m1tk4

Can't start!

I hear clicks (about 3-4 a second) and the dashboard flashes as if the battery was dead but won't turn over the engine, even a little. Looks exactly like when the battery was dead but I know the battery is good - it's less than a year old and when I tried jump-starting from another car nothing changed.

My guess would be the starter motor went bad (shorted), which would explain not turning over and dashboard dimming when trying to start.

Anything else I could check for before towing it to a shop?

Thanks!

JAB

These starters are easy to remove and easy and inexpensive to rebuild. Try that before throwing money at your dealer.

m1tk4

False alarm. Amazingly, it was the battery. I guess I did not connect the jump start wires tight enough the first time.

Thanks!

crocair

Actual, my car does the exact same thing but it has a new battery. So i'm assuming it is the starter. I found a new starter w/o core charge for 83 shipped online, but then i see remanufacture ones (prob denso, brand not listed for about $60), then i aslo see repair kits for like $25 plus shipping. Which is the better way. I plan on selling the car with 3 months, so maybe the no name / generic starter will be better at $83. And i read on the 2nd post that it is easy to switch out. Any thoughts on which to buy.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

Wow - you'd get taken for $500-$600 at the dealer to replace the starter!

code58

I'm not sure you would even have to take the starter off to put the parts in from the kit. Matter of fact I think you should be able to buy the parts for less than that. I think Toyota even sells the parts now. (I would buy them from Toyota). They are just the contact parts in the solenoid, you shouldn't have to go into the starter.

JAB

I did mine several years ago. I am fairly certain that you could not rebuild the starter without removing it from the car, but fortunately removal is extraordinarily easy; just remove the battery and the airbox, the wires to the starter, two easily accessible bolts, and its out. Parts cost me less than $10, although I did have to hunt for them; at the time they were not available from Lexus or Toyota. Went to a shop that rebuilds starters and alternators, they had them.

artbuc

Repair kit from Nations!

artbuc

I would replace the plunger too. For me it was much easier to pull the starter than try to rebuild in place. I also took the opportunity to take the business end apart so I could clean and relube the drive/idler gears.

crocair

Even better. So what part do i ask for when i get to Toyota (instead of lexus) at the counter. I just need a rebuild kit for a starter, does it come w/ directions?

thanks

artbuc

These guys will tell you everything you need to know. They also have excellent written step-by-step instructions for our denso starters (just 2 clicks away from home page). Their aftermarket parts are very good quality with great fit & finish.

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/

code58

When I said what I did about not having to take it off to do it, I was figuring on the fact that he said he was planning on selling it within the next 3 mo. The problem is generally only the contacts in the solenoid and the arcing on the plunger. You could replace the contacts with it in the car easily and since you have to take the plunger out to replace the contacts, that can be cleaned, sanded, ground, etc. when it is out. I have repaired several Japanese starters and have been amazed at the condition inside the starter at 100-150k mi. This is before you could buy ANY parts for them, only rebuilts. I simply brazed up the burned area and ground it back to shape and ground the back of the round contact on the plunger. 2 of the cars I did that on belonged to my DIL and in the years she had the Prelude after that she had no problem and I did it to the RX about 3 years ago and it is still performing flawlessly. The bearings and brushes in both were in excellent shape.

crocair

I just went to the dealer and was expecting to buy parts in the $25 or something, the parts guy says it be $105 for the solenoid including the plunger and contacts. And of course suggested that since i'm a nubie, and there are a lot of parts to put back together that i should just buy the reman starter for $350. haha. I didn't buy anything. But he succeed in scaring me though. $105 can't be right

code58

Crocair- Where do you live in Cal.? You might try buying them at an automotive electrical shop. I know my brother found a rebuild shop that sold him the solenoid parts really cheap. That was before you could even buy them from Toyota. He wasn't selling you the parts you need, he was selling you the whole solenoid. I had a good starter (was a new rebuilt about 6 mo. before) but I figured I'd never need it and when I was cleaning out the garage I threw it and a good Ford modular starter away. Just too much stuff. It would actually be easy to make the 2 contact pieces from some 1/8 in thick copper. The back of the plunger contact is easy to clean/grind down. I can almost guarantee you that it is only the contacts in the solenoid.

artbuc

I already gave you the link to Nations.

If you want OEM parts you can get the plunger and both terminal kits for $34.60 plus S&H from parts.com. If you have a typical failure, you only need the battery side terminal kit which is $5.18.

I have the same starter on two different vehicles. In both cases the battery side terminal was shot while the motor side looked almost new and the plungers were definitely reusable but I replaced them anyway.