4Runner 1998 2.7L 4cyl 5 speed. Had starter trouble last winter/spring with the starter. Replaced battery and self installed rebuilt starter 4/05. Major PIA. No problems all summer. Now it is starting to spin. Cold mornings may or may not be part of the issue (low 20s). Turn the key and it spins once at first, now ( after 1-2 weeks) it spins 2 or 3 times b/f the engines engages and starts. Auto parts guys says pull it out and bring it in and if it is bad (based on his test) they will replace n/c. The Tech I use said it may be the "flywheel" is bad too. Something to do with the gears to the engine. ???

My rig has 136K miles. This job was a B!TCH when it was warm out, now it is below freezing. Any thoughts on the problem: Pinion Gear, Bad ring gear, plunger, over-run clutch,?????. Can something cause a good starter to go bad? Can a bad starter cause good gears to wear and make the problems worse. Why is cold start a problem?

I can get the Tech to pull it ($$$$) and he will get the part n/c, I do not know about the "flywheel" or gear issues ($$$$).

I get the feeling that I will be stuck with a spinning starter and no way to work any day now.
Please chime in!
Thanks.

has the starter been making a grinding sound? if there has been no grinding sound it seems the "Magnetic switch" (or bindex gear?) might have went bad. this causes the gear inside the starter to not launch out and come in contact with the flywheel. so it will just spin.

if there has been alot of grinding you may have just broken the teeth off the flywheel/starter. if the teeth snapped off the flywheel you could manualy turn the motor with a socket on the front main pulley to get to some new teeth on the flywheel. this could get you to a shop or a warm place.

i just had to pull my starter out of the 99toyota 4runner just before winter. the contacts were bad and it would have been right out and back in except the contacts i got form toyota were wrong and had to wait 3 days for them to get the wrong ones again.... then another 3 days and finally i found them at my local starter rebuild place.


Napa rebuilt starter : $160+
Toyota: $200+
Contacts from a hidden shop LITERALLY down the street: $2.50

EDIT: i just re-read up on it and it is not the magnetic switch and for the life of me i cannot remeber the name of it maybe bindex.... anyways all the other information is correct except the specific name. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the reply. No, I have not heard any grinding. Just one very old morning, I turned the key and "spin". The next turn is started. The colder and longer it sits the better the chances it will spin 2 or 3 times. So far it has always started. It does sound like it is not engaging. I think the teeth are OK, but maybe the plunger is not coming out. Could that be from a weak battery?

PLUNGER!!! bah and i cleaned sewers for the last two years lmao!

anyway yes it is most likely the plunger and when the guy bench tests it (in the warm parts store)it most likely will work <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

if the guys a jerk he might not warrantee it but most people will.

anyways no a weak battery would not do this. if it just spins and on the third or fourth time it works and has enough power to turn the motor its not weak.

just sounds like the starter is crap. or that part i should say.

in the future if you have starter problems and it just clicks and doesnt spin (on toyotas is as far as my knowledge goes) it is 9 out of 10 times the contacts that can be bought for 1-10 dollars.

if you have any other questions... if i cant help you i am sure someone else will

My 4Runner does the same thing. I've noticed that when it hits 25-degrees outside my starter "spins" once, but it'll start on the second try. Last week it hit 0-degrees and it "spun" twice, but then started like normal.

Maybe the lubrication gets too thick in the cold and holds the starter gear in?

~Dave

there is a cold weather starter and a regular one.... maybe thats why they made a cold version...

2.0KW or 1.4KW i got the cold version it was from minnesota <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> RUST SUCKS! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

I am afraid you are right about the bench test. If I pull this thing out (major PIA), I will have to cross my fingers in the store and hope it fails. Then put it back. If the Tech pulls it out, it will not be a problem, he deals with the parts dude everyday. Part is covered, labor is not. Thats when I worry about the old hidden costs. I think this is bad and I think you should replace that, etc. Either way - I pay!

I bet the Plunger is sticking in the cold. When it is warm out or the truck has been running, no problem. Thanks for the feedback! Is that why tapping the starter helps sometimes? I wonder...

I still have not taken the truck in to have the starter pulled and replaced. But it got very cold and almost did not start. Spun 5 or 6 times and then engaged the starter and started right up. Got much warmer today(above freezing) and NO SPIN. It seems to be a cold (below 32) thing. Is the plunger something that can freeze up and not move????

Will I have the same problem with a new one ??? Is there a way to have the tech "lube it" b/f he puts in the new one?
Any tyhoughts??
Thanks

i am at a loss because the magnetic switch must push the plunger out for it to contact the contacts and then spin the motor. at least i think so. This may be why they made a cold starter...

Sounds like the starter bindex. If it was me I would take it out and try to spin the gear in both directions. It should move in only one direction if it is like a big block chv. Look at the fly wheel through the starter hole to see if you have any bad teeth. You want but it will make you fill better to see it. Take it back to the store and make them give you a new one. If they have a cold weather starter get it. I don't know about a cold or warm weather starter. It doesn't get cold in Georgia. Good luck.