[Wellcraft19]

Appreciate all the info in this thread. My 1999 LandCrusier has had the "intermittent" starter issue for a while (over a year...). This past monday, it would just not turn over (truck's in the garage). Most times before, with some patience, it would turn after a little bit of waiting and X more attempts. Not this time...

So today I cleaned all accessible contacts, cleaned (already pristine) battery posts, pulled relays and put them back. Tried, waited, no difference.
Turn the key to "ign", usual "whizz and burr" of the electronics, turn to "start", hear the solenoid click, battery voltage drops to about 11.25V (from fully charged 12.65V), but no cranking. Assuming like many others it is the contacts in the starter (corroded or dirty soleneoid contacts or the brushes in the starter motor, or both). Battery voltage drop seem to indicate that the solenoid is at least actually energized...

But, just before I left the garage to go up for a bite to eat and sleep, I tried again. Starter ran for about two seconds, than back to nothing. Tried a few times more, and upon the fourth or fifth try, engine turned over and started (right away).

But, I am ready to pull the intake manifold, pull the starter, to get this solved once and for all.

As for the location of the starter, it is a PITA when it actually breaks, but it is well protected, sits high up (less issues when fording a creek) and it is in an area that otherwise likely would not be used at all. All in all, not a bad location, but...

If anyone has any final words/advice before I attack this, please post. Thanks to everyone's great advice in this thread up until now.

BTW, anyone that has listed the exact test sequence the ECU goes through when you turn key to "ign"? Would be fun to know what the "whizz and burr" is coming from (I had it pretty well documented in my old Nissan 300 ZXTT).

/// Per-Ola