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Well this morning I went to crank my 4 runner up for work it didn't start. I checked all the normal things connections grounds etc. I found the battery was somewhat dead. I brought it to the parts store it had a tested it had a bad cell so I bought a optima red top. I put the red top in it still does the same thing. It sounds like it is trying to turn over make a little noise but not a full starter turn over noise. I tried jump starting it still the same. I got a used starter relay from a taco still nada. I can crank the egine by hand so it's not seized so what could it be? Could the starter have a flat spot in it? I am a little frost bitten and frustrated at this point since it is about -18 deg with the windchill.


[color:"red"] I'm not sure I follow you- is it turning over slowly or not? If so, the you're NOT getting enough current to the starter. It's not enough to have 12 volts. The cable has to be in good enough shape to dump a couple of hundred amps into the motor, otherwise, no go. If it's *not* cranking over at all, then it may be in the primary circuit (starter contacts, ignition key switch, bad starter relay, etc.)

4Crawler has a really good write-up on starter diagnosis, but I don't have the link. Ask him and he'll point the way.

The good news is that this stuff isn't rocket science. You'll get it done eventually. Just keep plodding along.

Good luck!

PS *CLEAN* your terminals on both ends of the cable!

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