Starting Issue

[mal58 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mal58]

Hi,
I have a 1998 90 Series GXL petrol that I have had from new. It is relatively low Km for age at only 190k.

It has developed an intermittent Starting issue, where after the vehicle has been standing overnight, when turning the key, sometimes there is nothing except a few relay clicks somewhere. A second turn, and the car will start normally. It is more likely to do it when it has been cold overnight.

Once the car has been started, the problem does not appear for the rest of the day.

I have checked the battery leads and terminals and they are clean and tight. There is no significant voltage drop on the battery when the car does not start.

Based on my investigation on line it could be either the starter solenoid on the starter motor, or it could be the ignition switch.

Any clues on how to check which one is the culprit before I start dismantling the relevant bits.

Cheers,
Mal

[Jon Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Jon]

The 90 series I had developed the same problem/
Turned out to be the starter solenoid.

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

Agree starter solenoid. Starters are a pain to pull out (on the 3.4L) so allow a full day if you haven't done it before.

[modvrs Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close modvrs]

Another vote for starter solenoid contacts being worn. Removed mine through the front wheel well after disconnecting brake pipes that were in the way. You can buy just the contacts (here in the UK they cost me £15).

[mal58 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mal58]

Thanks Guys, Looks like I'll have to remove the starter and clean/replace the contacts.

Cheers,
Mal

[TurboD4D Member Find all posts View Profile Close TurboD4D]

I had this problem last week with my 120 not sure if they have the same starter as the 90 or not. Some times would start after 3 or 4 clicks some times after 10 - 15. Mine started playing up a couple of days after this



I have read a couple of threads on how to remove, pull apart, clean and replace the starter.
A couple of quotes from people who had done it "Like giving birth" "extremely hard to get out" "4 hours to get first bolt out. Gave up called someone"

With comments like this I wasn't real keen but slide under the car with my tools. 25 min later and haven't even turned the first bolt 1/4 of a turn.:-x : What I did see was a little rubber plug at the bottom of both sections of the starter motor. I pulled out the one from the solenoid part and sprayed a heap of WD40 in the hole. Gave the key a couple of turns only to get clicking sound but started after about 3 goes. Sprayed WD40 a couple more times. Start's first go every time now. Been a week so far So It might be worth giving that a go before you try and get the Prado to "give birth" to its starter motor. Worked for me

[modvrs Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close modvrs]

I was fooled by a couple of Youtube videos into thinking it would come out through the bottom, but later realised the videos were for rear wheel drive Tacomas in the US. On 4wd the front drive shafts don't allow it to drop out. It won't fit out if the top either. I tried for a long time to get it through the wheel arch without disconnecting the brake pipes, but in the end they had to be moved aside. It wasn't that bad, I put a rubber cap over the pipe hanging down and lost hardly any fluid - just a litlle bleeding afterwards and all was fine.

I've seen people say you can replace the contacts in situ, but I think this would be more difficult than taking it out. Access and vision is terrible.

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

Originally I was able to remove my starter from below after removing the steering joint thing.
I say originally, because later, the installation of pacemaker extractors makes the starter even more difficult to remove.

[oceanracer Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close oceanracer]

Hi , just about to fit pacemaker extractors and my background tells me to change the starter motor regardless of needing it to be done because if I don't I'll need to pretty soon anyway.

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

If it is an old original and you'll be replacing it with one of equal quality, then yes I'd agree, but don't think it will entirely prevent the vehicle from having issues following deep river crossings. Water gets into new ones just as easily and can make them play up as well, perhaps just to a lesser degree.

[brissy Member Find all posts View Profile Close brissy]

Originally I was able to remove my starter from below after removing the steering joint thing.
I say originally, because later, the installation of pacemaker extractors makes the starter even more difficult to remove.

I have also taken the starter out by removing the steering uni joint , 500mm of extension bars with a flex join at the socket, same as my old hilux . ashdown ingram sell the solinoid contacts cheap , or with ours being an auto I just threw a new one in for about 250 for the reliability,
p.m. me if your near brisbane I have a good one sitting in the shed