911 how do you hot wire a corolla

[}{ead$hot Zod]

My alternator died the other day (152,xxx) and I wont be able to replace it until next week. So for the past two days I have been throwing the car on the charger at night so I can do short errands.

Well this morning I had been driving around and stopped the car. I came back and it won't start. I can hear the relay, so that isn't it. I don't believe its the fusible link. I checked some square orange fuse looking thing in the black plastic box closest to the front of the car.

So I am assuming the ignition and everything else is fine. Now there is some cruddy wiring coming off the battery where the problem probably lies.

Here is the question. How can I by-pass everything and hot wire the starter? I use to work on old cars so I am sssuming that I can leave the key in the run position, make sure the car is in PARK and run a wire from the battery to the lead on the starter. I don't have any tools here but I am 8 blocks away from an autoparts store.

any ideas??

[SuperRA]

I believe what you are hearing is the starter solenoid actuating. However the contacts that the solenoid are moving are probably worn (common problem with these starters) so hotwiring will most likely not help. What I do (yes my car has a bad starter) when it randomly happens, is I rapid fire the start position with the key and it usually catches on. Eventually the contacts will fully wear out and it won't do it any more and I"ll have to get a new starter or rebuild it. So try that out and see if it gets going for now.

[}{ead$hot Zod]

that almost sounds like the carbon buildup on some chevy starters, when they start to go just hit them with a hammer to clear everything up. I'll try your suggestion.

[eage8]

sounds like you have a dead battery to me...

[Ghostyman]

I agree with SuperRA that it's more likely to be the starter itself than the ignition. In addition to rapidly switching the ignition, try smacking the starter with a metal bar and a hammer. That frequently knocks it loose enough to start. I had to do that for a month.

The solenoid will still click (for a while) when the battery is too low to crank. That's my first guess.

[}{ead$hot Zod]

I'm hoping its not the battery, I'll try to run some jumper cables from the vehicle in front of it and take that out of the loop.

I'm still wrapping my brain around the starter. The Toyota starter solenoid is piggy backed on the starter. Not like the old mopars that had them on the firewall.

[}{ead$hot Zod]

actually if its the battery that would be great...... I'm an idiot with all this heat...

[}{ead$hot Zod]

well, I threw some jumper cables on it and let the jeep cherokee charge the battery for about 45 minutes. Nothing, the relay makes the same noise, I banged on the solenoid and had someone turn the key while I was banging on it.

[SuperRA]

Originally Posted by Ghostyman

In addition to rapidly switching the ignition, try smacking the starter with a metal bar and a hammer. That frequently knocks it loose enough to start. I had to do that for a month.

Yea, I forgot about smacking it. Though it might be a little tougher to reach the rear mounted 4AF starter than the 4AG one.

Originally Posted by }{ead$hot Zod

I'm still wrapping my brain around the starter. The Toyota starter solenoid is piggy backed on the starter. Not like the old mopars that had them on the firewall.

Yea, the high voltage switching is done inside the starter and it's all part of the pinion engaging mechanism not too different from old GM starters. ( I have an old Pontiac) The mopars and fords etc. have the high voltage switching done in the little "solenoid" mounted remotely usually on a inner fender or firewall.

[SuperRA]

Originally Posted by }{ead$hot Zod

well, I threw some jumper cables on it and let the jeep cherokee charge the battery for about 45 minutes. Nothing, the relay makes the same noise, I banged on the solenoid and had someone turn the key while I was banging on it.

That's too bad. Maybe the starter is too far gone. Weird as they usually give some warning before totally going dead.

Now I was assuming that what you were hearing was the solenoid because it's usually loud enough to hear as opposed to the actual starter relay located in the engine fuse/relay box. If indeed you are hearing the starter relay and not the solenoid, then you may want to check wiring from the relay to the starter.

[}{ead$hot Zod]

If I remove the airbox, are the wires for the starter accessible? I'll probably be tracing them out tomorrow. I know there is a thin white wire and a thick black one. I'm assuming the thicker wire is the hot.

[SuperRA]

Yea, I believe the thick one should be carrying +12v and the thin one should deliver +12v when the key is turned to "start" position.

[90 GP]

The starter solenoid contacts are locatied within the starter . Here is a link for reference on replacing them. http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/starter/

Also did you check the three fuses (with an ohmeter) in the black assembly attached to positive battery cable? One of them is for the alternator and if it blows no charging. Make sure your battery posts and battery cable connections are shiny and free of the slightest corrosion. When you had car running did you take it to Advance or Autozone? They do free battery/charging system checks.

[RED91SR5]

Stick or Auto? In either case did you try pushing it and poping it into gear to start it and get you where you are going like a repair shop? Auto you have to get it going a bit faster before the torque converter will lock up and turn over the engine in the same manor.

If your Alternator is truely dead you might now have a dead short in the circuit causing the no start issue and killing the battery. Only disconnecting it would solve this until you get a replacement alternator.

[}{ead$hot Zod]

Thank you very much all, I'm back on it today assuming the weather holds out.