Starting Issues - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Lee S · 10-26-2008, 08:01 PM

O.K. I'm new here and thoroughly confused. I recently bought an 89 MK3 N/A Automatic. It will not start. I hear the relay click which sounds like it is under the glove box, I hear a click in the starter but it will not turn. I started removing the starter today. What fun. I cannot get the top bolt off. Should I try anything else before I go so far as continuing to remove the starter. I have read eveything I could for days now. Anyone know exactly where the relay is. Could the wiring from the battey be the culprit? Any help here would be gretly apprecited. Other than that the car is in fine shape. Runs great when it wants to.

pgiller · 10-26-2008, 08:57 PM

Check the starter first, then check the ignitor box by the battery for loose or broken/disconnected wires.

***bgrieger*** · 10-26-2008, 09:31 PM

It is a pain to get to. If you have an assistant and a series of wobble extensions, you can get to it from under, running 12-16 inches of extensions up through the trans tunnel. You could also drop the rear of the trans carefully to gain clearance from behind. I say carefully as the back of the head will contact the firewall if allowed to hang free.

Lee S · 10-27-2008, 04:28 PM

Thanks for the tip on the starter. Used about 18 inches of wobblers and a universal. Got it out no problem. However, I took it to be tested and it checked good. I replaced the battery cables and still no luck. I can hear the clicking in the passenger's kick panel. Does tht mean relay? Guys at the parts store say there is no relay for that car. I know there has to be. If so where exactl is it located in there? Any suggestions?

Jeeves · 10-27-2008, 04:36 PM

Have you reset the alarm? This sounds like the alarm might have been tripped and the ignition kill is enabled.

Lee S · 10-27-2008, 05:50 PM

Thanks Jeeves, I thought that could have been the problem. How do I reset it or disable it for that matter?

Jeeves · 10-27-2008, 06:26 PM

Close all the car doors. Then with the Key, turn the door lock to the left (to lock it). Check to make sure it locked. Then unlock the door, WITH THE KEY, and try the ignition again.

Lee S · 10-27-2008, 06:43 PM

Thanks Jeeves. Gonna go at it again tomorrow. I'll let ya know how it turns out

Lee S · 10-28-2008, 12:56 PM

Tried the alarm thing. Still no luck what in the world could be stopping power from getting from the battery to starter.

pgiller · 10-28-2008, 05:53 PM

Have u checked the ignitor? If there is a loose or broken wire the car wont start

Lee S · 10-28-2008, 06:35 PM

No I have not checked that. Would that prevent power from reaching the starter? I read on anotherforum about the small wire giong to the starter building up resistance and wiring a relay through t. Going to try that tomorrow. I will check the ignitor also. It would start and run fine when I bought it. The wirng is really messed up n this car. The guy I bought it from bought it for his son. H had it riggedwith stereo and all. He also installed a battery shut off for some reason. When that switch is off there is no power at all. They put a new engine in the car and the wiring shows it too. Anyone have any suggestions about rewiring the whole car. Is it feasible. I would really like to do it, if for no other reason to keep me from guessing what could go wrong next. Thanks for all you guys' input.

Lee S · 10-28-2008, 06:54 PM

BTW when I do get all the bugs worked out of this thing I want to make some mods. Anything do-able on the 7MGE? It is an automatic and I do not want to do a tranny or engine swap. I do not want to go turbo or add nitrous. Just want a nice daily driver with some umph when I need it. I really would like to get rid of TE

Lee S · 10-28-2008, 06:55 PM

I really would like to get rid of TEMS and any other unnecessary electrical nightmares.

Jeeves · 10-28-2008, 06:57 PM

Rewiring the whole car? No. Buy a new car. You can buy a turbo Mk3 for $2k or less if you wander into the right private party seller or used car lot. You'll pay a whole lot more for a labor of love like rewiring a car. Removing TEMS is a simple, trivial matter, other things are pretty much the same.

AFAIK you hadn't mentioned this battery kill switch before. What exactly does this interrupt and where do they have installed?

Lee S · 10-28-2008, 07:20 PM

It is locted under the driver's dash right about where your left knee would hit. It totally kills all power when turned off. I have no clue why it is there. Only thing I can think is that it had something to do with the kid's stereo. Really don't want another car. The body and interior are really good in this one and I only paid 1K for it. It does have 230K on it though. They said the engine only has 70k on it. Like I say it runs great when it wants to start and I figured I couldn't go wrong for a grand even If I have to put 2 or 3 in it I could have a pretty nice car by then.