What's happening now?

[Peter Laborne]

I jump in my car to pop to the shops. Key on ignition, turn.......

Nothing for a second or two then "click, click, click, click, click, click" very rapidly and very loud.

Just check if it is a flat battery and if there isn't enough juice to turn the starter motor. Everything fine.

I've heard starter motor failures before and they sound nothing like what  I am experiencing. Normally you get a little whine then nothing or coughy, coughy, coughy sound or a big clunk.

Whats broke now?

[Anonymous]

Ive had a started moter go on me before and it sounded like you described... a click, click, click, click....... was another car though.

So this means your driving your '2 again then....! (well trying to anyway!)

[markiii]

ignition coil.

are we talking about the 2 though? as this has 4 one over each cylinder.

[Anonymous]

ignition coil.

oh yeah, good thinking...

[SteveJ]

ignition coil.

are we talking about the 2 though? as this has 4 one over each cylinder.

You what  s:?: :?: s:?:  

Right on the 'one per cylinder' but the ignition coil(s) wouldn't make the starter motor just click when trying to start the car.

A few simple possibilities :-

1) Flat battery - what voltage is it giving and does this drop much when trying to start

2) Bad earth to engine - check the earth straps are still in place and not corroded at all. Given your engine has been in and out a few (!) times maybe one of the straps is loose.

3) Failed starter winding - the solonoid is engaging the starter pinion, but the motor itself is dead (could also be the contacts in the solonoid)

4) Corroded battery connection - everything may look fine on the surface, but it can't hurt to give the battery posts and the connectors a quick clean with some emery cloth, then apply a little vaseline before re-assembly.

If all that fails, give up - Toyota probably won't be able to fix it (see my ABS thread!)

[Tem]

Nothing for a second or two then "click, click, click, click, click, click" very rapidly and very loud.

Try the easy way first...hit the starter with some wooden stick or whatever semisoft you can find  s8) s8)  That's the old quickfix...

[Anonymous]

Nothing for a second or two then "click, click, click, click, click, click" very rapidly and very loud.

Try the easy way first...hit the starter with some wooden stick or whatever semisoft you can find  s8) s8)  That's the old quickfix...

I once had a problem with a starter motor which gave the click click as peter mentioned. The brushes had worn down and were not making contact correctly, and the click was from the solonoid. a quick bash got it going sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Try the easy way first...hit the starter with some wooden stick or whatever semisoft you can find  s8) s8)  That's the old quickfix...

aka percussive maintenance

[Anonymous]

Yes - this is def. your starter motor.  

It's probably just a flat battery.  You don't have enough current for the starter motor to throw the actuator cog against the flywheel - so it just flails around on it's spline and makes a clicking sound - charge your battery and you SHOULD be fine.

Otherwise - The small cog that turns against the flywheel is making that click as it gets stuck half way along the spiral throw-shaft.  Very often this is caused because a bit of metal swarf has got in the spiral thread and is preventing it from turning and throwing itself fully towards the flywheel.  A hammer won't help here - it only does the job if the actuator cog has actually engaged with the flywheel and become jammed - then it works in 90% of cases I've ever known - so does rocking the car forward while in gear.

My advice would be to take out the starter motor and take off the top of the casing (2-4 bolts for most cars).  Clean the actuator cog and the spiral along which it travels with petrol and then apply a small amount of lithium grease.  Job Done.  If you take it to Mr T He'll prolly just replace the whole unit because he's too lazy/stupid to bother actually fixing anything.

[Peter Laborne]

Yes - this is def. your starter motor.  

It's probably just a flat battery.

ROFLMAO   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

The problem has vanished   s:? :? s:?  . The other day it just fired up and now purrs like a kitty (with a TTE exhaust up its arse and a Blitz intake in its mouth!!!)