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Post by nuclear3579 on Jul 4, 2005 13:43:05 GMT -5
Well, my g/f has a 98 tacoma 4wd, and we encountered two strange problems.
First, when starting it sometimes, (clutch pushed in, tranny in gear), I'll start it and the starter will click once, and then nothing. Just like when your battery is dead. But when I go to put the tranny in another gear, namely first gear, and start it, it'll start right up. Sometimes I'll have to try a few gears before it likes one of them and cranks over. What the heck?
Second problem is sometimes after starting, I'll get a loud high whinning noise from the engine....It's really loud, and usually goes away after a minute.
Any ideas? The starting problem particulary confuses me (not that it takes much). Any thoughts would be great.
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Post by 82yota on Jul 4, 2005 22:28:35 GMT -5
Well for the clicking noise it might be the starter solenoid not making a connection. The solenoid is moving but its just not making a connection. And for the whining noise the starter might not be disengaging when the engine starts and it is probably staying engaged and moving faster as the engine speeds up then disengaging a bit later. That was what was wrong with a Nissan i changed the starter on. But i dont know why it would be doing that when you move it into another gear. Maybe its just a coincidence that it works in the other gears haha. Have you tried repeatedly trying to start it in the same gear? If you wanted you could try and put a new starter in it but that would be costly if that wasnt the problem. But that was the problem with the Nissan. Thats pretty much the extent of my ideas.
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Post by moonrockgirl on Jul 5, 2005 18:59:21 GMT -5
Hey thanks for the input... do you think that replacing the starter would solve both of my problems, or is there something I can do to test the solenoid?
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Post by 82yota on Jul 5, 2005 21:59:40 GMT -5
Well replacing the starter would probably fix it but i dont want to tell you to do that unless you have to because starters are costly. On my dads 91 about 6 years ago his starter wasnt working well at all so we took it out and the contacts were worng right down to pretty much nothing so we silver soldered them up and filed them to make them brand new again but i dont know if you would know how to do that or have silver solder. Replacing the starter would probably fix your problems. Is the starter making a noise like its really starting to spin up for a little bit then it stops and everything sounds fine? Because if thats whats happening its staying engaged and just winding up the same RPM as the motor is. Im not sure if you could test the solenoid or not without taking it apart and looking at the contacts in it. My dad had to build the contacts up in the starter in my 82 also but that was quite a while ago before i was really getting into the trucks and all. Ive only been doing this stuff for a few years. I just graduated. I just asked my dad and he said to check and make sure that its the solenoid you take and jump the main power wire coming from the battery to the wire that connects to the starter on the other end of the solenoid. That should start the starter motor but it wont engage it into the motor because you are bypassing the solenoid which pushes the starter gear out. If the starter runs but does not engage into the motor and when you try it with the key it just clicks it is the contacts in the solenoid not connecting. A new starter should fix your problems though.
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Post by danstoy on Jul 6, 2005 10:27:13 GMT -5
you can have the sol repaired,yank it out and take it to a rebuilder, or buy the parts yourself from the dealer and doit yourself.
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Post by moonrockgirl on Jul 7, 2005 21:45:59 GMT -5
Well, thanks again. just to let you know a new starter is just what I needed. Actually I needed to put this post up a little sooner, because just as you said the solenoid connections were worn and the starter would not stop engaging. It actually caused a small fire in the truck, which burnt through the cable to the battery and from the battery to the ground. It turned into a major headache. The mechanic said that it was strange that I heard the whinning before the clicking ever started because at the point where the whinning started my starter was already at the point of needing to be replaced and not rebuilt. I'm sure it all could have been prevented by replacing the solenoid connections at the first noise.
Live and learn. I'll never forget or neglect those warning signs!
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Post by nuclear3579 on Jul 7, 2005 22:15:29 GMT -5
Actually guys, it was a big fire. The fire department had to show up and everything. Even right now, if you stand too close to the front end, or sit inside the truck without any windows down, you can still smell the burning smell.
But seriously, never ignore warning signs like that. We should have inspected it sooner, but we have busy lives, and didn't. Now we paid the price with a hefty charge from the shop, not to mention the nightmare of your vehicle catching on fire.
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