2002 tundra v6 wont start.

soo this morning when im trying to start my truck, it wont start??? i thought it be the battery soo i test it on my battery checker and it was still good, alternator idk yet and starter idk??? all i hear is one click when i turn the key on? what do you guys think???

oh yah another question should i get OEM starter/alternator or just get them at other parts store? thanks guys

 

Battery cables, connections and grounds. Check them all.

 

Sounds like battery if you get clicks. Try charging battery or replace. Then test alt, should be 13v + from terminal to battery negative. I get my alternator rebuilt, they can even increase capacity in some cases

 

i only hear one click, and i got the battery tested it was still good and heavy.

 

the battery cable are good and solid, the connection and grounds are brand new replaced 2 month ago at a Toyota i was driving fine for for like 4month then bam, try to start my truck this morning and only hear one click.

im having a feeling it might be the starter... cause i only own this truck for 6months and their no paperwork on the alternator or starter. 265k miles on my truck so far.

 

Have you tried to jumpstart it?

 

I bet it's not the starter. When they go out (the motor windings are not the fail point) it's the copper contacts that go. They will give you the click - no start occasionally when they start to wear, then if you try again, they will usually start up strong. The battery cables you just had replaced sound even more suspect now. Recheck and tighten all connections.

 

nope, my battery pack charger is dead i have to charge it lol. my wife took my two jumper cable lmao.

 

okay i check it when i get back, at least my boss was cool with it and paid the uber for me, he was pretty chill bout it but let hope it just the battery cables.

 

@KNABORES is right, it's probably not the starter. This is the 1st place everyone who gets a 'click' at start goes, and I shit you not, at least 50% of the time (actually, more than that) it's not the starter. More often, it's one of the following:

• Battery is dying, and has plenty of voltage, but no amperage (defective or more than 3yrs old); voltage is just the power stored in cells, amperage (CCA/CA) is what provides the blast of that power to turn the starter over.
• Cable is loose enough to move forcefully by hand, is cracked or otherwise damaged, is corroded, or has repeatedly corroded and now you have corrosion all up in the cable like this or like this.
• Bad ground - sounds like you had grounds replaced recently, did you confirm one of those didn't come loose? On the earlier trucks, I believe the starter also grounds to the block under the intake manifold and that can get corroded, but I’m not going there.

FYI on the 2000-2004 trucks, you should be able to physically see the starter between the intake runners (EDIT: This info is V8-specific and I just noticed you have the V6, days later). If you get a long socket and hammer and tap on the starter and/or solenoid (ideally solenoid if you can see it, I’m not sure, I have a 2006), you can try tapping it while someone turns the truck over. If your starter is truly bad, there’s a very good chance it’ll turn over while you’re tapping. If it doesn’t, after about a dozen attempts, I would not be doing all the work to replace the starter, it’s probably not the problem.

You should be aware, we have seen cases where batteries have died in less than 3 to 6 months on this form. Almost every Major chain parts store will test your battery for free. It can’t hurt to pull the battery and have it tested. I know you said you used a battery checker, but if your battery checker does not test for amperage, it can’t be trusted. Voltage doesn’t mean shit if you’re talking about starting a vehicle, but amperage does.

 

My truck failed to start on me a couple weeks ago. Popped the hood, rotated the ground cable battery terminal slightly by force and it fired right up after.

 

Sadly, same.

In my case, I installed a new improved (+) battery terminal to support my amp. Didn't start happening until a couple months later, which is why I didn't put 2+2 together. IIRC, that stupid L-shaped OEM bracket that bolts onto the metal was loose, not the terminal. All my problems were due to that damn L-shaped bracket being loose, and potentially having a little bit of corrosion. Posted about it over here when I finally figured it out.

I cleaned up the L-bracket, applied dielectric grease, buttoned it back up and it hasn't happened again in the last 5 months. I got skeered after I took our oldest one out on a long hike in the middle of nowhere, got back to the truck to head home, starving, and .... *click*, then *click*, then *click*

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This is sooo strange as soon I got home, I decide to go check on my truck and turn the key on now the it turn on.... hmm what do you guys think? I turn it off and turn it again to make sure now it running.

 

Not strange. Exactly what we’re trying to tell you. Starter is fine. You’ve probably got a loose connection somewhere or a corroded wire.

 

Well my boss was too kind he order me a starter and alternator oem cause I'm the only person willing to work graveyard shift and fill for anyone spot for those psst 5years when he needed help. Guess I can use those parts for later in case.

 

You've got a good boss. I'm at 280k miles on my original alternator, so not sure yours is bad, but they do occasionally fail. The starters are good for life practically, but occasionally need the contacts rebuilt in them.

 

Good to know about the starter, and yes my boss she is wicked cool. I'm still learning about the truck. All I know close to replacing the balljoint and timing belt with pump 30k more miles or 20-25k to be safe.

 

Yeah, starter is one of those jobs you should set aside a few hours to take care of. Popping the lid on these trucks isn't really hard, it's just tedious looking. Lots of connectors and crap and on your earlier model, if you really don't want to be in there again later, you should toss on a pair of OEM intake manifold gaskets (lower gaskets only). Ask @bmf4069 about that one ... he had two different aftermarket gaskets fail in no time flat before he finally broke down and bought the OEM ones, same ones that lasted him more than 150k miles, I think? Aftermarket parts are complete shit these days.

 

good to know, yeah that the weird part i start it last night it work just fine then this morning i try starting my truck, it did it again??? do you guys think it might be the (starter solenoid) ??? it feel like something draining the battery but that the strange part i didnt even charge my battery i just wait 5min then start it then it work again weird...

 

Again, I highly, highly doubt it's the starter. I suspect the problem is, purely, that the starter isn't getting enough power. I tell you this after watching people unnecessarily replace the starter, and either (A) found the same result after, or (B) claimed it was fixed, only to be back days or weeks later because it was happening again.

But you've got the 5VZ-FE right? I don't have any practical experience with it, and replacing the starter in the 5VZ-FE is hella easier than the 2UZ-FE. How many miles again? Have you tried tapping the solenoid on the starter when it won't start? If you do that and it starts after, or it starts if someone is tapping solenoid while you turn it over, then yes, solenoid is shot, replace starter.

 

Beginning to think there's a loose connection not under the hood

Just double checking, have you checked your battery connections real good yet likes been suggested ?

 

yeah i even got a tester to see if my battery was good, it was still good and heavy.

 

yes mine a 5vz-fe. and my mom tacoma was the same way as mine and it was just a loose connection and i make sure to tight everything good, and my miles is 265k miles on it, i see. sadly i dont got anyone near me they like 4-5hr drive lol... i can prob asked my wife dis weekend if she willing lmao.