94 camry starting wierdness

I have an automatic '94 toyota camry. I bought the car used, and it started fine for the first 6 months or so, there were times that I left the lights on, and had to jump it, but after driving to my destination, it was fine.

When this issue began, I thought it might be the battery, so I replaced that, still had the same issue.

I suspected the connection between the battery and the starter next, so I cleaned the contacts to the starter, still had the same issue.

What it does: When I go to start it, I turn the key to start, and I hear "click", then I turn it back to on, and back to start, and I hear "click". This repeats sometimes only a few times, sometimes for up to a minute or two. Sometimes, it gives a "Whrr", and then nothing, sometimes it's 2 or 3 "Whrr"s. Once it gets about 4 "Whrr"s in a row, it starts.

I realize it's almost impossible to understand what I mean by "Whrr". So most times the car just clicks, sometimes it turns the engine over once or twice, but doesn't start it, and eventually though, it figures it out and starts the engine.

My question is, what would you suggest I look at fixing/replacing in order to get rid of this crap every time I go to start the car? After it's been running for 10 minutes or so, and I shut it off, it sometimes starts right back up, and sometimes it does this crap again. It's not showing a check engine light, and not throwing any codes. I'm looking for your thoughts. Thanks - Travis

Reply to
travis.himes
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snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news:0f504f73-2205-4955-99fc- snipped-for-privacy@f3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:

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Starter contacts are shot. You need to remove the starter from the vehicle & replace the internal brass contacts & plunger. If you can do this yourself the cost would probably be about $10 American, otherwise try to find a local starter rebuilder. They will be very familiar with the problem. dc

Reply to
doncee

Travis, IMHO, you need a starter motor. If you're keeping the car for a while, buy the OEM Toyota part. It won't be cheap, but it's a better alternative to a "click" from a rebuilt at 2 A.M. when it's cold outside.

Reply to
user

Thanks, I found this site :

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rebuilding that part, and am going to swing by my local toyotadealer tonight so that they can order the parts for me. Further inthat thread, they discuss the same symptoms, and say exactly what yousaid about fixing it. I appreciate the insight, you've saved me a tonof headache! Thanks again, Have a great one! - Travis

Reply to
travis.himes

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news:550f51be-6467-435e-96e4-28080d11fbe4 @q39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

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Good luck & you're welcome dc

Reply to
doncee

Sometimes it's good to know that Toyotas have problems that are sort of generic to the brand. A year or two ago I had the same problem of intermittent starting and the mechanic (indie) said immediately that the starters were prone to get 'flat spots' on the armature when they were ready to go west. We replaced the starter and no further problems. A lot better than describing a problem to a mechanic and having him shake his head and say "Jeez, I never heard of THAT happening...!"

Reply to
mack

It's not a Toyota problem it is a NipponDenso problem as ALL vehicles with a Denso offset gear reduction starter will do this eventually and the proper fix is always the same (the contacts, plunger). My '92 Dodge Dynasty 3.3 has the Denso OSGR starter and it did the same "click" thing.

Reply to
Daniel Who Wants to Know

"Daniel Who Wants to Know" wrote in message news:wmzfj.285620$Fc.225444@attbi_s21...

Perhaps, but that's like saying that Morris and MG didn't have a problem, because it was the awful Lucas electrics that were at fault. Toyota wasn't forced to use Nippon Denso stuff, they used it of their own free will.

Reply to
mack

"mack" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

It's really weird. Honda used to use Mitsuba starters. Mitsuba starters go on forever without any sort of trouble at all. Now Honda uses ND starters.

And now, for some odd reason, Hondas now have the exact same starter contact problem Toyotas have, with the identical same solution from the identical same sources. Really strange. I can't figure it out, can you?

Reply to
Tegger

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