turning key does nothing help plz

[Keyton777]

ok, truck wouldnt start one night, figured it was battery, got a jump and got home, wen i pulled into driveway and killed the engine, tried to start it again, and nothing, figured a jump would work again.
It didnt, figured it was still the battery, the sticker was 7/10 about a week ago, waited till i had money, changed battery.

b4 i changed the battery, the dome light still came on and the lights on the dash that said a door was open and the key in door open bell was going.
I turn key and all of it shuts off, untill i close and open the door again, new battery, and obviously the same stuff is happening just dimmer, because new battery.

i have no earthly clue whats going on.
starter makes no noise, and the only thing i could think of that was that when i bought the truck it didnt like to be started more than once every few hours, put key in, foot on brake and turn key, engine would crank and crank untill it started, i had the distributor cap changed and the spark plugs, basically a full tuneup, still happens, but not nearly as bad, still takes a bit, like 5 - 6 seconds.
i guess the alternator is still working, because the 4 year old battery should have been dead and the truck got home just fine no lights dimming whatsoever with the A/C on.

some say the alternator

a few say starter, but that makes no sense to me at all, it wouldnt have started when i jumped it if it was.

a few say the cables are bad, there was a great deal of corrosion on the leads on the old battery

and some are saying the starter fuse...and that damn thing is just a big blue brick.....i cant tell if its dead or not



Oh, the truck, is a automatic 1996 4runner 4 cylinder, nothing fancy, only electric window is the back one, has overdrive, and some sort of power ECT thing i used once didnt notice anything, never poked it again

 

[1blink]

Have you checked the fuses? Have you tried tapping the starter with a hammer? Do you hear the solenoid click when you turn the key? Any noise at all (even quiet) when you turn the key?

 

[RAD4Runner]

Got a volt-meter? Next to our senses, the volt-meter is the most important diagnostic tool for classics.

...changed battery...

Is battery charged?

starter makes no noise...

A dead battery will not make starter produce any sound.

some say the alternator

Bad alternator will give youa charge error light.
Got schematic for you vehicle?

a few say starter, but that makes no sense to me at all, it wouldnt have started when i jumped it if it was.

If you have a deeply-discharged battery, it will take several minutes of getting connected to donor vehicle before you could make it crank.

...there was a great deal of corrosion on the leads on the old battery

What did you do about it? Search forum, for battery connectors and corrosion.

and some are saying the starter fuse...and that damn thing is just a big blue brick.....i cant tell if its dead or not

Whoever told you that your truck as a starter fuse, do not let him touch the truck ever again. -LOL!

 

[Keyton777]

Have you checked the fuses? Have you tried tapping the starter with a hammer? Do you hear the solenoid click when you turn the key? Any noise at all (even quiet) when you turn the key?

turning key does nothing at all, and i checked all the fuses i could look into, the one labled STARTER is one i want to look at but i cant pull it out, and its basically a blue/purple brick that doesnt want to come out, not for lack trying, no i have not tried to just yank it out like a bad tooth.


and if i got noise from anything i would kak my pants in glee that i got somewhere

 

[Keyton777]

Got a volt-meter? Next to our senses, the volt-meter is the most important diagnostic tool for classics.


Is battery charged?


A dead battery will not make starter produce any sound.


Bad alternator will give youa charge error light.
Got schematic for you vehicle?


If you have a deeply-discharged battery, it will take several minutes of getting connected to donor vehicle before you could make it crank.

What did you do about it? Search forum, for battery connectors and corrosion.

Whoever told you that your truck as a starter fuse, do not let him touch the truck ever again. -LOL!

well to answer what i can as i see it, this quote thing isnt very big.

the truck does have a starter fuse, i just cant look at it, its labled on the fuse boxes lid.

the new battery could use a little charging, but so far its ok, lights are a little dim. have yet to test if the head lights come on , but that just shuts off the dash lights

the connectors make less and less sense because power is leaving the battery somehow and going to mostly where it should.

and if i made the starter even chirp i would crap my pants that i got somewhere other than dead, mindnumbing silence

where could i get a good one for work on cars?
and dumb question i have a repair manual thing....would it be in there, its a chilton repair guide...unfortunately i cant make sense of some of it

 

[RAD4Runner]

the new battery could use a little charging, but so far its ok, lights are a little dim. I have yet to test if the head lights come on , but that just shuts off the dash lights

Meaning Either battery is dead (not OK, needs charging) or You have bad connection.

Let me reiterate... What did you do about the connectors?

the connectors make less and less sense because power is leaving the battery somehow and going to mostly where it should.

Sense or not, did you clean them?
How do you know that power is going where it should?
How did you check the fuse?
Let me reiterate, do you have a volt-meter/multi-meter?

... i have a repair manual thing....would it be in there, its a chilton repair guide...unfortunately i cant make sense of some of it

We can help you make sense out of it.

the truck does have a starter fuse, i just cant look at it, its labled on the fuse boxes lid.

?
Wanna scan the wiring diagram in manual where fuse, starter and ignition switch connect to battery?

Open fuse block, take voltage measurements at fuses, take pics of fuses, note voltage at each point

 

[Kenworth]

It's a bad connection at battery ,starter ,or power lead from battery to main
Fuse box, sounds like from your post that you need to take it to a shop,also check your ground connection

 

[VolcanoT4R]

Have you tried starting it with truck in neutral? Could be the neutral safety switch. You can clean the contacts of it on the 96. Here's a write-up from ttora explaining how to do it:

neutral safety switch fix - TTORA Forum

 

[toyo]

Do this by the process of elimination if that helps you.

1. Make sure the battery is fully charged and your connections are clean and tight.
2. Check the positive and negative cables coming from the battery. Follow the starter cable all the way down to the starter. Check for chaffs etc.
3. Jump start the starter. If it engages then you know the starer is good.

Is it an automatic or manual? If it's a manual jump the wires going to the Clutch Override switch. I have seen these be a problem before.

If it is not any of the above then move on to the ignition switch.

Circuit closed with Ignition key at ACC or ON position.
Circuit closed with Ignition Key at ON or ST position.
Circuit closed with Ignition Key at ON or ST position.

Here is a chart of the power source and what all it goes to.
Let us know what you find after you have looked at the above items please. Feel free to PM me if you need anything more specific.