So I’m halfway thru changing my 2001 4.7 starter and have some issues

That's about how mine looked; puddles of oil everywhere. I don't remember the torque specs of the top of my head.

 

The gaskets on the pulse damper and TB are non reusable?

 

Depends if you read Mr. T's book as gospel or not.

 

Might think about replacing rear water crossover gaskets while the intake is off. Ask me how I know this!

 

Way ahead of you. I already replaced them. good suggestion.

 

Thats awesome >330k!

How much more work once the VCs are off to pull the manifold and what not to get the starter off? Saw a video for the Tacoma that have to do anyways and didn't seem that much more. Looks like that may be true here too.

And my experience building Chevy starters and alts was it's so simple to swap the consumables and the brushes will eventually run out so thought it good to do before one day it just won't start. Don't know if the Densos rebuild that easily but thought I saw a video on that being true already too.

However, if there's like 10 more years in it at this point...maybe just plan a proactive rebuild in 5 or 8 years from now!

 

@KNABORES has rebuilt his, I believe, and can probably speak to that point.

I'd replace with a cold weather version from Denso.

 

Everything looks like it comes reman? I was thinking the OE could be reliably rebuilt for like $25?

 

I purchased and installed the copper contacts for my starter for $13 and it’s been working for the last 18 years. I’m at 271k miles on my original starter.

 

How many miles before your your rebuilt and was it because the copper brushes wore out? I'm at basically at 250k miles OE with no rebuild yet.

 

They are contacts for the plunger plate, not really brushes. My original fix was around 125-130k or so.

 

Hmm. So you needed to rebuild at 125k and someone else has gone 330k on OE. At 250k then maybe I should consider it.

 

All about cycles. Mine had a lot by 125k. Less the last 150k or so, but needs it again. Starting to get the occasional click now. But it starts strong when it starts. Contacts again.

 

Just read about the click. Hunh. Been starting 2-4 times a day or more for like 20 years. If wasn't doing the valve cover gaskets would probably just wait for clicking, but it seems like not a lot more work to pop off the manifold and rebuild the starter with this many miles at the same time. Need to by some manifold gaskets and points now....

Found a detailed repair writeup: And previously posted video.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg05s0xwOOo

 

If your gonna do both I'd pull the intake first, then remove the valve covers incase something like dirt or anything debris comes off it won't drop into the heads.

Removing the intake will take about an hour or so. Same for the VCs. I used some #12 wire to bundle up all the loose wiring to keep it outta the way.

 

To be fair, when I did mine, I did not remove the intake manifold completely. I did not separate the cooling or fuel lines. I unbolted the intake, lifted it as high as it would go with the lines attached and put a few 2x4 blocks under the edges to prop it up. I then reached through the open cavity and pulled the stater bolts and wire connections. Rehabbed the starter and reinstalled. New intake gaskets and bolted the intake back down. Gotta flex a little hand yoga though to pull this technique off.

 

Yeah, mine was used by my dad as a contractor in DFW, so lots of driving, not a lot of starts.

 

So less starts= shorter life of the points?

 

Otherway around. Each time you engage the starter, the plunger plate makes contact with those copper contacts. A small arc occurs just before contact and during energy delivery. A small amount of damage is done. Over time the damage adds up and the surface damage causes the parts to not make good contact every time. Eventually it gets bad enough that it won’t conduct enough electricity and it just gives a click.

 

Parts in question

 

That's what I thought. Had recalled you had rebuilt at about 125k but tracked back it was @bmf4069 who said he had +330k miles without rebuild (due to long driving and less start cycles) not you....that makes sense.

(Why once had to condition the home HVAC starter relay too before could get a replacement shipped in. In that case found it had arced/welded closed and AC wouldn't turn off!)

 

I’d like to rebuild my old starter. Where did you get these parts? Thank,you.

 

This is just an image of a rebuild kit. I would only buy OEM starter parts if I do a full rebuild of contact surfaces in mine. Last time I re-used the original plunger, didn’t appear to be worn. Just replaced the two smaller copper contacts and the bolts for them. Bought them at the Toyota dealer.

 

So the latest update is, I have the intake manifold cleaned and reassembled with a new gasket and I have been putting in the new starter. The worst part about putting the new starter in is trying to get that one nut on the side with the eyelet wire, there’s just no room to do it and that stupid plastic shroud blocks any sort of tool, but after half an hour of cussing and straining and trying, I finally was able to get it. Next, I’m going to clean up around the new gaskets that the intake manifold sits on and make sure that I have the white tab facing up on each side.
I did run into one problem on two connections, one for the passenger side, knock sensor, and the other for the click cable connection for the starter itself. They have chipped and the part that holds the connection together is broken and so you can easily just grab them and pull them off. This obviously will not do so. I need to do something to keep that connection secure. I was thinking about using some silicone, but if there’s a better way to do that, please let me know.
One other question I had was as I was putting the new starter in. I noticed a hose coming up from what I believe is the transmission and at first I thought it was a differential breather tube, but I have never put one of those in so if anybody knows what it is in the picture attached, please let me know just for my own personal knowledge. Thank you and have a good day.

 

A small zip tie can be used for those harness connections. And yes, that’s a breather hose.

 

this will be an extremely simple question but I checked my ego at the door days ago ha ha ha. I do have some small zip ties, but am I running them end to end so they’re squeezing the two connections together and holding them in place, or does it go just around the middle and holds it in place? Thank you.

 

Copy. Thanks.

 

So the latest update is, I have the starter in and the loose connections have been zip tied and I used electrical tape as an additional security measure to keep those connections together. As you can see from the pictures, I have new gaskets on each side below the intake manifold with the white tabs facing up. I have installed new gaskets on the coolant to crossover bar just to the rear of the vehicle over the back half of the starter. I had some chunks of carbon fall down into the valve chamber, but I used a vacuum to suck as much as that out as I could. I believe my next step is to put the intake manifold back in and start the reassembly of that. Does anyone see anything glaring that I missed or anything that needs adjustments before I proceed forward? Thank you again again for all of the assistance from the group here you have been invaluable and saved me a lot of money in attempting this Myself.
* One additional bit of information, one of the screws for the electrical harness above the coolant crossover bar, and above the starter has broken. My plan was just to leave it, but if you can think of any other way to secure that I will do so. I barely put any attention attention on the screw as I was tightening it and it snapped.