It's been getting colder, and so I jump in the car in the morning (TOYOTA P-U 1991 2WD 5spd)
and step on the clutch, turn the key, no crank. I gotta go to work so I roll down the drive way, start it in second and ride to work. Now most of the time if I stop the car RIGHT AWAY after doing this, the truck's starter now works.
I can stop and start it about 10 times non-stop and it doesn't do that again.
But as it seems to be getting colder, it takes more and more time for the starter to work after starting the truck mechanically. But even then once the engine is properly warmed up and I have driven a couple of kilometers, I can start it right back up.
You guys have any clue why this starter has worked for me for two years and now is starting to do this? Is anything else the culprit than the actual starter itself?
Off the top of my head it sounds like you may have either a bad start relay or a bad starter. Maybe even a bad battery. Battery problems start to show up when it starts to get cold.
i seen this numerous times, and its happened to me a couple as well. the problem almost for certain is the starter contacts are going bad. the its getting worse as it is getting colder is just a coinsidense. it is getting worse as you keep using it. there is most likely a bad spot in the magnets and when it just so happens to line up right it wont start. it may start 2 times in a row it may start 60 times in a row it just depends on how that starter ended up before you try to start it. its about a $100 part at any parts house, but i would recomend going ahead and using the slightly more expensive but much better quality NAPA parts. that starter is a simple change only two bolts and a wire but getting it out of the engine bay is REDICULOUS. dont make yourself have to do it more than once by getting a no quality o'reily part.
until you get it fixed, if it refuses to start and you dont feel like or cant push it, you can get a broom handle or hammer or anything of that nature and tap on the starter and it may cause that rotor inside to turn just enough to get contact and turn the motor over.
Well see I'm changing my CLUTCH and getting a flywheel resurface during the holidays (still got a week of school left) so as I understand I gotta remove the starter ANYWAY to get the job done, so the plan was to change it IF IT IS THE CULPRIT.
I just wanted to get some advice on HOW to make sure its really the starter screwing around, because you are definately right about the fact that for a 100$ plus or minus, its not really a big deal! So I just need to tough it out for another week with a screwed clutch and starter!
you can just replace the magnets in it for about $15 but something else could go wrong with it shortly then you have just wasted your time and you have to do it again
Had some fun this morning (well 'SOME' fun ) Anyways it wouldn't start again and I decided I'd try various revivals for it.
Tried heating the starter with a pretty powerful hair dryer, and then that didn't do shit, so I tried something pretty experimental, went in the kitchen found a 2-3L container, filled it with fairly hot tap water (maybe 50-60 degrees celsius) pourred it directly over the INTAKE manifold which directly drips onto the starter.
Hopped in the vehicule and it started right up, SO, what causes a starter to stop functioning when cold?
After having 'Hot watered' the starter, I didnt reuse it for like 3 days, its been really cold, and now I jump in and it starts right up ??? Have I washed away some dirt on it? Kind of weird..
Maybe you need to pull the starter and give it a good cleaning. You might want to check the electrical connectors to the starter, maybe they are corroded.
Changed the clutch today, truck is in hell of a better shape now, and when removing the starter I found the culprit, the positive cable was completely corroded on the RINGED end attachment, and it was hanging by a thread, still surprising that it started once in a while :P
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) Anyways it wouldn't start again and I decided I'd try various revivals for it.
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