So I had to do a stack of errands today, drove 55 miles, stopped, drove 4 more miles, stopped, paid for a bunch of windows (marvin tilt paks, love em) and then drove around to the back of the store to load them up. turn the truck off. load the windows up, go to start the truck, and I get all the electrical noise (belts moving, fan on) but the motor does not start. WTF! I try again, open the hood and see nothing wrong. I can see the throttle cable moving when I try starting. Then I panic ( I need to pick up my son at camp in 1.25 hours) I call the dealer, and they think it could be the timing belt or crank sensor. I start to go about getting a tow at AAA, and realize I forgot my sunglasses in the unlocked truck. I go back and try it one last time and it starts. first time. the way a toyota should act.

So what happened?

I Call the dealer and they say maybe bum starter?

Is there something that I could have done to the engine in the short drive from front of store to the back? Vapor lock?

any thoughts?

Bueller?


Jeff

I vote starter. That's how mine started a few months ago. Turn key and nothing. Then randomly... vroom-vroom. I put in the new contacts and it's been fine since.

Same thing happened to me. In my case, my ground on my battery was not good, although it was tight on the terminal. After cleaning the terminal and the connector, truck started fine.

It's a simple idea, but an easy check, so it can't hurt.. Clean both terminals while you're at it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Hmm...

I can see all the belts turning without the engine catching. doesnt the starter turn all of that stuff? or does something else make it go? I am going to look into rebuilding the starter though

the truck was acting like my old subaru when it blew its timing belt, (and the subaru was the type of engine that have left the valves in the cylinder and the pistons then went up and fixed that reallll good) Everything was working A/C blowing stereo loud, just no motor.

5-10 minutes later, everything AND the motor.


Jeff

S-T-A-R-T-E-R
C-O-N-T-A-C-T-S

Been there done that with many of my Toyotas. Do a search its $12 worth of parts and 2 hours worth of work. Dont buy an aftermarket starter(most are junk) The orig OEM unit with new contacts will last many more years.



My Landcruiser's contacts recently failed. We were 300 miles from home, I just kept trying the key till I got lucky. You can even tap the starter with a hammer to get the plunger loose.

FWIW sometimes the starter plunger sticks closed (starter keeps turning after the engine starts) Your options are dissconnect the battery, beat the starter with a hammer or wait till the starter burns up

So you are saying the engine is turning over but not firing.......

I had to replace my starter contacts a couple of years ago and as I recall, nothing happened when I turned the key except the dash indicator lights came on and I heard a distinctive "click." I could turn it ten times and get nothing but a click and then on the eleventh try, it would catch and fire.

If you have belts and fans turning it sounds like there just isn't enough spark or fuel getting to the EFI system to turn the engine over. The battery contacts was a good suggestion. Have you replaced the fuel filter or spark plugs in the last 80K miles? Checked the alternator to see if it's charging the battery properly?

I think the starter contacts and plunger could be contributing (and you might as well replace those if you're doing some maintenence) but it doesn't sound like that is soley what's going on..... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Correct, for about 5 minutes, after driving it only 500 ft the engine would turn over and not fire. after 10 minutes it starts, and I have not been able to have it not start up on the first crank since.

now its acting like a toyota should. turn the key. motor starts. put in drive truck goes....

new fuel filter, (with about 5K miles on it) and I never leave less than 1/4 tank full of gas

Your problem is not starter related. Either you are not getting spark or fuel or both. Most likely spark. Since it runs well when it runs, probably not cap/rotor/plugs/wires related. Look for either a bad connection, a relay not properly working, etc.

I would suspect a flakey fuel pump before the ignition.

There is no cap/rotor/distributer to worry about, and if one of the coil packs dies, it will still fire but run really bad (not completely dead).

From what I've seen/heard, when the fuel pump is on its last legs, a lot of times it will intermittently work and not work before it completely dies. I haven't looked into it on the T yet, but there is probably a way to jump something to get the fuel pump to turn on like on the older Toys to verify that its working.