Camry (1991) - starter won't turn if weather is very cold

Camry (1991) - starter won't turn if weather is very cold Just a click from
the starter motor. Keep trying for a few minutes or just huddle up for a few
minutes in the freezing weather and then it starts. Then it won't catch and
will take more turns than normal to run.

Any ideas why?

Thanks

Weak or dead battery?


---MIKE---[color=blue][color=green]
>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
>> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')[/color][/color]

[email]twinmountain@webtv.net[/email] (---MIKE---) wrote:
[color=blue]
>Weak or dead battery?
>
>
> ---MIKE---[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
> >> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')[/color][/color][/color]

I doubt it...more likely bad contacts in the starter relay or
poor high current connections in the start ciircuit (battery
posts etc)
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

"Camry91" <Camry91@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:GLcMf.7968$XZ3.431672@news20.bellglobal.com...[color=blue]
> Camry (1991) - starter won't turn if weather is very cold Just a click
> from the starter motor. Keep trying for a few minutes or just huddle up
> for a few minutes in the freezing weather and then it starts. Then it
> won't catch and will take more turns than normal to run.
>
> Any ideas why?
>
> Thanks
>[/color]
Old cold weather trick! Turn your headlights on for about 2 minutes, then
try starting it.

Tried this but not for two minutes -maybe 30 secs because I was scared that
whatever juice was left would get drained. I will try the full two next
time.


"Tom in Macon" <TomMacon@member.org> wrote in message
news:31lMf.11464$u%.4863@bignews1.bellsouth.net...[color=blue]
>
> "Camry91" <Camry91@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:GLcMf.7968$XZ3.431672@news20.bellglobal.com...[color=green]
>> Camry (1991) - starter won't turn if weather is very cold Just a click
>> from the starter motor. Keep trying for a few minutes or just huddle up
>> for a few minutes in the freezing weather and then it starts. Then it
>> won't catch and will take more turns than normal to run.
>>
>> Any ideas why?
>>
>> Thanks
>>[/color]
> Old cold weather trick! Turn your headlights on for about 2 minutes, then
> try starting it.
>[/color]

Battery checked ok as did the alternator.

"---MIKE---" <twinmountain@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:8160-4401BA4C-764@storefull-3252.bay.webtv.net...
Weak or dead battery?


---MIKE---[color=blue][color=green]
>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
>> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')[/color][/color]

Battery posts connection is tight and shows good conduction. There are two
wires going to the starter, one is about a half an inch thick and the other
one smaller. This smaller one I could pull out and it had a white coating
inside. I filed it and sprayed it with contact cleaner. Did not help. I have
to get the bigger plug out to clean up also. Its stuck good and I don't want
to break anything.

"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
news:emm302doaujnn7h5egbegdokn212irc66g@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> [email]twinmountain@webtv.net[/email] (---MIKE---) wrote:
>[color=green]
>>Weak or dead battery?
>>
>>
>> ---MIKE---[color=darkred]
>>>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
>> >> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')[/color][/color]
>
> I doubt it...more likely bad contacts in the starter relay or
> poor high current connections in the start ciircuit (battery
> posts etc)
> --
>
> -Gord.
> (use gordon in email)[/color]

"Camry91" <Camry91@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Battery posts connection is tight and shows good conduction. There are two
>wires going to the starter, one is about a half an inch thick and the other
>one smaller. This smaller one I could pull out and it had a white coating
>inside. I filed it and sprayed it with contact cleaner. Did not help. I have
>to get the bigger plug out to clean up also. Its stuck good and I don't want
>to break anything.
>
>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>news:emm302doaujnn7h5egbegdokn212irc66g@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> [email]twinmountain@webtv.net[/email] (---MIKE---) wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>Weak or dead battery?
>>>
>>>
>>> ---MIKE---
>>>>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
>>> >> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')[/color]
>>
>> I doubt it...more likely bad contacts in the starter relay or
>> poor high current connections in the start ciircuit (battery
>> posts etc)
>> --
>>
>> -Gord.
>> (use gordon in email)[/color]
>[/color]
Ok...it's looking more and more like bad high current contacts
inside the starter relay...look at where that big ~half inch wire
connects to the starter relay (beside the small wire that you
cleaned). The big wire comes directly from the positive post on
the battery, they're usually connected to the starter relay by a
big nut...and directly across the relay usually has another big
nut on a terminal which leads inside the starter body. A good way
to check whether the problem is the relay contacts or a bad
connection elsewhere in the high current path is to get one of
those 'test lights' (12 volt bulb on test leads) and connect it
'across' those two big nut terminals (one wire of the tester to
each nut - or you can use a voltmeter if you wish).

Now try a few engine starts...notice whether the light 'lights'
only when you hear the click (and the engine doesn't crank). That
will prove that the relay contacts are bad.
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

Gord Beaman <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote:[color=blue]
>
>Now try a few engine starts...[/color]

OOPS, sorry...the light should STAY LIT (if the contacts are bad
when you try)

(Didn't proof read it - my bad)
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

Thanks. I will try that.

The car's been behaving itself ever since I threatened it with the junk
yard.

The weather's cold enough - It's been -14 without the windchill.

(I actually called. Highest offer on the phone: $80).




"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
news:qbd602t11mf9d540s407ra5mv2eft5nhh9@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> Gord Beaman <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote:[color=green]
>>
>>Now try a few engine starts...[/color]
>
> OOPS, sorry...the light should STAY LIT (if the contacts are bad
> when you try)
>
> (Didn't proof read it - my bad)
> --
>
> -Gord.
> (use gordon in email)[/color]

On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 23:52:38 -0500, "Camry91" <Camry91@gmail.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>Thanks. I will try that.
>
>The car's been behaving itself ever since I threatened it with the junk
>yard.
>
>The weather's cold enough - It's been -14 without the windchill.
>
>(I actually called. Highest offer on the phone: $80).[/color]

Those contacts in the starter seem to be a weak spot in the Toyota
line.

Both my Corolla's had the problem.

btw it does NOT fix itself.....LOL

.....and it will get worse....

[color=blue]
>
>
>
>
>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>news:qbd602t11mf9d540s407ra5mv2eft5nhh9@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> Gord Beaman <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote:[color=darkred]
>>>
>>>Now try a few engine starts...[/color]
>>
>> OOPS, sorry...the light should STAY LIT (if the contacts are bad
>> when you try)
>>
>> (Didn't proof read it - my bad)
>> --
>>
>> -Gord.
>> (use gordon in email)[/color]
>[/color]
--

Scott in Florida

Scott in Florida <MoveOn@outa.here> wrote:
snip[color=blue]
>
>Those contacts in the starter seem to be a weak spot in the Toyota
>line.
>
>Both my Corolla's had the problem.
>
>btw it does NOT fix itself.....LOL
>
>....and it will get worse....
>
>[/color]
Pretty common on a lot of cars actually...I had that on a
Chevrolet and a Pontiac many moons ago...Pretty simple fix on a
lot of cars though, that big stud is square, all you need to do
is take the solenoid apart, take the stud out and turn it around
180 degrees and put it back in...fixed - just as good as
installing new contacts... :)
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)