Car not starting randomly? READ THIS (30 Amp Starter Relay Mod)

[zambini]

well, after installing a bosch starter, replacing sections of wire, disabling the neutral start switch AND stock alarm, i finally did this. my car starts very healthily now, with a consistent 'kerr chicka broooom'

thanks for sharing this information!

regardless of what the 'actual' cause of this issue may be, as long as this works, it matters not to me!

i also think its hilarous/saddening that there are so many people posting in this thread and other 'startup problem' threads that have ridiculously clean/ powerful cars that were still experiencing this problem!

anyway, thanks again, and hopefully ill never do another search for 'car wont start' haha

aaron

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

I understand the mod, but I'm not sure if the problem I'm chasing would be fixed by this mod. I've replaced the starter twice this year in this car. This last time it ran for 3 weeks straight and today I turn the key and nothing. My fix up to this point has been to hit the starter itself with a hammer. Well, honestly, today I used an adjustable wrench, which worked great! BUT, I figure if its a wiring issue, the hammer/wrench solution wouldn't work. Or would it? Should I get yet another starter, or should I do the mod?

Also, my factory alarm is alive and well, ever since I replaced the power door lock on the DS. I definitely plan to disable that puppy.

BTW, both starters were not toyota, they were from carquest.

 

[Justin]

I understand the mod, but I'm not sure if the problem I'm chasing would be fixed by this mod. I've replaced the starter twice this year in this car. This last time it ran for 3 weeks straight and today I turn the key and nothing. My fix up to this point has been to hit the starter itself with a hammer. Well, honestly, today I used an adjustable wrench, which worked great! BUT, I figure if its a wiring issue, the hammer/wrench solution wouldn't work. Or would it? Should I get yet another starter, or should I do the mod?

Also, my factory alarm is alive and well, ever since I replaced the power door lock on the DS. I definitely plan to disable that puppy.

BTW, both starters were not toyota, they were from carquest.

Its very easy to install this mod just as a test run. You don't have to cut anything at all.

Wire it up, test it, you have your answer

 

[Woody1989]

Or people could fix the car right. It isn't the wiring. Never has been. At least on every car I've worked on. No surprise there since it doesn't make sense it would be. And even if the wiring was in question it can be checked in 60 seconds. I've even yanked this "improvement" off a couple of cars after offering to find the real cause and the owners never had a problem again.

Ok so, my 1989 7MGTE has recently developed this problem. I replaced the starter with new and it made no difference if not worse. With the old starter I could eventually get the starter to fire off if I continued to rapidly turn the key to start over and over. With the new starter no such luck.

So, in order to be able to drive the car tomorrow morning I went ahead with the relay "rig". After completing the relay installation the starter engaged every time without hesitation. The "rig" seems to have worked for me as well.

Problem is I really don't like "rigging" like this. Jetjock, what should I be looking for to fix this problem correctly? I checked the passenger kick panel relay and it appears to be fine. What else?

Thanks,


Brad

 

[CyFi6]

I understand the mod, but I'm not sure if the problem I'm chasing would be fixed by this mod. I've replaced the starter twice this year in this car. This last time it ran for 3 weeks straight and today I turn the key and nothing. My fix up to this point has been to hit the starter itself with a hammer. Well, honestly, today I used an adjustable wrench, which worked great! BUT, I figure if its a wiring issue, the hammer/wrench solution wouldn't work. Or would it? Should I get yet another starter, or should I do the mod?

Also, my factory alarm is alive and well, ever since I replaced the power door lock on the DS. I definitely plan to disable that puppy.

BTW, both starters were not toyota, they were from carquest.

it should work, as your starter gets used the contacts arc and it wears the metal a little, as that happens it requires a little more force against the contacts than your old wiring can probably give, so if you give full battery power to the starter pull in coil it should help. Theres no reason a starter should go bad after that short of time

 

[suprabad]

Don’t you think it’s kind of shitty to sound off about how every one is a stupid hack, and if they only had skills and intelligence equal to that of a baboon (I'm paraphrasing) they could fix the "real" problem, and then remain silent while people overlook your lack of civility and politely request your assistance?


“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods”. -Albert Einstein


.

 

[92nsx]

THe relay mod didn't work for me I still have the problem. I still think it is the switch on the clutch, since all I do to get mine started is depress the clutch a few times, then she's ready to go.

 

[ValgeKotkas]

That's it, I'm doing a start button...

 

[jetjock]

Don’t you think it’s kind of shitty.....

I assume that was directed at me. Where is it written I have to publicly help him? The truth is it's the a-holes around here that cause me to use PMs instead of posting for everyone's benefit...

 

[3p141592654]

You have all you need to figure it out. Post #59 even provided the wiring diagram for your convenience.

I paraphrase the situation

1) Its not the 'old' wiring
2) The circuit already has a relay, why would you need to add another one!
3) Trace the circuit and find the source of 'high-resistance"
hint: there's only 2 or three things it could be!

 

[CyFi6]

You have all you need to figure it out. Post #59 even provided the wiring diagram for your convenience.

I paraphrase the situation

1) Its not the 'old' wiring
2) The circuit already has a relay, why would you need to add another one!
3) Trace the circuit and find the source of 'high-resistance"
hint: there's only 2 or three things it could be!

Sure the circuit already has a relay, but do you know where its located? Its in the passenger side kick panel. It is the old wiring that causes this resistance, thats a lot wire going all the way from the kick panel through all the harness stuff and then down to the starter, look at the awg of that wire. Sure if you want to rip up your harness and replace that wire going into the cabin with a higher awg wire or a new wire, by all means go for it, it just doesnt make a whole lot of sense to do it that way.

 

[Woody1989]

You have all you need to figure it out. Post #59 even provided the wiring diagram for your convenience.

I paraphrase the situation

1) Its not the 'old' wiring
2) The circuit already has a relay, why would you need to add another one!
3) Trace the circuit and find the source of 'high-resistance"
hint: there's only 2 or three things it could be!

Hello,

Well, looking at the poorly scanned schematic image on post #59, I see the clutch switch and the passenger kick panel relay. Anything else?

The clutch switch was bypassed many, many years ago...so that can't be the problem in my case. That leaves the relay in the passenger kick panel. The dealer said those relays rarely if ever go out and insisted the problem had to be the starter. Obviously they were wrong as a new starter did nothing to help the problem.

So is the passenger relay what needs to be replaced? Kinda odd as it is throwing voltage to the starter...perhaps just not enough?

Thanks,


Brad

 

[turbo87targa]

hmmm could this problem kill the battery somehow? My car won't always start prolly due to this problem) but my batteries r constantly dying (batteries and apt jave tested ok) could this b why?

 

[Woody1989]

hmmm could this problem kill the battery somehow? My car won't always start prolly due to this problem) but my batteries r constantly dying (batteries and apt jave tested ok) could this b why?

If your relay is throwing voltage all the time then I could see this draining your battery. In my case the voltage is only thrown to the starter when the key is turned to the start position.

My assumption is my passenger kick panel relay isn't throwing enough voltage/amperage to the starter, but enough to kick over a Bosh relay for the "rig" described by the OP.

I'm still waiting on clarification from jetjock if he recommends I replace the passenger kick panel starter relay or if there is another relay/switch that needs to be replaced.

Thanks,

Brad

 

[Evilempire1.3JZ-GTE]

hmmm could this problem kill the battery somehow? My car won't always start prolly due to this problem) but my batteries r constantly dying (batteries and apt jave tested ok) could this b why?

Actually there could be several problems causing your battery to drain.
The number one reason in my supra! is the ignition key can pull out of the ignition in acc position or in any position for that matter try pulling your ignition key our while the car is running if this happins it could be your old worn out iginition!

If thats the case make sure your iginition is off before pulling the key out.

How to trace down battery drains is simple put a fluke meter in series with your battery cable set in DC amp meter setting slowly pull out fuses until you get the correct lower amperage! the only thing in the supra that haves power when your ignition is off is the EFI ECU, The Dash Clock, Vehical Anti-Theft Alarm.


You are correct adding a relay doesnt fix the problem removing them and direct wiring the iginition to the starter will fix it! wire it like the canada models this will disable the anti-theft alarm but normaly you want an after market one and you want it wired to the ignition not just the starter push starting can get around starters.

Use a push button starter if your ignition is bad. Dodge Vipers come factory with them this is the one my brother put in his supra.

If your starter is bad then replace it or rebuild it that simple.

You do not need a mod or to add relays.

 

[turbo87targa]

ahh. What u propose is interesting evil. My ignition has always done that but I've always known so I make sure it is off. My car can turn on and off fine within 2 or 3 hours of being driven(usually takes a few tries tho) but once it has sat for like 6hours the battery is either mostly, or completely dead. Starter is a year old, battery was 7 months(it's now dead beyond return) any ideas?

 

[turbo87targa]

so what exactly is causing the non start problem? The old harness? The old ignition? Starter? Has anyone pinpointed it yet?

 

[skim1040]

Just finished up mine, and it worked like a charm!

Car went from the one "click" and no start, to a nice strong start!

 

[suprabad]

I assume that was directed at me. Where is it written I have to publicly help him? The truth is it's the a-holes around here that cause me to use PMs instead of posting for everyone's benefit...

I acknowledge that you're not obligated to help anyone.

Wouldn't it have probably taken less effort/print on your part to help out with a tech tip?

One last quote:

If those who owe us nothing gave us nothing, how poor we would be. ~Antonio Porchia,

I'm not trying to start anything, just food for thought.


:icon_bigg

 

[jetjock]

Good thing I'm not hungry...