Trouble Starting at times.

[dLo914]

For the past two days ive been having trouble starting my 89'Corolla GTS. It would start fine in the morning, but say after a drive of 20min+ the car would just click when i turned the ignition. So today having some free time on my hands i decided to just take out the starter and have it tested at the local Kragen. Tested the starter and the results were good. It was pulling 58 amps(forgot what measure of energy) IIRC. So then i pop the sucker back in the car and it still does the same crap...clicks when i turn the key. I suspect it to be a hot start issue.

A little history on my car: bought it 2 months ago, had the original motor (229k+miles) swapped out for a 30kmile JDM 4age, reused the original transmission, and the PO had some shop install this one jumper pack on the starter to prevent "hot starts". Ive seen this done on my previous car (Porsche 914). But yeah the overall location for the starter on our cars is very poor, being that it sits in between the engine block and the exhaust manifold.

So has anyone had a similar situation? And has found a solution? For these past two days ive had to push start my car, and once it was by myself, boy was that fun and interesting

[toyomoho]

Have you checked the battery cables for corrosion and damage? What is a jumper pack? On other makes of cars, starters have been know to work OK cold, but not so OK when they are heated up.

[90 GP]

Sounds like the solenoid contacts are worn down causing the intermitent no start.
Here is an article describing the replacement of the contacts.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t27312.html

[ghost_ryder35]

yea most likley the starter tested fine because it was cold,when its cold all connections are tight but when it warms up connections start to get loose just like rubber. when you start the car in the morning its cold, but when the engine gets hot so does the starter, then the soldered connection inside the starter looses its connection so current does not run through. replace the starter and or the solenoid. even though it tested fine it really isnt

[thisxstyle]

I'd try the selenoid first... like stated above.

[diver9000]

I would also check my voltage coming in to the starter when the engine is warmed up.

[ghost_ryder35]

Originally Posted by diver9000

I would also check my voltage coming in to the starter when the engine is warmed up.

smart ass

[dLo914]

so today i went around looking for a starter to replace the one ive got in the car right now. Took it w/ me to Kragen at first. The one they pulled off their shelf looked entirely different from the one ive got. The one i have has a bellhousing for the starter gear. While the starter Kragen sells looks exactly like the one shown in the Starter Solenoid Repair article [above]. Are these two starters interchangeable for our cars? Thanks again for the help guys!

[90 GP]

Replacing the solenoid contacts is any easy job and a cheap fix to the problem. I doubt you need to replace the entire starter. Go to your local Toy dealer to get the parts. You can remove the slenoid cover on your starter to look at the contacts to see if they are shot.

[ghost_ryder35]

Originally Posted by dLo914

so today i went around looking for a starter to replace the one ive got in the car right now. Took it w/ me to Kragen at first. The one they pulled off their shelf looked entirely different from the one ive got. The one i have has a bellhousing for the starter gear. While the starter Kragen sells looks exactly like the one shown in the Starter Solenoid Repair article [above]. Are these two starters interchangeable for our cars? Thanks again for the help guys!

buy the starter, and if it doesnt fit then return it. thats why you gotta love chain stores

[REN69]

The starter on my 89 GTS was doing the same for a year or so, it wouldn't start after driving for a while and shutting the car off, etc.. then it finally just gave up and died. I finally got around to changing it to a spare starter I had and it now starts like new, unfortunately the car decided to spring a fuel leak.

[diver9000]

Where is it leaking from?

[dLo914]

Solved the problem a few days ago! YAY! So instead of replace the the starter i bypassed the starter relays and ran a 10 gauge wire from my starter to my ignition switch. And now there's no problem starting. Here's how to do this if you too encounter a starting problem. Find one of the black wires that come off the harness leading to the starter, cut that wire, then butt connect another wire to run into the cabin through a grommetted hole in the firewall, remove the underdash section, have a voltmeter ready, now turn your key into accessories, poke the wires that lead up to the ignition switch w/ the voltmeter, if you find a wire that gets 12volts when the key is turned splice the wire that you have connected from the starter to this wire and you have now solved your problem. ***WARNING this disables the need to step on the clutch in order to start your car.*** Hope this helps you guys that encounter a similar situation. Thanks again for the advice!

[ghost_ryder35]

sounds like it wasnt the starter that was the problem, look into the clutch pedal sensor and the plastic behind the ignition that actually turns the car on and or the contacts there.