No start issue randomly

[viperkillertt]

Hey guys, i Know there is a thread on here about this. Me and Justin were talking about it last week. Anyways, i am having the common issue that it randomly doesnt start. I believe it is usually when it is warm out. I have never had this issue in the cold. I totally forgot how to fix it. I think i had the issue with my old supra like 2x. I am having the issue with my new one about 2 or 3x a week now. Most of the time it just starts perfectly. All lights on the dash turn on, but the car doesnt start. The starter is about 15 months old, so i am pretty sure it isnt the starter. It was completely rebuilt by a really good starter shop in Bellingham, WA.
If i just turn the key about 3x, it starts.

 

[kotu100]

so it doesnt start.... what DOES it do?

no info = no help does it crank? click? sputter? etc.

 

[viperkillertt]

so it doesnt start.... what DOES it do?

no info = no help does it crank? click? sputter? etc.

As i said above. the lights just come on. All dash lights, but nothing else. No clicking or anything else. I then try it about 3x and it starts right up.

 

[kotu100]

factory alarm maybe?

if the starter isnt clicking that could very well be the problem. i've seen new starters fail fairly quickly.

can you have the relay clicking in the ECU?

 

[viperkillertt]

factory alarm maybe?

if the starter isnt clicking that could very well be the problem. i've seen new starters fail fairly quickly.

can you have the relay clicking in the ECU?

I will have to re listen again when it happens next time. I thought someone would be able to just show me the old thread on the topic, but i have been searching for like 30 minutes and i haven't found it. I will ask Justin for it. Last summer i was in Bellingham for most of the summer and it wasn't quite as hot there. This is a 1j, but i didn't think it was a engine issue, so i went to general. It has always worked when cold.

 

[nuggets]

I will have to re listen again when it happens next time. I thought someone would be able to just show me the old thread on the topic, but i have been searching for like 30 minutes and i haven't found it. I will ask Justin for it. Last summer i was in Bellingham for most of the summer and it wasn't quite as hot there. This is a 1j, but i didn't think it was a engine issue, so i went to general. It has always worked when cold.

I just tackled a starter problem. Definitely listen for a click coming from the passenger side footwell, below the glovebox. This is where the starter relay is located. If it clicks that means that your ignition switch and most likely, relay, is ok.

I had an intermittent starter problem on mine but I always heard the click from the passenger side. I could also hear the starter click. I replaced my starter (mainly because it was one of the few parts that I hadn't replaced in the engine bay after my rebuild) and it didn't fix the issue. Then I replaced the power cable from the starter to the battery and boom. Fixed. The old cable looked fine, but obviously wasn't.

I'd also check the smaller gauge cable that plugs into the end of the starter (it has a brown plastic connector). Mine was fine, but if it's come loose or severely corroded, then the starter won't turn over. This is the signal wire that tells the starter to start starting .

From what I've read, your most likely culprit is the power cable. For whatever reason, that seems to be an issue on our older cars. In hindsight, I probably didn't have to replace my starter after all.

 

[j3pz]

im in this boat. i have reman starter. my gauges will turn on, i hear the ecu click, but nothing from the starter. when i turn the key, all lights will dim as if its trying to turn over but wont. i was going to do the 30A relay mod but i was wondering about my signal wire. if there was a failure along its line, it wont signal the starter. i believe this may be my problem. im going to bypass my alarm, and make a good ground. if this doesnt fix my problem, ill get a new power cable. and my last cure will be the 30A relay mod. hopefully after this i wont have to worry about my car ever randomly not starting

links:
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76403&highlight=relay+mod*
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1515#post1515

 

[viperkillertt]

im in this boat. i have reman starter. my gauges will turn on, i hear the ecu click, but nothing from the starter. when i turn the key, all lights will dim as if its trying to turn over but wont. i was going to do the 30A relay mod but i was wondering about my signal wire. if there was a failure along its line, it wont signal the starter. i believe this may be my problem. im going to bypass my alarm, and make a good ground. if this doesnt fix my problem, ill get a new power cable. and my last cure will be the 30A relay mod. hopefully after this i wont have to worry about my car ever randomly not starting

links:
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76403&highlight=relay+mod*
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1515#post1515

Thanks for the info.
It happened again today when i stopped at blockbuster. It was the 4th time today that i turned on the car. I started it first, drove to a resturant, 1.2 hours later i left and drove to blockbusters, 3 minutes later was when i took this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx7zOCf9bWs

I can definitely hear the relay in the glove compartment area. I might have to try the wire trick that is mentioned above.
i then drove home. I really think it has to do with the car being warm and not waiting a long enough time to restart it.

http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76403&highlight=relay+mod*
i think this will fix it. I know the starter is fine. It just is too young and was rebult by a very good company. I literally drive less then 5000 miles a year in the supra, so it might have 10k at most. That is just too young for a good starter to die.

 

[j3pz]

i thought my problem had to do with the warmth also but it has done this when my car is hot and when it was cold.

i realize its an old car and its age is starting to show

 

[viperkillertt]

i thought my problem had to do with the warmth also but it has done this when my car is hot and when it was cold.

i realize its an old car and its age is starting to show

yeah, it only happens when it is over 70 degrees and i have driven it in less then 30 minutes. I thought it was the fuel vapor issue originally, but i guess it might not be. anyone know appx how much it costs to get that shopping list on this post?
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76403&highlight=relay+mod*

 

[qu3tzlgum8y]

I've had this problem a couple times..

one time it was the efi fuse blowing due to a loose dimmer wire behind the radio grounding out..

and the other time was because of a small oil leak coming out of the cps and it was destroying the wires.. the temporary fix was to move the wires coming out of the cps around until i was able to start it.. but eventually i fixed the leak by replacing the o-ring in the cps, as well as replacing the wires.. no problems ever since.

seemed random.. not sure if it was the oil gathering in the cps or if the wires were getting to hot or melted or what.. but i fixed it all just to be sure.

hope this helps somebody

 

[Justin]

Josh -

This is the link I was talking about. http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76403

Its not a perm. fix but it does the job. I could not track down the problem with my supra so I did this. It worked till the day it drove away.

 

[Flateric]

I had the exact same problem. It was the plug wiring to my CPS, I replaced the plugs and never had another problem.

Mine would also cut out a very low speeds and then not start again until I waited, or unknowingly bumped the plug while poking around under the hood.

Check it out, hope it helps. It took me forever to finally solve this problem.

 

[zambini]

yup. strong advocate of the relay mod.<--

DOO it

 

[giterboosted]

i apologize ahead of time if its already been covered because i didnt take time to read all the other posts, but i just fixed this exact problem, and mine was the ign switch, not saying that this is your problem but it was mine, i mean really theyre at newest ~19 years old, hope this helps