3SGTE - Wont turn over.

[EssDub]

OK, Car wont start now, all lights come on,. all accessories work, go to turn the starter and ............ nothing!

Starter relay is fine, but have noticed the turbo timer now no longer comes on when you turn the key to the ON position. Checked all the wiring for it, all looks ok....

any ideas?


Battery is fine.

EDIT: Further investigation has revealed the following:

There is no 'clicking' from the engine bay when the key is turned to the ON position

The CEL doesnt come on in the dash cluster any more.

All fuses and whatnot are in good nick.

[Truenotch]

Starter solenoid?

[fivebob]

Start by checking the earths. If they are ok, the try shorting the starter motor circuit with a large screwdriver across the solenoid terminals to check that the starter motor is ok. If it turns over and starts then it's your solenoid, if not then power supply or earths may be at fault.

[MR2BOY23]

How do you know the battery is fine?

[matt dunn]

The CEL doesnt come on in the dash cluster any more.
.

That is a very good thing to n ote on a toyota.


If there is no CEL when there should be when the key is on,
there's no point even trying to crank it as it wont go.

Alarm or immobiliser issue,
faulty ign switch,?


what other lights do or do not work,
charge light?
Oil pressure Light?
other lights that normally light?

[EssDub]

The CEL doesnt come on in the dash cluster any more.
.

That is a very good thing to n ote on a toyota.


If there is no CEL when there should be when the key is on,
there's no point even trying to crank it as it wont go.

Alarm or immobiliser issue,
faulty ign switch,?


what other lights do or do not work,
charge light?
Oil pressure Light?
other lights that normally light?

Immobiliser.... There is an old siren in the engine bay and various wires running around the place.... I might just have to look into that tomorrow!

Box'o'Beers your way if you are correct

[ihavelift]

bash the starter motor to unstick the solenoid (if it happens again then you'll have to replace starter motor - much cheaper to get an aftermarket starter)

it may just be some random thing, my car did it out of the blue so roll started it and hasn't done it since, just waiting for it to fully crap out before i shell out more $$

[Alex B]

I think the fact he has no CEL rules out the starter being the cause of the fault

[EssDub]

I am going to try my ECU in another 3SGTE powered car later today, if it doesn't work in their car, then we have our winner...

How bloody random is that though, for an ECU to just die like that???

[Alex B]

Dont quote me on this, but I would have thought starter would still run even with no ECU. Are you 100% sure its not the old alarm wireing?

[EssDub]

From what I can tell (and see) the starter motor works off a relay which is connected to the ECU via a 4-pin plug. I will be checking all the old alarm wiring tonight and finding out exactly whats down there.

Its mainly the fact that the CEL light isnt there and none of the engine-specific electrics appear to work that leads me to think the ECU might be the root cause of the problem. Before it did this the motor was doing a few strange things anyway, like all of a sudden pulling timing even under light load...