Righty-o, I've had starter motor issues in the Camry for a little bit, am on my 2nd starter motor now and this one has decided it doesn't want to play either. Anyway, decided to take one of them apart and have a look:

 

 

 

The first problem is when I turn the key, I hear the solonoid go "click", and the lights dim etc, which tells me that the starter motor is getting power. Except, it doesn't turn. Nothing happens, it just sits there. I can fix this by repeatedly clicking the key on and off, and eventually it'll catch on and start.

 

Second problem is once the car is actually started. It won't disengage the starter motor! It's almost as if it gets stuck or something. Previously, I used to stall it by stalling the engine, and then disconnecting the battery (which will make the solonoid go "click" again), and then connect it back and try again. It appears that if I rev the engine, it will also achieve the same thing and the starter motor will disengage and let the engine run by itself.

 

Looking at those contacts in umm... Well, I am guessing that's part of the solonoid (haha, I am so clueless), and I'm guessing that's why it's not working? It looks like when I try to start the car, it will pull the round disc shaped thing toward the contacts and complete the circuit...

 

Can I replace these? Or, can I clean them, or sandpaper them, or...? Don't know if you can tell from the photos, but the round disc shaped thing is very rough and pitted, and the two contacts are rather burned, one side quite badly and very pitted as well...

Edited August 20, 200521 yr by demuire

i had the same problem with mine if the battery got down, not flat but was not fully charged.

 

it could be the Solenoid not engaging due to lack of power, see if there's a starter relay, if there is try changing it.

 

yip you can clean the connections with sandpaper.

Lack of power would cause that? Hmm. Okay. This would be, lack of power to the smaller wire (solonoid wire, not starter wire), yes? Might check it with a multimeter.

 

Being a Camry I would assume it has a starter relay (since even early 4AGE's had them?), I'll have a poke around.

 

Hmm, about now I need a friend to turn the key while I watch the multimeter :y:

Hmm, wiring diagram says there is no starter relay. Interesting. Car is very very stock, I would assume that the previous owner hasn't wired one in.

Oh yeah, one thing I forgot to mention is that if the starter doesn't want to engage, sometimes if I turn the engine (roll the car), it will work. And it usually only happens if the car has been sitting for a little while (like, for half a day...). If I turn it off and start it again, it will work fine...

Try put in a relay so the starter gets the full power of the battery, helped my car..

Starter has direct connection, solonoid doesn't. Will look into putting a relay in.

Failing that don't bother putting your starter back in and just carry a car full of mates to push start you wherever you go.

 

(As you can see I am being very helpful here as I have not delved into the murky depths of starter motors.)

"weight reduction" :y:

Not as dumb as I look eh. :y:

No, you're actually kinda cute.

 

:y:

 

in fact, I recon you're cuter than Nick.

Edited August 20, 200521 yr by demuire

"you make my slinky go doing, doing, doing" LOL

 

 

i'd try cleaning up the solenoid, and giving the contacts a dressing with some sandpaper.

Edited August 20, 200521 yr by Felix

Well, went over the contacts with sandpaper, and put the starter motor in, and it started without hesitation first time and did everything a starter motor is supposed to do. Problem solved? Maybe. Have fingers crossed.

 

Took the back off the starter motor that was on the car, and WOW. The contacts are like a hundred times worse than the ones that I photographed before, one side is so worn that it's so thin that the edges just flake straight off...

:y:

i had this prob with daisy when i first went with the starlet drivetrain; the starter wouldnt engage, then wouldnt release.

got a n.o.s. one off ebay, no improvement, turned out they're different, i think the flywheel is different. put a starlet starter in, no probs