1989 Toyota Camry All Trac Starting Problem

[Raenette]

Hi, all. I've had this car for two years, and the intermittent starting problem has always been present, but it has gotten progressively worse. Sometimes, when I turn the key it goes click-click. Sometimes it will start in only 5-10 clicks. Sometimes it will take 45 minutes of clicks until I get a blister on my key-turning finger. But, it always, always starts, as long as I have the time and patience to wait for it to start. If I can't wait, a jump from another car starts it immediately. It seems to be worse in hot weather, although it basically doesn't want to start whenever it feels like it. It usually starts pretty quickly in the morning. I have had the starter changed, only to find out my old starter wasn't bad. I have had Kragen's test my battery. Friends have cleaned the terminals (? I'm a female and don't know a thing about cars) that go on the battery. The car never shows any signs of battery discharge. When I've driven it and the fan is going, I definitely can't get it started for a long time. So, I don't shut it off at all now after I've started it, unless I am home for the duration. Also, if it has taken a protracted length of time to start it and I decided to get a jump instead, sometimes there will be a huge amount of smoke (white) that comes from the exhaust and a little bit in the engine, too, although this rarely happens. Any ideas? Common', I know what y'all are thinking to yourselves, and chuckling; that's not an option. Thanks.

[Brian R.]

This would not be the first time someone bought a bad rebuilt starter. It may be bad for the same reason that you replaced your first starter - an intermitent problem with the starter solenoid contacts. The starter will test fine, but the contacts will not work every time. The place that rebuilt your starter probably didn't replace the contacts since it worked when they tested it. They simply cleaned it and resold it, maybe they put in new bearings (but I doubt it).

The click you are hearing when you turn your ignition key is the starter relay doing its job. With dirty or worn contacts, you will get nothing from the starter after this point. Eventually, they vibrate loose or move the fraction of an inch needed to make contact and you get normal starter operation. If your new starter is under warranty, bring it back and buy the best starter you can. That IMO is the only way to get some assurance of a quality starter.

See the following threads.

http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/starter/

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=166530

[Raenette]

Thanks, Brian. Actually, the replacement starter was taken out of another Toyota because it was identical. My friends took that starter to Kragen's had it checked, and installed it into my car. It did work for a couple of weeks, until the same old problem began. Will a car still be able to be jump-started easily with this problem? I will try to get a starter rebuild kit from a Toyota dealer nearby, if there is one, and try and bribe someone to do that for me. Thanks for your information.

[Brian R.]

No more likely to start with a jump as without one. Good luck

[Brian R.]

BTW, you should be able to buy the solenoid contacts as individual parts from Toyota. Before you dig into the starter, make sure your battery terminals are tight and clean.

[Raenette]

It starts immediately with a jump. Always.

[Brian R.]

Then be sure and check the cable/battery connections.

[calvic]

For whats its worth. I've had this same problem. I seem to have solved it. I added another relay in between the starter control wire. The new relay ties a large wire from the battery to the imput side of the starter solenoid. No voltage drop what so ever. It hasn't failed to start since this mod! You can get this relay with wires attached and all the splices you need to hook it up from Jeggs on the internet. Its call a painless hot shot relay kit. It was about $28 bucks I think. Very easy to install.
I've fought this problem for about 5 years.

JJ

[Brian R.]

The fact that it starts with a jump every time seems to indicate there is no problem with getting current from the battery connections to the starter, so the hot-shot kit is probably not useful in this case.

[Raenette]

Now I'm even more confused. Better I should kick it over the nearest cliff?

[Brian R.]

See post #7. Also clean and reattach the ground connection on the engine block for the cable leading from the negative battery terminal. When you jump start a car, normally you bypass this cable by attaching the negative terminal lead from the jumper battery directly to the engine block or a bracket bolted to the block.

[Brian R.]

Don't be discouraged. This is potentially a very cheap fix. Next time you have a chance and it won't start the first try, give the starter a serious whack with a heavy piece of wood or a plastic hammer and see if this solves the problem.

[typesix]

This may be nothing, but you stated that when driving, if the fan is on, you definitely cannot start the car and you leave the car running. Could you give more details? Do you mean radiator fan?

[Raenette]

I don't know what fan it is. It's the fan that you hear running after you shut off an engine on a hot day after a long drive. When that fan is running, I don't even try to start it without asking the nearest guy in the parking lot to give me a jump. I'm thinking that Brian's suggestion about the ground wire sounds pretty convincing, and would make the most sense of anything so far. I'm going to ask my son's stepbrother to check that for me first. The problem has gotten to be EVERY TIME I try to start the car lately, and I'm sick of it. It took me 15 minutes of turning the key this morning before it finally decided to start. Who needs it? Anyone want to buy a Camry 4 WD? You guys have really been helpful. Thanks