3.4 V6 Taco Starter

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

Seriously... how does one remove the starter from a 1995.5 Tacoma with the 3.4 V6 (5VZ FE)?

No sooner did I gloat about my high milage Taco having no problems, the starter began to fail. Through process of elimination I'm positive that it's the contacts; but how the heck do thoes starters come out? I've removed the bolts, wires are off, etc., but then what? Seems like I've tried contorting it just about every way, and still can't seem to extract it!

Any tips/ideas/clues?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Is it loose, and you can't get it up and out? Or is it still rigid to the motor?

 

[Photog]

Is it on the driver side?

If so; remove the steering shaft, and the rubber fender well covers, and you should have room.

If not on driver side; I don't know?

 

[Clark White]

You have to remove the right tire and remove the splash guard (don't know their proper name) that close off the inside of the wheel well. You should then be able to extract it through there. Just checked my Chiltons and it says to remove it towards the front, but if my memory serves me right the AC lines are in the way. If that doesn't work, I can go out and look at my truck. I would probably remember once I'm actually looking at it. And your's is on the right side right? I have a 2000, so it should be the same (same engine).

 

[taco chaser]

You should be able to remove it from under the truck, drop it straight down, if you go foward you hit the motor mount, up you run into AC lines, exhaust, etc... It doe's make it easier if you pop all the plastic clips out of the fender splash gaurd and remove it, this makes it easier to see, unbolt.

 

[p1michaud]

Starter removal

I've removed the starter from two 1999 Tacomas:

1-Mannual you are in luck, a bit more to move. As discussed, you should remove the wheel and splash guard. When you fist pull the starter away from the engine you can rotate it a bit and remove it by coming down between the frame rail and over the steering rack. The sway bar is in the way so you will have to remove that as well to make your life easier. It takes a bit of patience but with trial and error you should be able to remove it.

2-Auto you have a bit more work ahead of you. Again you should remove the wheel and splash guard. Now you have to remove the top half of the auto transmission dip stick out to make room to remove it. Once you pull the starter away from the engine you have your work cut out for you. You have to either remove it through the wheel well or by coming down between the frame rail and over the steering rack. The sway bar is in the way so you will have to remove that as well to make your life easier. It takes a quite a bit of patience but with trial and error you should be able to remove it.

Good luck! :Mechanic:
P

 

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

Thanks for the tips fellas. More info: the starter's on the right, I removed the splash-guard and the tire, and the truck's an automatic.

taco chaser: Like you, I thought that this was a simple procedure where I could yank the starter, throw in some new contacts, and get it all back together in an hour. It seems like every way that I try to extract the stupid thing, it has some sort of interfierence. Grrr!

p1michaud: You are certainly right- it takes a lot of patience... so far, I haven't had enough of it either! I'll try removing the sway bar, etc. and hope that it gives enough room to pull the starter. Why did they make this such a PITA? It reminds me of trying to work on my 1st gen 4X4 Toyota van... total pain.

 

[Clutch]

Just take off the exhaust bracket, it slides right out...it is tight, but it does.

You shouldn't have to pull the sway bar....or the splash guard...or the tire....

 

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

Just take off the exhaust bracket, it slides right out...it is tight, but it does.

You shouldn't have to pull the sway bar....or the splash guard...or the tire....

I'll give it a shot... thanks!

 

[Clutch]

I'll give it a shot... thanks!

It is a pain, you do have to have all of the stars in alignment, it will slide out. Funny thing, it goes back in a heck of a lot easier. The contacts take a few minutes...all that trouble of getting the darn thing out, the "real" job is quick!

 

[taco chaser]

It is a pain, you do have to have all of the stars in alignment, it will slide out. Funny thing, it goes back in a heck of a lot easier. The contacts take a few minutes...all that trouble of getting the darn thing out, the "real" job is quick!

You just summed up working on a Toyota.

 

[Clutch]

You just summed up working on a Toyota.

...all that work to replace a $2 part...

 

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

...all that work to replace a $2 part...

My thoughts exactly.:iagree:

 

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

I can't believe that it finally came out.

p1michaud, you were right on it... had to remove some other stuff such as the tranny dipstick... thanks for the tips. Funny thing though, it wouldn't fit through the inner fender because the A-arm was causing interference. soooo close, yet so far away. I ended up removing one of the long bolts that hold the starter motor innards together, and got it to squeeze out.

I was right too, it was the contacts.

Now, to get it back in...

 

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

Sometimes it's the little things that seem like the biggest successes. :wings: