Starter Click, Click, Click. Jump starts immediately???

[daugherty83]

Looked at an 01 last night, owner said problem was recent. Came back from vacation, and truck just clicked over. Battery and alteranator were good according to their mechanic. Tried to start it last night to test drive, and got click click click click click. Did not see if lights or interior were working, owner was in truck starting. Hooked up jumper cables, and truck fired up immediately, and ran for 30 minutes on city streets and highway at night with the headlights and brights on. Owner said it will start up again after it has been jumped like that, but let it sit over night or a day or two and all you get is clicks. Dropped it off at mechanic to have it looked at, and if problem gets fixed, I will buy truck. Any opinions or thoughts as to what it could be? Loose cable, starter contacts, solenoid?? Toyota's are foreign to me. Thanks as always guys

 

[RyanKay]

It could most likely be the battery, especially since you already mention the owner was on vacation and recently got back. Most of the time, if a vehicle is stationery for a while, it tends to drain the battery dry resulting in a faulty start. I could be wrong.

 

[LINY4Runner]

I'd say battery too.

 

[toytech76]

Its probably your starter contacts. Check the batt connection then if its ok, have your starter contacts replaced. Not the WHOLE starter

 

[JTBerger]

I'd say battery is 99.9% the culprit. Of course you'll want to check the cables, terminals, and posts for any corrosion buildup too. Also check your leads/connections at the starter.

If the battery checks out fine and there's no corrosion buildup, there's a chance that there could be a draw, but that's just my BMW experience talking and it may not apply to 'yotas.

 

[410toy]

you can have the battery checked and tested for free at auto zone or similar place like that. doing that would save alot of time.

 

[manhunter]

Is there some other type of equipment hooked up to it, ie: like a cb or other auxillary equipment? Sometimes if they are not wired correctly, they can drain a battery afer it has been charged for couple of days. If not, then I agree that the battery is probably bad.

 

[haddix]

Its a loose connection. Mine was doing the same thing. I just got a new red top battery and all new connection and stuff and its flawless now.

 

[daugherty83]

Well it's at a shop of the owners choosing. Hopefully, they will get the problem fixed quickly and I can buy my first T4R.

 

[Pikeman]

If it is a loud Click then it is more then likely the starter Solenoid. I got the contact rebuild kit for I think $20 and spent about an hour taking starter out 10 min to put the new contacts in and then 20 min putting the starter back in. the contacts in the solenoid are a common issue and dont let them talk you into a new starter for 160+ when you can do the contacts for 20-30

 

[daugherty83]

If the solenoids contacts were bad, why would I be able to jump the truck off? I am not entirely sure here at all, but wouldn't that hinder the starter and not allow the truck to turn over when being jumped. Like I said, it turned over and fired up immediately once the jumper cables were connected. The owner is paying for the fix before I buy, but am still curious as to what is going on. He said that the truck recently started doing this, and will crank up fine even a few hrs after a shutoff. But leave truck overnight or for a period of a few days, and you just get the click click click.

 

[Kmvreter]

If the solenoids contacts were bad, why would I be able to jump the truck off? I am not entirely sure here at all, but wouldn't that hinder the starter and not allow the truck to turn over when being jumped. Like I said, it turned over and fired up immediately once the jumper cables were connected. The owner is paying for the fix before I buy, but am still curious as to what is going on. He said that the truck recently started doing this, and will crank up fine even a few hrs after a shutoff. But leave truck overnight or for a period of a few days, and you just get the click click click.

You are thinking correctly. It's not the starter. I would go with the battery, next is a suspect connection, then a slow drain. Seeing that you don't own it yet watch what they replace the battery with (they might just throw an old junk in there to get it going.) Batteries have a life span but the alternator going out may contribute to this. Get the charging circuit tested and mention this nonstarting if you are taking it to a mechanic for a presale inspection.

 

[toytech76]

If the solenoids contacts were bad, why would I be able to jump the truck off? I am not entirely sure here at all, but wouldn't that hinder the starter and not allow the truck to turn over when being jumped. Like I said, it turned over and fired up immediately once the jumper cables were connected. The owner is paying for the fix before I buy, but am still curious as to what is going on. He said that the truck recently started doing this, and will crank up fine even a few hrs after a shutoff. But leave truck overnight or for a period of a few days, and you just get the click click click.

It would do that with the jumper pack because the contacts do not wear evenly. One is always worn more than the other. When the key is turned and the plunger makes contact with the contacts, it wont fully make the connection. With the jump pack, you can get a little extra power to pull that plunger down sometimes to help make that connection, especially if the contacts are just starting to get eccessivly worn

 

[Patrick4R]

I'm going to have to guess loose connection. I had a 92 corolla in college that did the exact same thing. Try unhooking the battery cables and taking a wire brush to them and reinstall.

 

[Kmvreter]

It would do that with the jumper pack because the contacts do not wear evenly. One is always worn more than the other. When the key is turned and the plunger makes contact with the contacts, it wont fully make the connection. With the jump pack, you can get a little extra power to pull that plunger down sometimes to help make that connection, especially if the contacts are just starting to get eccessivly worn

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that. So it may be a combination of wear and tear on several items. Shouldn't a fully charged battery do the same thing as far as pulling the contacts?

 

[toytech76]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that. So it may be a combination of wear and tear on several items. Shouldn't a fully charged battery do the same thing as far as pulling the contacts?

Not always. Like I said before tho, check the batt connections and if they are good then replace your contacts. Sometimes contacts can act funny and fool you into thinking it is something else

 

[Pikeman]

I had this issue as previously stated and in my case it was the contacts. I replaced teh battery with a Red top and it went away for a while until they got worn even further. Having more current as would be teh case from a jump pack it would produce more pull on the plunger or allow it to arc with enough power. My plunger had a few dozen such arc spots on it when I replaced my contacts. Now she starts like a champ everytime. While this may not be the problem with the vehicle you are looking at it is one of a couple places to have checked

 

[daugherty83]

Thanks guys. I wish I could just call the damn garage and ask the mechanic if he has even looked at the starter contacts! Frustrating to be sitting here with the more than likely answer and the truck is at the shop waiting to be diagnosed, lol.