the 6-7 months it's been rebuilt but with my 96 I just went ahead and replaced the starter motor because the contacts were wearing out way too fast, the new Chinese one I bought as the replacement has been perfect for the close to a year it's been going.

You can try rebuilding it again but I wouldn't be surprised if it wears out in a 2-6 month period time.

Hopefully this helps, good luck!

Thanks for the suggestion. I may end up having to tear out the starter again and check it out, but I was hoping to avoid that.

If I had this, I'd open the starter up and try to figure out how I'd screwed up the rebuild. I did my rebuild as PM three years ago when I did my clutch. No problems at all since then. NO WAY would I turn in a near bullet-proof factory Denso on a Chinese rebuild. Just no way....

I have read many posts just like yours so that is why I'm thinking my issue may be something else. I rebuilt it once and it worked great for about 6 months. I may have to tear into it again...

Ive had this several times.
1. If your starter motor is old, pull it out and either clean or rebuild the copper contacts inside. Or get a new starter.
2. If 1. doest work then check your wiring for the relay you can do several tests such as jumping the relay to pinpoint where your issue is.

I had a huge issue one night about a year after buying mine. Turned out the previous owner had installed a hidden starter inhibitor switch (for anti theft I guess?) and the switch had rattled off. Took me like 6 hours to figure it out.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll take a look at my relays tomorrow when it is light outside.

I have had to wirebrush the plunger contacts a few times(they don’t like being dipped in water and mud)

The last time I dissembled motor too and cleaned it all up and I sealed it up with rtv. That has seemed to do the trick for past two years.


If your unsure that’s it, smack it hard with a hammer a few times and it will start back up. Works like Magic every time. [emoji375]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome, thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to pick up some RTV if I do end up tearing open the starter again.

 

[TheDurk]

I have read many posts just like yours so that is why I'm thinking my issue may be something else. I rebuilt it once and it worked great for about 6 months. I may have to tear into it again...

If it fixed it for six months, that makes one think it WAS the problem, but then the fix failed. If it was something else, how did it suddenly stay fixed for six months? It's not that hard to under tighten those contact bolts, or leave off a lockwasher, or misalign the silly thing so it then shakes loose. I'd sure look at my old fix before I spent a dime fixing anything else.

I've only been wrenching for fifty years, what do I know?

 

[theBEAR]

If it fixed it for six months, that makes one think it WAS the problem, but then the fix failed. If it was something else, how did it suddenly stay fixed for six months? It's not that hard to under tighten those contact bolts, or leave off a lockwasher, or misalign the silly thing so it then shakes loose. I'd sure look at my old fix before I spent a dime fixing anything else.

I've only been wrenching for fifty years, what do I know?

Sorry [MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION] - I didn't know that you had been wrenching for 50 years. I will be tearing back into the starter to check things out tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion.