2CT Starter

I've got an intermittant starting issue. I'll turn the key, relay clicks, solenoid clicks but starter does not turn. When this happens cycling the key quickly will get it moving and start the engine. I'm anticipating needing to repair or replace the starter. I've priced a replacement on https://toyota.epc-data.com/masterace/ for over $1100. Replacement parts for the starter are several hundred dollars and don't seem to be available.

My question, has anyone found a reliable, economical source for a starter or any other parts specific to the 2ct engine?

What’s the part number for your starter?

You’ll be able to search the forum and find a thread that Tim created on how to rebuild the starter, also there’s probably 20 plus threads regarding starting issues. I had the same problem with my Townace but luckily it has a 3Y motor so I was able to get a Denso rebuild locally for a reasonable price.

Are you doing all your repairs or do you have a mechanic that you trust?

JDM

I was having the same trouble and found that if I rock it in gear it would "catch" the starter and "vroom", it would start. Most of the time. I also found out that if I turn on the key, leave it in Neutral (very important) I could jumper the hot lead from the battery at the starter to the starter side of the plug that comes from the key switch and "Vroom" it would start.

I searched and searched and found that my 1990 MasterAce Surf does not have an ignition relay. The hot lead to the starter comes from the ignition key switch directly. I believe over time the voltage is dropping through the key switch contact and will not properly energize the starter. Why does rocking the van in gear help? perhaps the armature is worn down and rotating the starter in gear helps. IDK.

Solution: I installed a relay. Connecting the positive side of the battery to one side of the new relay contact and the other side of the relay contact to the (now disconnected) plug at the starter on the starter side. Then use the other (female) side of the connector (at the starter) that comes from the ignition and wire that to the coil of the new relay. Ground the other side of the relay coil accordingly. In my case the base if the coil is ground so I made sure where I mounted it contacted the frame of the van properly.

So now when i turn the key it energizez this new relay coil and that closes that contactor and sends voltage to the starter plug. VROOM and away we go.

I hope this helps. I may still have a 3o year old worn out started that has new contact inside but it now starts and runs.

contact me if you have questions or just want to talk about your MasterAce Surf. geo@geoffreystudio.com

The GeoBus Rides on in Florida, USA :silvervan:

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Nice follow up, thank you!!!

JDM

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Originally Posted by JDM VANMAN

What’s the part number for your starter?

You’ll be able to search the forum and find a thread that Tim created on how to rebuild the starter, also there’s probably 20 plus threads regarding starting issues. I had the same problem with my Townace but luckily it has a 3Y motor so I was able to get a Denso rebuild locally for a reasonable price.

Are you doing all your repairs or do you have a mechanic that you trust?

JDM

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Hi Vanman.. not sure where to put my post and reading through the forum I didn't yet find something that seemed like my issue..


I have a 1994 toyota estima lucida, it's basically a previa but a bit thinner and mine is a diesel. I got sent here from another toyota site where nobody could figure out my issue.

Somebody tried to steal the car, broke the steering lock frame and snapped the ignition switch from the back of the barrel, and then cut all the wires to try and hot wire it, they failed it seems since the car is still there, but made a big mess and in frustration snapped off the indicator lever and wiper lever and then the wipers off the front when they left.

I have got a replacement ignition switch which was taken from another scrapped car that still started, and wired it in correctly. I glued the pin on the back of the key barrel back on which now turns the ignition switch with the key. I have checked all fuses in fuse box and engine bay.

On turning the key nothing happens at all, a vague quite click seems to happen within the dash somewhere but that's it. When I have the wires loose in hot-wire-mode I can light up the green P and I can fire the starter motor but haven't yet found a way to light up the ignition on phase with the other warning lights.

So far as I can tell everything is back where it was before the theft, just with extra superglue.

My one theory is that the ignition switch might have an extra ground connection through the pin at the back of the barrel which the glue has ungrounded.. but the pin hole on the ignition switch is very plastic so that seems unlikely.

Other idea is that somehow a wire was pulled so hard in the theft attempt it has come off at the other end somewhere but looking closely and pulling a bit everything seems solid.

And yet.. something somewhere seems to be broken.

Any guesses what it could be! I've been trying to fix it for two weeks and missed my family christmas in the process as couldn't travel, completely stuck and local mechanics do not want to help.

Any advice much appreciated.!

If the lights on the dash do not come on, when you put the key to ignition, I would start troubleshooting at the ignition relay with a multimeter. It has 4 (or 5) pins. If you pull it, on the socket one of them is a ground. It should have no or little resistance to a metal part of the body... that is the ohm setting on the multimeter.
Then one of them is always powered, it should be like 12.8v to the ground pin, or the frame all the time, regardless of key. Then there is a pin, that gets >12v when you put the key to ignition. If all of these are good, the relay is bad.
If the permanent power is not working, you probably have blown a main fuse (not the small fuses, but a big one).
If the switched power is not working or low, somehow the ign of your switch to the relay is still disconnected properly.