pradopoint.com - Toyota Prado 4x4 Landcruiser Forum

After reading a few post regarding the old click click starter motor its starting happening to mine when trying to start it in the mornings

The plunger is pulling in with a nice solid clunk but the starter is not doing anything else ie no engine movement. So really want I would like to know is where do I go with it....
A) Pull it to pieces and clean the contacts out in the plunger area
B) Just get a complete new/recon one

Is a 'recondioned' unit not much more than just new contacts, bushes, maybe a bearing or two and a hefty price tag? The vehicle has done just under 200k kms, do starter motors wear to the point of needing replacement/reconditioning after that many kms or would a good cleanout give it a new lease on life?

mate its a easy job to pull apart and there is a thread on it..
it happened to mine a few months ago and i pulled it apart , cleaned the contacts and has been faultless ever since!!


joey

Thanks Joey, I have read the thread which was most helpful in showing the plunger and contacts. It got me thinking if its really a case of recon or just a clean. So thought id ask the question in here

Yeh mines been doing it for a while now, I havnt had the chance to look at it yet. Ive bought a new starter relay just incase at a hefty $78 from the only place you can, toyota spares. I have a fair idea what the problem is, might give it a go tommorow.

Got the starter out today - i think snaga's mechanic said that it was something similar to trying to get the Prado to give birth! Was a real pain to get out and getting it back in will be harder i think, the upper bolt is not easy to get to. I removed the power steering lines from the rack using a 17mm flared nut spanner and then got the starter out between the gearbox and exhaust.

Pulled it apart and found the contacts and plunger fairly worn, but a clean up may extend the life for a little while longer. While not the same starter, but pretty damn close, it looks like all the parts are available from toyota spares so am going to try during the week... http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagon ... build.html . The plunger and contacts in my starter look similar to the ones in the thread.

VL400 wrote:Got the starter out today - i think snaga's mechanic said that it was something similar to trying to get the Prado to give birth!

Yep... I was watching them remove the starter motor and it didn't look fun
Hope it all cleans up nicely for you.

Decided to get cracking this morning and have a go pulling out the starter motor. I managed to disconnect it without a problem until I got to the mounting bolts. Those suckers where tough, so tough I managed after a few hours to get the bottom one off but for the top one I gave up after about 4 hours. Ill think ill just pay some poor bugger to get that one out.

Yeah the top one is a prick, I used a long extension (to halfway down the gearbox) and a uni-joint on the socket end. Thats the one I am not looking forward to getting back in as its hard to even get a hard up there to start it.

After doing some reading it seems the contactors are about the only thing that goes wrong with the starter, they have been a similar design for many many years with the same problems. So hopefully they are an easy part to get.

Went to my local auto sparky for some contacs today, they had heaps of em and just matched up the correct type. Was going to just buy them and fit myself but they did it on the spot for a grand total parts and labour bill of $30 They did tell me a trick and that is to use a large socket or valve to hit the contacts flat against the base after tightening them up, they tend to lift and then only make contact on the edge.

Getting it back in took about half hour, was easier than I thought - ratchet spanner from the engine bay to get to the top bolt made it far easier. Engine started up 1st hit of the key so hopefully it lasts another 10 years!