'86 4x4 Not Starting ..i'm Guessing That The

[Geronimo]

I hate to make my first post here one of desperation but my truck's been running fine so I haven't had the need to post. Nor have I had much of a chance to refer to my Haynes manual. Until now that is.

I replaced the starter in my '86 back in July. Since then there have been a few times where the truck wouldn't start. It would just click down around the starter area. I've usually been able to rock the truck a little bit to get the the engine to turn to the point where it would start but now I'm just getting the clicking. Now no matter how hard I rock it, it won't engage. Though I am able to roll it and pop the clutch to get it going. Thinking it couldn't be the starter since it's only got a few thousand miles on it I inspected the plug wires and found them to be in pretty bad shape. So I replaced the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor thinking that that might have something to do with it but no luck. Still clicking. I had an '85 that wouldn't start once so my mechanic, at the time, installed a new coil and I was good to go. After doing the plugs, wires, cap and rotor, I replced the coil. Still clicking. I replaced the Battery terminals a few weeks ago, so I know I have a good connection. The Battery is fully charged and is two months old. So I'm ruling out the Battery.

I notced that the little exposed copper wire on my ignitor had corroded so badly that it broke. I figured that this had to be it. Unfortunately a brand new ignitor costs about $375, which I don't have. Fortunately I was able to locate a used one at a junk yard for $65. I raced home from work, this evening, to put it in. I attached my new coil and mounted it up the same way it came off. I reattach my battery, hop in the driver's seat, I turn the key with anticipation, and still the same clicking. :ffs:

I'm going to pull the starter out tomorrow to inspect the pinion and flywheel. That is, unless, someone can suggest something else for me to consider.

I appreciate any, and all input. I look forward to going back to being a lurker on this message board again! Thanks!

[sandgroper]

Geronimo You mentioned new Battery teminals but did you also inspect the ground on the engine.

Any way it sounds like low voltage or worn out brushes in the starter.

You could ground the starter separately and rig up a direct power supply to the Battery using jumper cables.

If that dont make the starter kick over,then out it comes.

[Geronimo]

No, I never did think to check the ground to the engine block. I'll have another look this evening. Hopefully I won't have to pull the starter out again.

If it turns out that it's not the ground and it is, indeed, the starter, could this have been caused by low transmision fluid? I know my tranny fluid is low and thought that this might have kept the pinion from being properly lubricated. That's just a guess though. I have no idea.

But speaking of low voltage, the last time I rolled it and popped the clutch to get it going was at night. Once it was running it ran ok but the lights and everything were getting dimmer by the mile. Might this be indicative of a low voltage problem?

Thanks, very much, for your input sandgroper.

[sandgroper]

The tranmission fluid does not lubricate the starter mechnism.It only has a light coating of machine oil when rebuilt so that is not a problem.

The lights going dim are definately some sort of problem in the charge relay.

The problem may be resistance from a bad engine ground,loose alternator belt or a dying alternator.

Its likely your charging problem is failing to to keep the Battery charged up and is the root cause of all your woe.

Even a new Battery goes south pretty quick with a bad charging sytem.

Clean both the terminals at both ends and if still no good get the alt tested, it should put out 13.85volts

Trying to start it with a undercharged Battery will eventually kill the starter.

What type of vehicle is it?

[Geronimo]

It's an 86 Toyota 4x4 with a 22r motor. I won't have much time to mess with it until this weekend. Hopefully it's just a bad connection in the terminals like you said.

The alternator is less than a year old. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks!

[Geronimo]

Well today I redid all ends of the positive and negative terminals. That didn't do it. I figured I'd pull the starter and inspect the teeth. Sure enough, they had been worn down a little bit. I figured it had to be it. I went down and exchanged my starter for a new one since it was under warranty. I put in the new one and no go.

So I figured it had to be the alternator, I pulled that out and brought it down and got a new one. I installed the new one and it still won't start. It's doing the same thing it's been doing all along. Making a clicking sound down around the starter area.

I'm at my wits end, and I'm about to push the damn thing off of a cliff. If anyone has any idea what I might be overlooking, please let me know. Thanks.

[Geronimo]

Next step is two check two things that I should have checked before I went through all this hassle. The ignition switch and the starter relay. I have no idea how to check these items but I'm about to refer to my Haynes manual on these subjects. Am I finally looking in the right direction? Anyone?

[Geronimo]

It's finally runnning. I had checked the fuses before and none of them were blown. This time I thought I might try to clean up the contacts a little bit. So I pulled the 15 amp Engine fuse, the 7.5 amp Ignition fuse, and under the hood I pulled the 7.5 amp Charge/Auto Choke fuse. I cleaned all the contacts with a little steel wool, and it fired right up. I really hate to think that I went through all this trouble when it was something so small. Except for the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor, I think I through a lot of money away. An expensive lesson to be learned. Though my truck's running like a top now.

[sandgroper]

Congrats :group-cuddles: , I know its too late now but I always try and find a place that does free bench testing for starters ect based on the $ame experience as your$.

A friend of mine use to rebuild these as a job full time and he told me a sizeable % of alts and starters that passed thru his hands were in perfect working order and needed no rebuild.So presumably the customers misdiagnosed the problem or mechanics want to bump the bill up.

Rule #1 -ALWAYS CHECK THE CHEAP STUFF 1ST!