justunme

At 203,000 miles my 02 was ready for a timing and water pump update. I was happy the changes went without incident. Three weeks later after driving the car to several destinations I returned home. I needed to go out, so I got in and turned the key and no crank. All of my lights stayed lit (and didn't dim as I turned to key to the starting position), all of my instrument lights lit, everything seem normal except the missing sound of the cranking, I was getting a fast clicking like a almost dead battery. I tried using a jump pack, my wifes car. No change. I had the battery tested. A 3 and a half year old diehard. 585CCA, seems good. Voltage test was 11.8. So back to the car. As a note, the starting prior to this wasn't the least bit sluggish. The starter relay up by the battery made it sound each time I turned the key but nothing else. I opened her up, pulled the starter, tried to jump it and nothing so I replaced it. Its all back together turned the key and you guessed it, a fast clicking noise as before. I pulled the battery and bought it over to the auto parts store for an over night charge. Tomorrow Sunday I will pick it up and try it again, but it bugging me. So I figured let me post and see if anyone had a similar experience and what they discovered to fix it. Curious if anyone believes a bad ground could cause this. FYI I used my jumper cable from the negative battery terminal directly to different part of the engine incase the main ground wire was bad.

Update I changed the battery, still nothing more than the fast clicking which is the same sound you would hear if the battery was all but dead. Should I have it towed to lexus because I dont know what else I can try or check.

This is at the end of the engine wiring harness right behind the alternator Does this ground connect to anything????

justunme

The connector is at the end of the engine wiring harness on the passenger side of the engine. It comes off of the plugs and the injectors splits into 3 plugs at this end - the mass airflow sensor is the first then the other 2 plugs drop down behind the alternator. One end plugs into the back of the alternator and the 2nd connects to another plug that runs toward the back of the motor that the one in the picture. It the plug directly under the words Jeep Chrysler.

Do you have the description sheet from the diagram you loaded, thanks.

rkw77080

The second plug goes to the passenger-side O2 sensor.

justunme

In the picture you can see the outside of one of the four wires appears fraided. I cannot determine if it is suppose to connect to something or ground to anything. It doesn't appear to have broken away from anything on the plug side. I am trying to determine if it could be causing my non cranking issues.

Legender

Looks like a shielded wire is all. I don't think I would worry about it. Pretty sure it's not related to your problem.
Have you confirmed your battery connections at the terminals are clean and tight. The clicking at the starter does seem to point to a bad starter, especially if a jump made no impact, which is what I would point to first.

rkw77080

According to the repair manual, H-10 should have the following pin-out:
Terminal 1: Green w/ Yellow
Terminal 2: Black
Terminal 3: White (In your photo: White with shield)
Terminal 4: Brown (In your photo: White)



I agreed with Legender that the shield wire has nothing to do with your symptoms. The rapid-clicking indicates that the solenoid activated but not enough current reaches the starter motor to turn it.

rkw77080

Here is another wiring diagram on H10... As you can see, the "shield" for the white wire is terminated on Terminal "EOR1" on the ECM side. Your photo shows a white wire on Terminal H10-4, but the factory wiring diagram shows a Brown wire.


Back to the original problem of starter not turning over the engine, I would suggest to check the battery voltage (should be 13.5+V), clean battery posts and cable connectors. Most likely causes are loose wires or corroded connections.

justunme

Hi rkw, I looked at the first wiring diagram (the plug from the pin side) and my photo. Looking at my fingers, starting at the top, the wires are Brown, Black, Green/Yellow and White. It appears that the brown wire is in the 4 pin slot. (In my photo its the upper left). You need to rotate the plug counterclockwise 90 degrees and remember your viewing from the back. When you say the shield terminates at the ECM, that that mean I don't need to be concerned about it and all I need to do is tape over or cover the exposed shield?

justunme

justunme

Does anyone have information on what EB2 and EC1 represent. They appear to be outside of the fuse box where the start relay is located. I am testing the relay tomorrow.

Legender

I still think you have a battery problem.
Based on the following you battery is not fully charged since you only measured 11.8.

• Check your voltmeter reading. At a temperature of about 80°F (26.6°C):
• A reading of about 12.5 volts or higher means your battery has a good charge.

justunme

Thank all of you for the input on the shield wire.
The starter is new. The battery is new. The terminals are all shiny clean. Same situation. I went to Lexus today and spoke with the foreman in the repair dept. After I told him that we did a timing belt, water, etc change last month, he looked at me and said, check the ground wire located on the oil filter side of the engine. Which gets removed during that change. He said there is a good chance it was never cleaned or tighten properly after the change. Since we are having another bit of snow it will be a few days before I can crawl under it. I will post after I do.

Johnhav430

imho a load test is better, a battery can be at proper voltage when resting, but not have sufficient amps to turn over a vehicle. I have had this experience when using a 1.5A battery tender. The tender is green, the voltage is 12.5 or so, but when placed into a car, nothing at all happens when turning the key (everything dims, then nothing). I was also told to check my Maxima's ground to the motor when I had a starting problem (if a valve cover gasket is leaking, it can get grime on it), but it was the starter, and a brand new one. I'm really skeptical about starter/alternator and even brake caliper rebuilds. A Lexus tech told me always rebuild your starter, it is cheap, and will be the best possible quality going back into the car, if the one you're rebuilding came with the vehicle (he said the $20 cost is cheap, but the quality of the rebuild is priceless).

edit Admittedly, I don't know how to, nor have I ever tried, I've always just replaced with new or remanuf, which would always fail again...

Legender

I always have my alternators and starters rebuilt at a local shop here that I've used for about 25 years. Takes a day to drop off and get returned but it's worth it. Went through 3 'new' autozone alternators one time and said never again. Had the alternator rebuilt on my 98 after the PS pump leak took it out shortly after I bought it, but then I knew that was going to happen as the previous owner did not address the leak.

I agree a load tester is better, but I don't have one of those...

I certainly hope you can get this resolved. It must be related to something they did/didn't do during the TB job. Keep us posted on what you learn.

Johnhav430

Shoot that makes sense, meaning if there is someone local who would stand by their work and rebuild....I know the Lexus tech (coincidence, hubby of wife's bff) said always rebuild, don't buy a rebuilt nor new. I got 3 "new" lifetime starters for my Maxima. No lie, AC Delco simply removed the lifetime warranty, dunno how you can choose a grandfathered date years prior to when you remove it...haha whatever...