Tacoma starter failure at 135K miles
- Thread starter BajaTaco
- Start date
S
Scenic WonderRunner
Guest
Chris.........
My starter began to act up on my recent Colorado trip even though I had the contacts replaced just a year ago (I feel it's a Mr. Sucky issue!).
Symptom~ Drive truck......turn truck off......try to start it while hot after 5-10 min. .....won't start. Let it cool down for about an hour....starts right up.
The shop in Cortez that was going to do the work was able to get me a new/rebuilt Toyota Factory starter for $175 from the Toyota dealer in Durango, CO.
I decided to put a whole new starter in because I was not sure what I had for a starter now.
The shop had to actually unbolt my engine mount at the starter side and lift the engine up a little, to get the starter out because of my new Downey Headers (a job I could not do on the trail!)
So I decided to go with a new starter for the same labor amount as to only rebuild it.
Working fine now.......
I will rebuild my old starter and keep for a spare.
If anyone is ever in need of help around the Four Corners area.......
Check out Cortez Auto Repair......in Cortez, Colorado.
Very fair and honest!
See Rick at the Desk and owners Fred and Todd who do the work.
You can stay right next door at the Aneth Inn while they do the work for only $35 bucks a night! Then use the motel as a comfy basecamp!
(see Toyota starter box on top of "SWR")
My starter began to act up on my recent Colorado trip even though I had the contacts replaced just a year ago (I feel it's a Mr. Sucky issue!).
Symptom~ Drive truck......turn truck off......try to start it while hot after 5-10 min. .....won't start. Let it cool down for about an hour....starts right up.
The shop in Cortez that was going to do the work was able to get me a new/rebuilt Toyota Factory starter for $175 from the Toyota dealer in Durango, CO.
I decided to put a whole new starter in because I was not sure what I had for a starter now.
The shop had to actually unbolt my engine mount at the starter side and lift the engine up a little, to get the starter out because of my new Downey Headers (a job I could not do on the trail!)
So I decided to go with a new starter for the same labor amount as to only rebuild it.
Working fine now.......
I will rebuild my old starter and keep for a spare.
If anyone is ever in need of help around the Four Corners area.......
Check out Cortez Auto Repair......in Cortez, Colorado.
Very fair and honest!
See Rick at the Desk and owners Fred and Todd who do the work.
You can stay right next door at the Aneth Inn while they do the work for only $35 bucks a night! Then use the motel as a comfy basecamp!
(see Toyota starter box on top of "SWR")
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
Scenic WonderRunner said:
Your header is the problem. Its baking the starter. Put some header wrap on it or a heat blanket on the starter.
njtaco
Explorer
Grim Reaper said:
:iagree:
Grim,
My GMs did that, too. Way too much heat for the starter to take. Beating on the starter body (not the problem, anyways) only shattered the magnets, and I usually have had automatics, so no help there. Also, the solenoid was the part I most often have had trouble with. I could "bypass" it, if I could reach it, and start the truck.
SWR,
I know what you mean about the "roll the engine on its side to change the starter." Not fun. Glad you could get it done in a shop.
BT,
Isn't it nice when the truck "dies" at home, instead of away? Not that a Toyota should leave you stranded at all!
Do let us know how the alternator rebuild goes, if you do that as preventive maintenance. Thx,
Bob
S
Scenic WonderRunner
Guest
Grim Reaper...........
I was beginning to wonder if it might be my header heating up the starter too much......and I asked Cortez Auto about this.
I'm home now and my truck goes to my local mechanic Monday morning for help with my smog check that's due.
I'm going to ask him about my new headers and if this could have caused my starter problem. .....and would he have a solution. Like a wrap or a heat shield.
Thanks for the reminder.
I'm a first time Toyota owner.....so I'm not familiar with all these details.
I put the headers on to help the headgaskets last longer............who knew it might cause another problem!
But I also had a crook of an engine rebuilder who may have stole my good starter and left an old bad starter on my new engine block!
I was beginning to wonder if it might be my header heating up the starter too much......and I asked Cortez Auto about this.
I'm home now and my truck goes to my local mechanic Monday morning for help with my smog check that's due.
I'm going to ask him about my new headers and if this could have caused my starter problem. .....and would he have a solution. Like a wrap or a heat shield.
Thanks for the reminder.
I'm a first time Toyota owner.....so I'm not familiar with all these details.
I put the headers on to help the headgaskets last longer............who knew it might cause another problem!
But I also had a crook of an engine rebuilder who may have stole my good starter and left an old bad starter on my new engine block!
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM-350108&N=700+115&autoview=sku
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=THE-14150&N=700+115&autoview=sku
something like that will help a lot on the starter.
Or on the headers
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=THE-11031&N=700+115&autoview=sku
THe header wrap can cause rust out problem on steel headers and on Ceramic coat the manufactures bulk at the wrap. the starter sheild may be better for your problem.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=THE-14150&N=700+115&autoview=sku
something like that will help a lot on the starter.
Or on the headers
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=THE-11031&N=700+115&autoview=sku
THe header wrap can cause rust out problem on steel headers and on Ceramic coat the manufactures bulk at the wrap. the starter sheild may be better for your problem.
BajaTaco
Swashbuckler
OK, as promised, HERE are some pics of the starter parts that I replaced. Something odd happened. Although my starter is suppsedly the "non-cold" spec unit for the 5VZFE V6 engine, one of the contacts on my starter was from the "cold-spec" 4-cyl. unit. How weird is that? and what a pain in the butt. As I note in the above link, this is not a write-up article for the procedure, just some pics and notes so Chuck and others can see what I am talking about.
If you decide to pull your starter for an inspection, I urge you to get the documentation from the Toyota FSM as it details the whole deal and gives the procedures for checking individual part tolerances for a bunch of different things you can check with calipers, plus elec. checks you can do with a VOM. If you don't have it and you want the info, send me a PM.
If you decide to pull your starter for an inspection, I urge you to get the documentation from the Toyota FSM as it details the whole deal and gives the procedures for checking individual part tolerances for a bunch of different things you can check with calipers, plus elec. checks you can do with a VOM. If you don't have it and you want the info, send me a PM.
Dave
Explorer
I got to experience this thrill first hand the last few days in the boonies of Southern Utah. Since no parts were available (it was Friday of course!) and I had no place to work on it, we had to burn a day and haul down to St. George to have the starter replaced under my extended warranty. Roughly 60,000 miles when the starter started to fail. With the new starter, it's obvious to me that this is something that was gradual rather then all at once. I noticed a difference in how it started right away the first time I turned the key after the work was done this afternoon.
Two thumbs up to the dealer ship there in St. George, we were in and out in just a few hours today even though they forgot to write my appointment in the book when I called on Friday. They even shuttled us to and from the mall...quite the culture shock after spending seven days in the canyons and cow towns of S. Utah!!
Two thumbs up to the dealer ship there in St. George, we were in and out in just a few hours today even though they forgot to write my appointment in the book when I called on Friday. They even shuttled us to and from the mall...quite the culture shock after spending seven days in the canyons and cow towns of S. Utah!!
Last edited:
devinsixtyseven
Explorer
i and a buddy of mine are doing this right now, we're both at roughly 130K on our tundras. we also both had the turn-CLICK-dang moment...mine did it yesterday for the first time, tho i've been getting 1/4 turn false starts for a while and didnt realize that was the problem. did the same 1/4turn-GRUNT-die thing today, new starter should arrive friday or monday. i'm just glad it happened in the driveway and not on kingston peak in a snowstorm.
depending on how your starter is designed and where it's located, you can just rebuild it yourself. on a tundra, it's under the intake manifold and it's about a 2-4 hour job if you know what you're doing. for 130K, we both chose to install a remanned unit rather than attempt a rebuild and find the solenoid was the problem, in addition to/rather than the contacts, as the contact kit is cheap but the gaskets for the intake manifold are 30$ a pop, and if you have to do it twice you may as well have bought a remanned starter in the first place--the core+solenoid are a single unit on our starters, only the contacts can be changed easily.
the major wear items do have a recommended changed interval. for the really big stuff it's 90K...timing belts, water pumps, tensioners, seals, all have a 90K swap interval intended to prevent a breakdown in the field ie you swap the parts before they die.
-sean
depending on how your starter is designed and where it's located, you can just rebuild it yourself. on a tundra, it's under the intake manifold and it's about a 2-4 hour job if you know what you're doing. for 130K, we both chose to install a remanned unit rather than attempt a rebuild and find the solenoid was the problem, in addition to/rather than the contacts, as the contact kit is cheap but the gaskets for the intake manifold are 30$ a pop, and if you have to do it twice you may as well have bought a remanned starter in the first place--the core+solenoid are a single unit on our starters, only the contacts can be changed easily.
the major wear items do have a recommended changed interval. for the really big stuff it's 90K...timing belts, water pumps, tensioners, seals, all have a 90K swap interval intended to prevent a breakdown in the field ie you swap the parts before they die.
-sean
p1michaud
Expedition Leader
Starter issues
BajaTaco,
Thanks for taking the time to post pics!
My starter did something funky the other day and since I prefer preventive vs. breakdown maintenance I decided to pull the starter and replace the contacts and plunger. My starter has 162K miles on it with not maintenance so it's served me well.
I purchased parts using my VIN to confirm what starter I had at the local Toyota dealer. I then used a combination of the pics you provided and the FSM for the re-build. Total time was 4 hours that included drilling out that bolt you had to use an air impact to remove. I was not so fortunate, I took the time to soak it quite well with penetrating oil but it was so rusted that it just turned to dust when I tried to turn it with the impact wrench. So I was forced to drill the bolt out.
Now it starts like a new truck! Interesting to note that tonight, I'm going to re-build another one of a 1999 Tacoma with 94K miles on it. His starter has nearly failed. I'll try and get some pics of the re-build if I can have enough hands to take pictures while progressing the repair job. He needs his truck to get to work, so we will be under the gun to get the job done!
Cheers :beer:,
P
BajaTaco said:
BajaTaco,
Thanks for taking the time to post pics!
My starter did something funky the other day and since I prefer preventive vs. breakdown maintenance I decided to pull the starter and replace the contacts and plunger. My starter has 162K miles on it with not maintenance so it's served me well.
I purchased parts using my VIN to confirm what starter I had at the local Toyota dealer. I then used a combination of the pics you provided and the FSM for the re-build. Total time was 4 hours that included drilling out that bolt you had to use an air impact to remove. I was not so fortunate, I took the time to soak it quite well with penetrating oil but it was so rusted that it just turned to dust when I tried to turn it with the impact wrench. So I was forced to drill the bolt out.
Now it starts like a new truck! Interesting to note that tonight, I'm going to re-build another one of a 1999 Tacoma with 94K miles on it. His starter has nearly failed. I'll try and get some pics of the re-build if I can have enough hands to take pictures while progressing the repair job. He needs his truck to get to work, so we will be under the gun to get the job done!
Cheers :beer:,
P