[carssss]

Hello, I am looking for some opinions please.

I have a 2004 Camry with a 1mzfe V6 and I believe U151 transmission. Car started fine when cold, I stopped the engine when hot/warm and about 2 mins later it won’t start again. No clicking sound, no crank at all just a slight buzzing noise. It started 10-15 mins later, I drove it and stopped it again. Started the car again about 5 times and started straight away.

I then let the car stand for 20 mins with engine off and now it won’t start at all.

No clicking
No cranking
Just a slight buzzing noise when key is turned to crank the engine.

• Voltage across battery without trying to crank/start is 12.35-12.45 volts.
• Voltage across battery when trying to crank/start the engine is about 12.00 volts with very occasional 11.9 volts.
• Voltage across battery with headlights on full beam, radio on, heater on and rolling the drivers window down while trying to crank/start the engine is about 11volts if I remember correctly.

When the car did start once before, I checked the voltage across battery during and after engine start.

• Voltage across battery during a proper start showed about 11.5-11.6 volts.
• Voltage across battery after engine started showed about 13.65 volts.

I hit the starter several times using a broom stick and tapping it, no change, no help, nothing.

I also cleaned and retightened the battery connection terminals but this did not help either.

I did a search of this problem and some people with almost identical problem reported hearing just one click. I do not hear any clicks at all.

Also does anyone know what size the crank pulley is please? I want to manually try to turn the engine just to check the engine isn’t somehow seized, although unlikely as the engine has been running well. If I manually turn the engine using crank pulley do you think I risk loosening the bolt?

I believe the starter motor or it’s solenoid is gone. What do you think? What’s your opinion? Do you think it might be the battery or something else? Thanks

 

[94Camry 2Door]

Would like to see the battery with a surface charge around 12.7 volts after running. Try running jumper cables from another vehicle or use high amperage crank option on a battery charger. If car fires right up, your issue is a weak battery. If the problem remains, look for the starter to be your issue

 

[carssss]

Would like to see the battery with a surface charge around 12.7 volts after running. Try running jumper cables from another vehicle or use high amperage crank option on a battery charger. If car fires right up, your issue is a weak battery. If the problem remains, look for the starter to be your issue

While running the voltage across battery was about 13.65 volts. I did not check immediately after running and turning the engine off but about 20 mins after engine had been off, the voltage across battery was about 12.4 volts. Thanks I’ll try a jump start. I don’t hear any clicks at all so I will check the starter relay too. What else can I try? Take out the starter and have it tested?

 

[bronzemaxell]

my 2002 2az-fe 2.4L 4 cylinder camry 239k miles have experienced this same problem, no click, no machine gun sound, just all dash light dim when turn the key, mine not equipped with engine immobilizer, replaced starter used oem from junk yard, work like a charm again, then a few years later, same thing happen again last year, and replaced starter 2nd time used, oem from egay, and knock on wood, still running good, now i know the drill, have a spare used oem $25 starter in trunk, and ready for swap.
before it goes complete dead, it crank and started engine, but then once shut off, it won't crank again, sometime lucky try a few more time and it started.

 

[djgkdg]

Your readings suggest your battery is bad. So, replace it.
You might have additional problems though. After replacing battery, if you still have problems, put volt meter across starter terminals (one at a time) and engine ground (not battery) while cranking. If either reading is less than 12V, troubleshoot signal path, else starter is bad (I agree seized engine is extremely unlikely).

 

[carssss]

my 2002 2az-fe 2.4L 4 cylinder camry 239k miles have experienced this same problem, no click, no machine gun sound, just all dash light dim when turn the key, mine not equipped with engine immobilizer, replaced starter used oem from junk yard, work like a charm again, then a few years later, same thing happen again last year, and replaced starter 2nd time used, oem from egay, and knock on wood, still running good, now i know the drill, have a spare used oem $25 starter in trunk, and ready for swap.
before it goes complete dead, it crank and started engine, but then once shut off, it won't crank again, sometime lucky try a few more time and it started.

Thanks, I’ve seen someone post a similar problem here which pointed me to a bad starter. I just wanted to try to be more confident it is the starter that is the problem before buying a new one.

 

[carssss]

Your readings suggest your battery is bad. So, replace it.
You might have additional problems though. After replacing battery, if you still have problems, put volt meter across starter terminals (one at a time) and engine ground (not battery) while cranking. If either reading is less than 12V, troubleshoot signal path, else starter is bad (I agree seized engine is extremely unlikely).

Thanks I will be getting a new battery too and will try your suggestion if the problem persists. Although I didn’t immediately think the battery was an issue, the voltage values look near enough to ideal to me.

 

[bronzemaxell]

i would try to rule out make sure it is not battery
i did tested my battery, 12.6V, and i even connected my battery jumper pack to it, but still no click or crank, so i know battery was not my issue, and once started, charging at 14.4 volt.

from how i understood, the amp (juice) from the battery is what starts the car, you will see the momentarily voltage drop to 11 or 12 volt during cranking,

 

[carssss]

i would try to rule out make sure it is not battery
i did tested my battery, 12.6V, and i even connected my battery jumper pack to it, but still no click or crank, so i know battery was not my issue, and once started, charging at 14.4 volt.

from how i understood, the amp (juice) from the battery is what starts the car, you will see the momentarily voltage drop to 11 or 12 volt during cranking,

My values are close to what you’ve said except after a successful engine start my voltage reads about 13.65 volts and not 14+ volts like I thought it should. The only thing left to rule out the battery if jump doesn’t work is to get a new battery.

 

[carssss]

Is a 600 CCA battery good enough for this car/engine?

 

[djgkdg]

600 CCA will work. It just won’t last quite as long as a higher amperage battery.

 

[carssss]

The starter was bad and after replacement, the car starts fine.

Come to think of it, I had been hearing a high pitched grinding sound for a brief period right after the engine started over the past month. So maybe the starter was on the way out? I found very few topics on here regarding that noise and some suggested it’s normal so I didn’t think much of it. Now it starts a bit quicker with no extra noises.
Do you think I can do anything else to check there is no other underlying cause? After the engine is started, it reads 14.36 volts across the battery(new 725CCA), does this mean my alternator is healthy or should I expect to change it?

 

[carssss]

I have also managed to snap the rusty old air filter box screw. Part of it is still screwed in, any idea how to get it out? I guess I’ll have to punch and extract it. Thanks

 

[djgkdg]

The grinding sound was because the starter wasn’t immediately disconnecting smoothly from the flywheel as it should. Over time that would have damaged flywheel, luckily starter broke first. As long as you don’t hear any more grinding while (or after) cranking, your all set.

Your voltage is fine also.

 

[carssss]

The grinding sound was because the starter wasn’t immediately disconnecting smoothly from the flywheel as it should. Over time that would have damaged flywheel, luckily starter broke first. As long as you don’t hear any more grinding while (or after) cranking, your all set.

Your voltage is fine also.

Thank you.