Starter click after replacing contacts

[sbsponger]

So about 5k miles ago I replaced my starter contacts and it has been working flawlessly but recently the clicking has come back. Should I just replace the whole starter? I remember when I replaced them that some rubber in the starter was really dried out and falling apart, not sure if that has anything to do with it.

 

[cashmoney]

May be a weak relay also. May also be your battery. May be the starter. I'd go cheapest first.

 

[thor999]

Yeah def check the relay first, but fwiw I just replaced my mom's starter ('99 Sienna) that I believe is the same for ours, a Denso reman from Amazon and it looked brand new for $100

 

[gamefreakgc]

May be a weak relay also. May also be your battery. May be the starter. I'd go cheapest first.

Since the starter on some is a complete paid to get to (mine doesn't come out), hope for the easy stuff. Measure voltage on your battery, maybe try a trickle-charger overnight if you have one, check the relay, etc. If all else fails it's your starter again, probably on its way out.

 

[JayRolla]

Take voltage of the battery when off, should be above 12v, if not I would suspect battery.

 

[sbsponger]

So I got the battery tested and it was starting to go so I replaced it, but that didnt do anything at all for the starting issue. How do I go about testing the relay?

 

[thor999]

Try this? I bookmarked a lot of stuff when I replaced my mom's starter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwdBEENa7Is

 

[myriadeyes]

Hi there. This is my first post, and as such I am not allowed to start a new thread, so I searched out the most recent thread related to my starter issue.

I followed step by step the various guides to replacing the starter contacts (I mostly followed this one http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/63228-another-starter-contacts-removal-thread.html)

After putting everything back in, my 4runner still does not start - actually, it no longer even clicks. It now makes something like a computer whirring sound, if I had to try to describe it. I turned my dome light on and paid attention to it while trying to start the car, and there does seem to be a very slight dimming.

Any thoughts of where I might have gone wrong? I really thought I had pulled this off!

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Welcome! A whirring noise must mean your contacts are good. There must be a problem with the starter reaching the flywheel or something?

 

[myriadeyes]

Thank you for your quick response! I was really really not wanting to take everything apart again, but I did, and I quickly found my issue! I had left loose one of the copper contacts that is on the exterior of the starter that should have been between a nut and a bolt. She runs again!!

 

[MyHigh]

Did you guys happen to replace the plunger along with the contacts?
Wouldn't that be the piece that engages the flywheel?

 

[afg10000]

So about 5k miles ago I replaced my starter contacts and it has been working flawlessly but recently the clicking has come back. Should I just replace the whole starter? I remember when I replaced them that some rubber in the starter was really dried out and falling apart, not sure if that has anything to do with it.

If ya need the whole starter, try calling Yota Jim's yard in Denver. I got one shipped from there a few years ago, swapped the contacts, good to go.