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1990 Toyota 4 Runner V6/4WD My 4Runner won't start after driving for over 30 minutes. If I start the truck right up after it was running it will work. It has been doing this for along time now....3-4 years, but seems to be happening more frequent. I replaced the batter a year and half ago and still does it. I have also cleaned the posts on the battery. I changed the starter and ignition coil and the problem still occurs. It seems to do this when the truck has been running for awhile. You can hear a click behind the glove box and the start trying to engage. Please help...I have thought about changing the ignition switch, but didn't want to put more money into it if I didn't have to.
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Is this an automatic transmission or a manual shift? Just to clarify you are saying that the engine will not crank over after sitting after driven correct.
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It is an automatic and that is correct. I will not start after being driven. When it does start...it runs perfect. It is hit or miss. It may take five minutes or it may take hours.
Randy is currently with another customer and will be right back with you, pleae clarify his question as to if the engine is cranking over but won't run or is this an issue of the engine will not crank for 30 minutes? Thank you
There is no cranking in the engine. There is a just a clicking noise when the key is turned over.
Can you tell where the clicking is coming from? There are no relays in the starter circuit for the automatic. The signal goes from the ignition to the NSW to the starter. I have seen a few of the Neutral Safety Switches get corroded and go bad. This cold explain the heat build up and inconsistency of the problem. The NSW is bolted to the side of the transmission. What brand starter did you but in the truck. Did you make sure the cables are good and clean at the battery and at the engine. Try to shift the shifter to neutral while holding the key in the start position to see if that makes it start the next time it happens. The next time it does not start try to turn the head lights on and attempt to start and see if the lights go dim or stay bright.
I just went out and tried what you said. I first, I shifted to neutral while holding the key in start position and nothing happened. I turned the lights on and and tried to start. The lights dimmed ever so slightly. I bought the starter from autozone and not sure of the brand. It had a lifetime warranty though. This problem happened with the last two starters I have put in trying rectify they problem. I looked over the cables and they seem to be fine, but I have not brushed the cables itself.The clicking is coming from behind the glove compartement. I am not sure of the exact location. This happens when the key is turned to start everytime. It is more of a clunk sound than a click.
This sounds like the starter to me. The starter is located under the exhaust manifold on the right side which would make it sound like it is clunking from behind the glove box. You can have someone reach through the wheel well on the passenger side and have some one try to start it and see if they can feel the starter clunk. Just watch the hot manifold. I see allot of junk after market starters. If you can verify the clunk is coming from the starter. There are only a couple of things that can cause that.
1. A bad starter or bad contacts in the starter
2. severe voltage drop to the starter engagement wire (possibly through the NSW)
3. Severe voltage drop on the main cable that provides the drive motor with power.
Isolate the click/clunk noise location.
Experience: Toyota Master Diagnostic