From: susan@rooftop.com   
      
   On Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:37:10 -0400, clare@snyder.on.ca wrote:   
      
   >99.999% it is not the alarm.   
   >   
   >I'm coming in late, so please forgive me if I'm asking questions that   
   >have been answered.   
   >   
   >I was  Toyota service manager back just before that truck was made.   
   >   
   >Does the horn work?   
   >How about the headlights?   
   >If the headlights work, do they go out when you try to start the   
   >truck?   
      
   Everything works great. Horn, lights, radio, dash lights, everything.   
   Battery was checked with a charger and tested fully charged. Is also a   
   newer battery, and terminals are clean and tight.   
      
   Lights do not dim, even a little, when I turn the key to try to start   
   it. No click. No crank. Silence.   
      
   When key is in ON position, all dash warning lights are on, like   
   normal.   
      
   >First check is terminals - must be clean and bright - and tight.   
   > Next is the ground connection. Same as above.  put a battery jumper   
   >cable from the battery - to a good clean engine ground and try again.   
   >If no joy, go to a clean body/chassis ground and try again.   
      
   Excellent, solid ground off neg terminal to body chassis, but tried   
   anyway as suggested and this wasn't it.   
      
      
   >Is this a 4 cyl or a six?   
      
   V6   
      
   >if a 4 the starter can be seen on the right? side of the block(just   
   >going from memory) facing forward from the frot of the   
   >transmission/bell housing. It will have 2 wires(or at least terminals   
   >- could be more wires) - one BIG battery cable with 12 or 14mm nut,   
   >and one smaller wire - either 8mm nut or slip-on type connector. make   
   >sure both are connected and "clean, bright, and tight".   
   >Do NOT attempt to tighten or even apply a wrench without disconnecting   
   >the battery - (ground) connection.   
   >   
   >There should be 12 volts on the big one at all times, and on the   
   >little one when cranking (or attempting to).   
   >If there is power on the big one, but not the little one, you have a   
   >control circuit problem - bad ign switch, bat neutral safety switch,   
   >or that 0.0001% chance - an alarm problem.   
      
   >Jumping power from the big terminal to the little one should crank the   
   >engine. if it doesn't, and all other (previous) tests check out, you   
   >need a starter..Or at .least need ir repaired. A worn or stuck starter   
   >brush can prevent the starter solenoid from pulling in - particularly   
   >if there is any resistance in the control circuit. Whacking the   
   >starter with a block of wood while attempting to crank will often get   
   >it to start - at least once- in order to drive it to a shop to have   
   >the starter done.   
      
   >If it is a six, the starter location will be harder to get to, but the   
   >tests remain the same.   
   >   
   >Keep us up to date with what you find.   
      
   Thanks for that. I will probably need to test these things, but since   
   they are difficult for me to find and do, I am going to see if I can   
   Google on how to check the starter relay... it would be REALLY NICE if   
   that's all it needed!  :)   
      
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