Hi all,

First post,

I have a 1995 Hiace super custom living saloon. best car. ever.

So its been having starting issues, as in, when i turn the key it just 'clicks' once and doesnt do anything, I can keep turning the key from ACC to START and back and forth and all I get is that 'click' - sometimes it will suddenly turn over, or attempt to, slowly, then maybe start. Its getting worse and I couldnt start it this morning at all, just the click again....

Im fairly confident its the starter motor.

Has any one removed it themselves? how hard is it? I have grown up working on my own cars however never something with such limited access space around the engine, and never a diesel. I am pretty sure I have located it, on the passenger side of the engine in behind the oil filter...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Sorry cant help...Good luck though and keep us updated (pics would be great)

Hmmmm, starter motors usually work or they don;t. The fact that it turns over occasionally suggests either a bad connection or solenoid issue.

First off make sure your batteries are up to snuff.
Then check all the connections from the battery to the solenoid and all of the connections on the solenoid and starter motor are clean and tight.

I once parked my car on a hill for 4 months b/c I couldn’t afford to replace the starter. I was a major pain in the butt as the hill was 4 blocks from where I lived. When springtime came I went to take the starter off I noticed the ignition wire on the solenoid was badly corroded.... I cleaned up the connection and it started fine for the remaining 3 years I had the vehicle.

never mind at least you kept fit for 4 months

Like wise with my starter motor about 6 months ago every now and again it would just click when turning the ignition key this occurrence steadily got worse until it was the 6th to 10th turn before the engine was started. Always after a series of clicks then a slight try before finally turning the engine over.
Finally with it not starting at all it was time to look into this, checked through the electrics everything looked well with a volt / ammeter. So under the car I went removing all the mud guarding, then the engine block earth followed by the two electric connections to the starter motor after disconnecting the car battery. OK so just two nuts to undo the lower one being a through bolt with the upper being a captured stud in the starter motor housing. A bit of jiggle and it’s out – after cleaning it up I reconnected it to the battery independent leads and with a quick brush across the ignition terminal on the starter motor it clicked and shot the cog out but did not turn on the twelveth attempt again after it turned a small amount on the next try it spun correctly.

Now to find a replacement - after the sixth number on my not very long list of specialist Manchester scrap yards I was lucky in fact very lucky. “Yes mate just sold a 1KZ engine an hour ago off a Granvia and put the starter on the shelve.” “Yours for £50.00.”

Fitted it - car started first time! So I’ll get the other one reconditioned if possible and hang onto it. Also try and get information as to what part has stopped working.

Ho part numbers are: -

Original starter motor details

TOYOTA
28100 67070
228000-5340
Deso 12V

Stamped with 9 011

Second hand one fitted 19/10/10

TOYOTA
28100 67070
228000-5342
Deso 12V

Stamped with 07 002

Dug up an old one mate, sometimes the bendix (cog on the front) gets gunked up and doesn't slide in freely so a bit of a clean gets it flying again. Tho while it's out a check of the inside doesn't hurt. A sparky can give a quick check of the field and the commy and you can do the brushes.
Thanks for the part numbers and info.

Toyota (Denso) starters wear on the solenoid contacts, this leads to starting problems - normally when it is pouring down and you are on the way to a wedding!
Easy to replace, plenty of kits on ebay. If you have done it before you could do it without removing the starter.
NOTE _ DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE DOING ANYTHING!