Is This A Start Motor Problem?

[Swift]

Hi Guys,

As soon as I get one problem sorted another one crops up! :(

ok, every morning when I go to start the car it just clicks, after a few attempts it starts. For the rest of the day its fine, then come the next the morning the same problem.

One morning it wouldn't start at all, jump started it, then worked fine, thinking it was the Battery, bought a new Battery. However, the same problem is there! every morning since, it clicks but so far will start after a few attempts.

Is this a start motor that is going? any reason why it's a problem first thing in the morning and the rest of the day its fine? (It's not exactly cold weather at the moment either)

Doing a bit of reading, rather than get a new start motor which is expensive, can I just replace contacts and/or brushes - is that right?

thanks for your help,

Swift.

NB: The car is a Lexus GS300 2000W (mkII) I've just noticed I've wrongly posted in the LS forum - anyone know how to move it into the GS forum, thx

[ROYT]

Hi Guys,

As soon as I get one problem sorted another one crops up! :(

ok, every morning when I go to start the car it just clicks, after a few attempts it starts. For the rest of the day its fine, then come the next the morning the same problem.

One morning it wouldn't start at all, jump started it, then worked fine, thinking it was the battery, bought a new battery. However, the same problem is there! every morning since, it clicks but so far will start after a few attempts.

Is this a start motor that is going? any reason why it's a problem first thing in the morning and the rest of the day its fine? (It's not exactly cold weather at the moment either)

Doing a bit of reading, rather than get a new start motor which is expensive, can I just replace contacts and/or brushes - is that right?

thanks for your help,

Swift.

NB: The car is a Lexus GS300 2000W (mkII) I've just noticed I've wrongly posted in the LS forum - anyone know how to move it into the GS forum, thx

It does sound like the starter motor contacts, these are available from Lexus or try 'clickerfixer' on the web.

Don't know what engine is in your GS, its an easy job once the starter is off, nightmare to get to it on the LS.

[Scribe]

I've just had exactly the same problem with my 98 LS400 Mk.IV. Just a click and a whirr when you turn the key, then after four or five attempts it fires up. If you turn it off and immediately on again it's fine, but left for several hours it just clicks again. My friendly local independent Toyota/Lexus specialist immediately diagnosed worn-out contacts in the starter motor and prepared to strip the engine down to fit them (a whole new starter motor isn't necessary). But first he tightened up and greased the Battery terminals, kept it overnight and tested the voltage. Since then it's started fine - but I have a suspicion that the starter motor is really the problem, as it's such a common one.

[TigerFish]

Does sound like the starter/solenoid. There is a link in my signature to a tutorial I did on overhauling the starter. Easy job once the starter is off, a bit tight getting the starter off on a mk1 so probably similar on the mk2, but all in all, a £10-£15 repair plus a man hour or two.

[Scribe]

If the problem, as my mechanic suggested, is to do with one of the contacts in the starter motor having worn out, it makes sense that the motor would click and whirr until the plunger in the centre hit the other contact and started the engine. But what I don't understand is this: why didn't the problem happen when I turned the engine off then immediately on again? Doesn't the fact that the starter clicks after the engine's been switched off for several hours seem more like an electrical problem, such as drainage from the Battery? After tightening up the Battery terminals yesterday my mechanic tested the voltage this morning and there had been no loss overnight, and the car started first time. He suggested I get a cheap voltmeter so I can check this, in case the battery's on the way out. Alas, I'm no mechanic and have no idea if any of the above is correct, but I'm interested to find a solution, preferably one that doesn't involve paying for him to strip the engine down to get at the starter motor. It seems that the VVTi engine in the Mk.IV is much more complicated to dismantle.

[SteveLS400]

If the problem, as my mechanic suggested, is to do with one of the contacts in the starter motor having worn out, it makes sense that the motor would click and whirr until the plunger in the centre hit the other contact and started the engine. But what I don't understand is this: why didn't the problem happen when I turned the engine off then immediately on again? Doesn't the fact that the starter clicks after the engine's been switched off for several hours seem more like an electrical problem, such as drainage from the battery? After tightening up the battery terminals yesterday my mechanic tested the voltage this morning and there had been no loss overnight, and the car started first time. He suggested I get a cheap voltmeter so I can check this, in case the battery's on the way out. Alas, I'm no mechanic and have no idea if any of the above is correct, but I'm interested to find a solution, preferably one that doesn't involve paying for him to strip the engine down to get at the starter motor. It seems that the VVTi engine in the Mk.IV is much more complicated to dismantle.

Hi

I'm afraid that it is the starter in your case and in the case of Swift. This is exactly how it starts (or rather doesn't as the case may be). The frequency of just clicking and not engaging gets worse over time and will gradually lead to the starter dying. I know. Mine did.

The reason it doesn't do it every time to start with is that the starter does not come to rest in the same position each time. Since I replaced mine its been absolutely fine. Sorry chaps.

The LS is by far the worse; the :tsktsk: thing is in the engine "V" and it requires the removal of the throttle body amongst other stuff. Here is a link http://www.lextreme.com/starter.html

[TigerFish]

As above. It will get more and more frequent. And sometimes it will fail to disengage again and will be turning and running with the engine going. Makes a hell of a racket and takes ages to disengage (and continues to crank even if you switch the ignition off). The gs 3.0 straight sixes don't require an engine dismantle to get the starter off. Space is tight, but that's all.

[Scribe]

If, as I fear, I may have to have this done soon, if only for peace of mind, would it be a good opportunity to replace the cambelt as well? I wouldn't have bothered otherwise because although mine was replaced five years ago the car's done less than 30,000 miles since. Which is more significant: age or mileage? Any thoughts?

[TigerFish]

If, as I fear, I may have to have this done soon, if only for peace of mind, would it be a good opportunity to replace the cambelt as well? I wouldn't have bothered otherwise because although mine was replaced five years ago the car's done less than 30,000 miles since. Which is more significant: age or mileage? Any thoughts?

They won't need to go anywhere near the timing belt to do the starter so there wont be any money saved on the timing belt side of things.

[Malc]

If, as I fear, I may have to have this done soon, if only for peace of mind, would it be a good opportunity to replace the cambelt as well? I wouldn't have bothered otherwise because although mine was replaced five years ago the car's done less than 30,000 miles since. Which is more significant: age or mileage? Any thoughts?

Hi, Cambelt is 10 years and 65 or 100,000 miles between changes. Strange, the old thought process was 60 and 65k miles but on here somewhere they are now saying 100k miles intervals.

Malc

[Scribe]

Just an update for anyone experiencing the dreaded starter motor problem that seems to afflict older Toyotas and Lexuses.

My problem of clicking/whirring/not starting got worse and worse, as predicted, so I had to bite the bullet and have the starter motor contacts replaced. It took my mechanic six hours, and in addition to the contacts he had to replace a couple of gaskets and a plunger switch. Plus some coolant. So a big bill, because of where the starter motor is situated, but it had to be done.

[steve2006]

I did this job DIY some time ago,it took me around 10 hours but it was worth the savings in garage costs and the job satisfaction.

I replaced both contacts and the solenoid plunger,this was ordered as a kit from the USA at around £20.00.

New intake manifold,plenum and throttle body gaskets from Lexus

Time was saved in that my import has no EGR system so there was slightly less to remove and refit but still a major project.

Contact

Contact

Contact Plunger

What a job and still not there!

[sir john]

What the bl**dy hell were they thinking of when they put it in there?

I just hope to god that mine doesnt go.