Starter not engaging flywheel

[ehime]

Hey guys, I have a general use issue here after scratching my head with my cousins car for

the last two days. She has a 1979 (carbbed/auto) Toyota Corona that I JUST replace the starter

on (it was deader than a door nail). After buttoning her up I turn the key, and hear the starter

turning furiously but for the life of it, it will not engage the flywheel and start the damned car.

 

Maybe one out of ten times I can hear it barely connect for a split second, and then just more

whirring. I know its not a Datsun, but I need a bit of advice on what to do/try next. I can't tell if

the damned starter gear isn't moving up the starter shaft, the flywheels bad, or if this isn't

the problem at all. Advice for cookies?

[datzenmike]

Sounds like the solenoid is connecting the motor electrically so it spins but isn't engaging the gear to the flywheel. Probably bad right out of the box. Cheap re-build.

[ehime]

Very well could be Mike, It was NAPA that gave it to me.

Hell they gave me the completely wrong one the first time,

I guess I need to pull it and test it with a battery and see.

 

Any recommendations on where to get a good starter, not

some NAPA/Autozone/O'Reily's piece of crap?

[HRH]

Unfortunately, unless you visit Toyota, the likelihood of finding a new starter is pretty slim for that old a car. And Toyota probably doesn't have one anyway.

 

Get a good quality premium (lifetime) reman. We sell two at NAPA, one starts with a 246- or 244-, that's the 3 year warranty. The better quality version is a 46- or 44- starter.

 

Check to make sure the secondary connection to the solenoid isn't loose. Both the trigger wire and the hot side of the solenoid need to have 12v for the starter to spin and engage properly. Take it out and look for damaged teeth and shavings, inspect the flywheel. If all looks good, take the starter back and warranty it.

 

I just checked prolink and I show two starters for your Corona. One is gear reduction, one is direct drive. Seattle DC shows to have one of each in stock. The 4642 is the gear reduction one.

 

RAY 44-4477

 

RAY 44-4642

 

Oh and OReilly's and NAPA likely both have Rayloc starters, Autozone may have Duralast, but it's shittier than shitty. Sorry mm! ;) Not that many rebuilders of starters anymore.

[ggzilla]

To get a good starter, return the defective one to NAPA (they'll test it for you and give you a good one).

 

Everything works this way. You pay for a brand new house, and you have to keep going back to the company to get them to fix stuff. Buying a more expensive house means you have to go back more times.

[mklotz70]

I think I'd run a full 12v to the solenoid wire first....maybe there's not enough current getting to it via the ign switch and neutral safety switch in the auto trans. It could be that the solenoid is pulling in far enough to engage the motor contacts, but not far enough to engage the pinion gear. Maybe the old starter couldn't even pull it in far enough to engage the contacts.....same problem(low current to solenoid) with 2 different starters. If there's a bullet connector for the solenoid wire, you can stick a small bolt(#8?, #10?), then attach one end of a jumper cable to the bolt(careful to not let it touch anything else in the area) and tap the other end to the battery(+). If it does the same thing, starter is bad...replace. If it works like it's supposed to....cranks motor....try it at least a 6-7 more times. If it works every time, then you know that it's a contact problem in the ignition switch or the neutral safety switch. I would put a relay in line to fix the problem. You may want to ohm out the switches and replace the bad one......I'd still do the relay.

 

 

Here's some interesting info...not all of it is useful, but page 9 shows a solenoid similar to yours.

 

http://www.venselenterprises.com/techtipsfromdick_files/starters.pdf

[banzai510(hainz)]

I think I'd run a full 12v to the solenoid wire first!!!!!!!!

good one

[zerow]

And run a hot start relay for good measure...even if that were not the whole issue...

[ggzilla]

Toyotas don't need a hot-start relay. Anyways, the cause of this problem is mechanical rather than heat-related.

[]2eDeYe]

When you pull the starter and check the flywheel teeth with a flashlight.

[HRH]

So? What did you find out?