Thank you, Ray, for the high beams PSA. I'm a truck driver, and high beams have really become a problem over the years. Behind me or in front of me, they are a huge problem. Thank you.
I like the fact that I have really bright LED lights. When people drive towards me with high beams on, I just turn mine on since I know mine are brighter and more blinding. Is even more funny when they turn theirs off and then flash for me to turn mine off.
From someone in a 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GT that is consistently blinded by low beams on cars without LED or HID lights, please do as this commenter suggests, some of us cannot see for almost a minute after passing you with your brights on.
It makes me smile to imagine how many people across the world now sing “doodle-doodle-loo” along with you every time the shop phone rings?! I join in with the ‘Clicks’ and the powering down sounds too. It’s daft, but it amuses me!
Worse than high beams on all the time are people driving without lights at night thinking the lights are on because the instrument cluster is lit. Then when you try to tell them they freak out and floor the gas.
LoL yah day time driving lites front not that tiny rear end, ah but THOSE people have to come to a full stop to turn and/or signal after turning or LANE change then drive 18 miles with signal on. maybe just distracted driving.
We have the same here...In the daytime you are allowed to run DRL's only and no light on the back. A lot of french cars, you have to turn on the light when you start it, and you can not leave the switch on because the headlamps and whatnot will not turn off, with the ignition...What it will do, is bong at you relentlessly until you turn off the light, manually before exiting. Result....A lot of people in french cars, will drive with their puny LED DRL's in the front and NO light in the back. Have had a few close calls with slow moving vehicles with no rear light on... Only advantage is that i get to test my high beams and horn thoroughly when it happens. :)
@@JohnDoe-bd5sz My 2018 Ford (EU Version) also is not easy at the lights. Let me explain: Light switch: Auto (turns on and off (almost) as expected including fancy stuff: headlight beams following bends (i like) and automatic high beams (i hate, because half the time those engange even so there is oncoming traffic). Switch at low beams always on position, there is no fancy stuff. When I turn the ignition off, all lights get switched off automatically, but the car still keeps beeping at me. Why does it not beep at me, when the light switch is at "0" !? Sorry for the rant. It made me go back to an older car with less brainboxes. Now I can forget to turn the light on and off all by myself :D
There’s a reason the cluster dims it’s telling you your headlights are on and you gotta turn up the dash lights. My car got DRL and then it flicks to the main headlights when it’s dark I keep it on auto so I don’t have too remember to turn them on. There’s a sensor in the dash that detects the sunlight and automatically flicks between the two so even during the day the lights are on. Also got parking light selection that just turns on the parking lights so you don’t sit there shinning the headlights blinding cars that might be coming down the road.
@@florian7492 yeah, the GM vehicles i have driven over the past 20+ years have all had a function that if you left it on "lights on" it would just turn off the lights with the ignition and not beep at me at all. last 2 cars have had auto light so i just leave them on auto. The french cars i mention that are from before 2015, usually dont have any light sensor, so no autolight. As said, have had a few near misses, where someone drove on an unlit road at 50 miles per hour and i met them in a slight bend, so i saw them pretty late....And they were doing well below the speed limit as well...Which is understandable when driving with only LED DRL on. Why they did not think.."Hmm, i seem to be unable to see very far, maybe i should turn on the headlamps on the car".. Once i met such a vehicle in the pitch black winter mornint, and braked hard...After that i flashed them a few times, but they did not seem to react. I ended up just dropping back a bit, hit them with the high beam to illuminate them for other motorists and put on my hazard flashers as well. Still took them a good 30 seconds before they apparantly realised why the "id1ot" behind them lit them up, and turned on the hazard flashers. Sadly this is not something the police prioritize here, in my opinion they should get their rear lamps coded to be on all the time, if they are this poor at remembering to put them on. I guess this problem is also the reason the EU mandated that all cars sold after a certain date back in 2015, was required to have auto-light.
The battery terminal cleaning technique saved my Camry from getting computer replaced. The problem was when the car would sit more than a day the Christmas tree would light up on the board and codes pointed to computer faulty. But after cleaning terminals never seen the problem to appear again. Thanks Ray
This video took me back in time when I performed the only successful car repair in my life when I changed out the starter motor on my 1965 Toyota Stout Pickup. Thanks for transporting me back 45 years in time and allowing me to relive my youth. You're a regular Time Machine.
My favorite repair was fixing the starter problem on my mom's K-car back in the day. For whatever reason replacement starters (even rebuilt) for those stupid cars cost an absolute king's ransom. I disassembled the solenoid and saw that the terminal blocks had eroded. I also noticed the worn areas were an arc with a radius similar to a penny. Lightbulb! I cut a (copper) penny to fit those spots, brazed them in and filed everything nice and flat. Car ran for years with no further starting issues. I like to say that I fixed it for 2/3 of a cent.
Parts departments used to carry solenoid contacts as well as bushings/bearings and brushes for their starters. The contacts cost a lot more than 2/3 of a penny!
It is great using old school tests and procedures to diagnose problems on modern automobiles. No bells and whistles (although that horn was a PITA…). Just a jumper wire, a voltmeter, battery terminal brushes, hand tools, and a lifetime of practical diagnosis and common sense. Great video!
Ray, I can't tell you how many of your videos I've watched but what I have observed is that you are a top notch mechanic who can be absolutely trusted! I wish you were in the Dallas area as finding someone you can trust is extremely rare. Your diagnostic skills are logical & quite thorough. I've seen too many mechanics pull out the parts cannon guessing at the cure. Your quality of work is amazing! And to make things even more difficult, you add the challenge of being a camera man ensuring your audience has the perfect views into your work. As a weekend home mechanic who does his own work, I salute you sir & offer my most sincere gratitude!
Same here Tim, also in Dallas (up near Plano) and wish there were a shop with a local Ray. Or more likely, there is at least one, but finding it (or them) is proving... challenging.
@@oswaldpeter Cool! My Check Engine light hasn't been on THAT long, so I'm sure it'll last for the drive, so Ray can see it for himself. Oh, and work on crusting up the battery terminals. I don't want to miss out on the complimentary clean, shine and tightening!
I am a retired firefighter. One of the best procedures that I learned in my 42 year career was, always disconnect the ground first. Prevents accidental shorting out when removing the positive.
Pro tip: Only black date stickers on batteries are from manufacture. Colored sticker means that it has been though a recharge cycle from a vendor due to sitting on the shelf for too long before being sold.
With everything made of plastic on today's automobiles, it's very hard to hit ground with the other end of the wrench. He technically did not remove it first, since there was no second. However, I totally agree with you on proper procedures.
High beams PSA is sorely needed. People seem to have gotten worse about just leaving high beams on all the time recently, happens at least once a day to me.
I like how Ray respects his client's description of the problem (when they're obviously not a complete loon), and he pushes until he finds the fault that, by their description, was obviously intermittent - the bane of any diagnostician. Been there, done that. Thank you Ray.
The power of suggestion. Thanks to you every time I switch something off I now by default make the ‘Pewww’ power down noise. It’s also a Pavlovian response to say ‘gravity’ whenever I drop something.
@@williameldridge9382 Holy moly, that sounds pretty dangerous. In my country the minimum requirement to get a drivers license is as follows. 29 theory lessons each 45 minutes long 24 driving lessons Pass a first aid training program The 24 driving lessons are atleast 4 hours on a small closed plot, where you learn to maneuver the car, then atleast 5 hours on a closed track followed by 15 driving lessons of 1 hour, conducted in a special car, where the student is in the drivers seat, and the driving instructor sits in the front passenger seat, the driving instructor has an identical set of pedals so they can brake, or operate the clutch (Education must be conducted in a car with manual gears...I assume this will change when electric cars are more prevalent) All of the above has to take place over at timeperiod of atleast 14 days....No speedy weekend course, you need time to learn and what you learn must have time to soak in. When all of that is done, you are allowed to take a written test and then a driving test, both of which you must pass to get the drivers license.
I love your videos!!!!!!!! being old school "60's muscle cars growing up were so easy to work on " and now watching you remove so much just to replace a simple part amazes me. thank you for sharing.
Great job, Some of the Dealers would have replaced the rear diff and new tires and brakes or maby the rear tail lights, Been screwed by dealers to many times. Keep up the good work
As usual, this video is gold. Don't forget with your repair videos to put into your title or description the car year, make, and model so future folks can find your most excellent videos to help them out with their cars!
Thank you for emphasizing the "blue light" functionality. Nothing is worse than driving at night and suddenly being blinded by some idiot who doesn't understand the use of highbeams. On the other hand I doubt that most people watching your channel don't already know that. If they tell a friend however maybe we can start a revolution :).
Yea if u can't see at night without ur highbeams on then u shouldn't be on the road at night. A lot of the time it happens, itll be a little old lady or man sitting right up against the steering wheel. U know damn well they probably should quit driving.
@@davidtryon1205 or we could go back to high beams requiring a pull back on the turn signal lever, since having it flop forward and stay there means randomly as the turn signal gets used it can flop into that forward position, leaving it sitting in the high beam position so that when it gets dark, the high beams are on already and the operator has no clue...except for that little blue light that they've learned to ignore. But then there's the people running around with the auto headlights switched off because they think it'll drain their battery, so at night their fancy gadget filled dash lights up like it's daytime and the DRL's are working and they THINK their headlights are on so they run around with no taillights and they are SO much fun to come up on around a curve, since they can't see with the DRL's since they're so dim and they are driving 20 under the limit. These cars with DRL's and fancy lit up dashboards should be able to tell how light it is outside and dim accordingly if it's not daylight. Then without the speedometer and trip computer glaring them in the face, they'll be able to see out the windshield to realize their lights are NOT on.
In the UK this is covered in Highway Code Rule 114 and is generally observed. I drive on a lot of rural country roads and only encounter continuous highbeams from oncoming cars a couple of times a year although occasionally some drivers are a bit slow at turning then off.
@@davidtryon1205 In town/urban areas high beams don't have much utility. In rural areas, it really can help avoid tagging kamikaze deer waiting to leap out and trash your truck. Naturally you'll want to switch to low if oncoming traffic appears before you.
The moment you described with the customer said I already knew bad starter solenoid. You went through the proper steps to prove that fact which means you're an honest mechanic. If I ever had to take a vehicle anywhere I'm coming all the way down to you. And I'm half a country away.
Hi Ray! Love how you work! A tip I learned from an old auto and aircraft mechanic (my dad): always disconnect the battery ground first. That way, no matter what you do and how tight things are, you can’t get any rude electron flows while working on the hot side, especially while disconnecting the hot side of the battery. Yeah, it’s not important when there is lots of room, but when there isn’t it’s good to have habits! Murphy never sleeps!
My father was an aircraft mechanic in the RAF in England in about 1940s then he immigrated to the United States hey have a good evening and thanks for bringing back good memories
Ray, I appreciate the fact that you will spend the extra time to confirm a failed component before replacing it. This confirms that you are not a technician, you are a mechanic. Big difference!
By 0:40 I guessed a battery ground wire issue. 6:40 solenoid looking crusty... We used to be able to change a solenoid without changing the starter. The solenoids were cheap and mounted where you could easily get to them. They tended to last 5 to 7 years.
Had a '68 Cougar with it mounted above the fender well, easy to arc with a screwdriver when the solenoid gave out. Sure miss those days...except for adjusting the points.
I think you still can, but if you pull the starter, you should strip it down and clean the inside of the starter and change the brushes at the same time. You get dust build up from the brushes as they wear down overtime that can cause other issues later, because the components tend to get heavily coated with the stuff. Last one I did was about 6 years ago and it’s still going. Also did someone else’s near the same time because they were looking to get rid of the car because of it and that is still going also. But if it is being done in a workshop though as per se, it’s probably more cost effective to get it exchanged with a refurbished or new starter motor to offset the labor costs + you get the warranty from the supplier.
my uncle used to tune a model A by turning crank to #1 TDC and aligning 10 penny nail rotor to wires on cap that went to #1 amazing now just replace the car
They also sold rebuild kits for alternators and starters. It had new bearings, bushings, brushes, etc. You could also buy diode trios and rectifier bridges.
Who else gave a chuckle when Mr. Ray poked himself with the fancy new tool because you knew he would, didn’t expect him to call himself out thought. Top notch video again.
Ray, thanks for the videos, good stuff. One comment on your diagnosis on this job though. You tested the power supply into the solenoid with the meter, but you didn't check the return wiring before condemning the starter. Verifying there is no voltage on the motor frame/bellhousing would prove you have a good ground connection between the engine block and battery -ve. Many moons ago I had a car where the choke cable (remember them?) glowed red when cranking because it was acting as the return instead of the proper cable due to a dirty ground connection. Just a thought, not a criticism :) Cheers
I remember it was from the ground connected from your battery do you fender do you fender was loose and bouncing up and down and help me if I'm wrong but I remember when you had curly hair bye
Damn, you’re right about the high beams. I was in Florida coming up to a left turn. The a-hole on the other side had high beams on, causing me to mis-judge the distance to the car in front of me. First accident in decades…
Great job on the headlight dimming procedure. Unfortunately, many new cars have such bright low beams everyone is blinded anyway - just less blinded I guess.
About 50 years ago, in California, CHP would set up vehicle inspection check points on random roads. I got a fix-it ticket for headlight adjustment. I had to go to a licensed adjustment station to get them aimed correctly. That vehicle gave me the best night vision of any I've owned. Most blinding low beams just need to be aimed properly.
@@VashthStampeede Or it might be that the car is loaded differently (all weight in the back), and they don't know how to set the light height in the car. It's a switch next to the main light switch with usually 4 positions.
@@Terror1Void That explains why the high beams were on. You can't do that in Europe, you have to put it on manually, or in the latest cars, leave it to the computer. It's very reliable in mine on auto.
The blue-headlight craze that manufacturers all seem to be onboard with.. I don't know if it's because they're LED/xeon or whatever.. seems to be attributing to that. I miss ordinary incandescent.
"I don't know if this is the right tool for this but I'm gonna try it." I have several scars from using that tactic though no missing digits and the tools didn't get destroyed so it was a win win in my book.
On my toyota corolla my starter just diededed. No noise, no nothing. After diagnosing it was the starter, and not power related. I pulled that same starter you had there out, and the copper bundle between solenoid and the motor was completely blown through. I replaced that and brought the 2004 beast back to life. But how did a computer geek know how to replace that starter motor? By videos like this on the internet. That was just a couple of months ago, but it made a grease monkey out of me once again, and I am back working on my own vehicles. That's how I found this channel, and I subscribed and listen every day as I do my nerd shit. Thanks for all the technical help Ray!
Easiest way to determine if it’s a faulty starter is drop the voltage by turning everything on in the car. Then try to start it 5 times usually under 12 volts your starter will seize or completely stop working. I see that the vehicle owner thinking it was battery they changed it and I bet the problem went away for a few months because of the higher voltage of the new battery. Keep up the great contents
Retired GM master tech. How many times has customers put an inexpensive battery in their vehicle just to regret it. More important today than ever before, good battery and clean good connections. A bad battery and dirty connections will set all kinds of codes, and cause more problems than I can mention here. What can I say,, get the right story from the customer, duplicate the problem, fix and verify the repair. You hit a home run Ray. Merry Christmas.
I remember having this issue as a kid with my parents car. My mum or dad would get out and give the starter solonoid a little lick with a tyre iron. Then it would start as it was free to actuate.
First, thanks for the high beam PSA! Too many people ignore that fact. Second, you just uncovered the mystery of what probably happened to me with my first vehicle when I sold it. I had a Chevy S10 that would not start when it got heat soaked. I figured it was a wire connection and never considered the starter solenoid went bad! I was throwing parts at it constantly, so I was glad to let it go.
Great job, Ray! I have found that on Asian cars, 8mm bolts typically have a 12mm head. The 8mm bolt on a European car typically has a 13mm head. Very rarely do I find them reversed. Some shops will keep either type of hardware in stock but not both. They can be interchanged, but it drives the techs crazy from constantly changing their wrench.
How nice of Toyota to put the starter right on top and in front. I remember back in my teenage years changing a starter on a 1979 Ford Granada where you had to jack up the engine and remove the passenger side motor mount to remove the starter. It was a nightmare!
Ray, If I can offer a small bit of advice. Please remove your wedding band (or wrap a bit of electrician’s tape) before you work around the battery. It’s easy to weld a wrench to the battery when you accidentally touch it. Imagine if you touch that wedding band to the positive, through a wrench or other metal. I have seen the damage first hand, not pretty! Otherwise, great videos, keep it up.
My stainless steel wedding ring has JUST THAT scorch mark in it for that exact reason.... Smoked it so fast that I had a 2nd degree burn all the way around my finger .... Needless to say I don't wear one now... One other reason to not wear a completely closed one is if you snatch your hand back quick for some reason and it snags, or you slip and fall and reach out to grab something and it snags, it'll deglove your finger in a hurry! At the least cut it in one spot so it'll open up and spread, but the new rubber ones are the trick if one in our industry MUST wear one!
Working on cars(especially tight space on cars) is tough, working a camera to where the audience can see can only make things Abit tougher or uncomfortable, props ray!
It's always something. Like with the 90's and 2000's Grand Am's and Prix's, the water pump was underneath the engine and buried in a corner so it wasn't even accessible by going under the vehicle. You were required to remove the entire engine to access it according the repair manual. most shops would partially lift one side of the motor to access to reduce work and labor time. Add on to that fact that they were notorious for failing and it was a nightmare. Each vehicle has to give up something for the design to work, there's always gonna be one part that's insanely difficult to access.
I find at least 50% of people I show that to were unaware you can press the button without the pedal because the screen says "press pedal to start" and no one at the dealer ever showed them
My step son is a brilliant person but not a car guy. He bought a ‘09 Camry from family and he had the same issue, no crank no start. I chuckled, and explained it’s a hybrid. Great person, just not a car person and didn’t know and has never driven a hybrid.
Just an FYI for you Toyota owners, on most(not this particular one)Denso starters that have the built in solenoid with the 3 screws on the cover. You can replace the 2 copper contacts underneath the plunger for about $10.00 each. If you get a click and then it starts after a couple of clicks it is almost always the contacts and are very easy to replace. it is NOT the brushes which will last the life of the vehicle. taking nothing from Ray on this job, well done Ray!
You have inspired me so much watching you work, I decided to change the front brake pads and rotors my 2010 Honda Pilot. It took me about 4 hours and I seriously enjoyed the work. Unfortunately I was also so dog tired I looked in the mirror and said, hey dude you are over 70 years old and not a spring chicken anymore. I still plan to keep it up as long as I can though. Thanks for your patient and positive attitude!
When the 4A and 2E motors still had carbs on the Toyotas, one could flick those starters in and out while smoking only one Marlboro in the procedure. Working on a hot engine speeds this up a lot, a cold motor requires 2 Marlboros and a cup of coffee.
I had to replace the starter on my kids 99 Camry. Napa supplied me with four starters until I got one that worked. The week after the Camry repair I had to replace the starter on my 1985 F-150 and it took three starters from Napa to get one that would work for more than a week. Quality control sucks on electronic parts.
He didn't the first time. Having done it five minutes earlier, the second time he knew the spanner could only touch the plastic box. No point disconnecting the negative lead again. It would just risk damaging it for nothing.
"i am leaning towards starter motor heatsoaking" ... Impressive. Leaves me speechless when experience lets you call the problem after very few tests. Just WOW.
Just as impressive is that he went and verified the failed component instead of just replacing a bunch of stuff and hoping. He's a solid mechanic, and I hope people watching pick up his good habits.
You do things just the way I would do them and I'm old school. Got to get me some of them newfangled spin brushes. They sure do work slick. Loved your PSA about high beams, they bother me very much also!
Great video. Ray, how about explaining the system you must use to organize bolts and nuts when you remove them so you don't lose them and put them back in the correct order. I notice you often put them by the windshield wipers. It must be difficult when you have a lot and you have to wait on parts. Do you just put them anywhere? I use old ice cube trays for the fasteners and start upper left to right. Thanks Joe
Thank you so much for this video! I'm having a similar issue where the vehicle showed no signs of any trouble until it wouldn't turn over. Turning the key over there was no click or any engine noise. Battery tested good, tried to jump start it, nothing. Again No clicks, no engine noise. Full power inside, air, radio gauges...everything works. Pulled the alternator due to online forums saying same issue that it wasn't the starter that it was the voltage regulator. Alternator was junk but technician stated that it wouldn't have been my issue. Waiting for new alternator to arrive but curious if I could test the starter without an alternator installed. Keyboard warriors don't come after me if that's a dumb question, I'm a newbie and thanks to Ray I'm learning!
Interesting. I can remember a time when a Toyota or Honda starter would last almost the life of the vehicle. They don't make them that good anymore. For example my 93 Acura Integra. The original starter just failed a month ago being almost 30 years old.
My only "complaint" is that with the time change I wish you published your videos an hour earlier. It would be great to watch me sweet dreams when I first get up and drink my coffee before work. I still enjoy catching your videos every day. Thanks
The reason the old nut looks higher quality is because the whole old OEM starter is of higher quality it may appear to look pretty much the same but its not Great video and diagnostic skills keep it up
So the solenoid failed? Did the starter fail also? Do you always need to change both together? I remember in the old days the solenoid was mounted separately, and if it failed you could bypass it to get it started.
Usually what actually fails in them is the 1/2 inch square copper contact plates from arcing during use. The parts themselves that fail CAN be cleaned by a back yard mech with patience and time, but the smart thing is to replace the whole unit as you can't buy just the solenoid. Unless it's an OBS Ford with a fender mounted solenoid that is....
As a DIYer, I've replaced the starter contacts on these Denso starters on several of my Toyotas over the years. Not really on option for a shop due to time and warranty issues, but a great solution for DIY.
Well done Ray.. I have a Toyota and I am glad to have my patience with mechanics (Automobile Technicians) validated. I suspected that working on cars today was a major pain in the ass, unless you have a lift and a truck load of tools. I WAS NOT WRONG :) Keep up the great work and that positive personality.
I was a pro mechanic and it has always been that way. While working with a lift is a whole lot easier. I like others have been managing with Jack's and ramps for years. You still need a lot of tools though, but not having power tools is slower.
I don't think you need a lift for most jobs (maybe none) but having a good tool collection including power tools makes all the difference. The key is to be safe, know how to diagnose your car, and have a service/repair manual if you're not sure what to do. Of course, if you have power tools and a lift the better but not necessary. You should try getting a OBDII scanner and learn to work with computer codes to troubleshoot your car.
@@MrSupernova111 I don't work professionally anymore so no need for power tools. Power tools only speed up the process nothing more and in the wrong hands will strip over tighten and snap bolts. Better to use a torque rench and hand tools.
@@thewizzard3150 . I'm not proposing to tighten fasteners with power tools but some power tools today come with auto stop feature when the fastener reaches certain torque. The idea of using a power tool is to make the job easier on the person and possibly prevent injury due to overexertion. In fact, the one thing I dislike about this channel is that the guy doesn't use torque wrenches which is a disgrace to his profession regardless of how much experience he has. His gut isn't an accurate measure of torque.
I just replaced the starter on my 2003 Toyota Corolla. It was the original one. Very easy job. I love Toyota's. I also replaced the starter relay that was located under the dash on the drivers side. ( Same symptoms, fail to crank when hot. ) It's all good now.
Hi Ray. From the great white North here. Funny enough more often than not it’s always a Toyota owner that is either driving with their high beams on or even better, NO lights on when it is dark out. Don’t get why but it’s always those guys. 🤷♂️
Be very careful *aerosolizing* lead oxide. You'll quickly go from Rainman to Stuporman. Lead paint abatement is performed with a HEPA vacuum for a reason. Please be careful, Ray.
I like your habit, IF weather permits, roll down driver side windows first. Because I usually start my wife's car for her in the morning, she always questioned me, why I did that, I stopped answer her. You learned from your mistake but I like to learn from the experienced professional. Not against woman, any simple car maintenance is husband's job, no questions asked, I learned that hard way.
This video took me back to 1995 when my Fathers Toyota Camry suffered the exact same flaw when trying to start. When I stripped the starter motor down, bearing in mind this was an early 1987 Camry, it turned out to be the copper plates that produced an electrical contact point at the far end of the motor casing. I managed to get some replacements plates for less than a dollar from a local electrical specialist. Taking care to install these flush and square to avoid premature ware , the motor proceeded to run flawlessly for another 135,000mls, without ever having to replace the starter motor. It’s interesting to me , that this fault still seems to be occurring regularly even on more recent models.
Probably not a failed solenoid as such, more likely that the 'pull in' winding can't find it's earth return through the armature windings and brushes. There are two windings on the solenoid. A strong one (pull in) and a relatively weak one (hold in). Your hold in winding appears fine as you can hear it trying as you're dabbing the battery terminal. It's earthed straight down to the body of the starter. The pull in winding (it will consume 30A or so) gets it's earth return via the brushes. I'm guessing poor brushes on the armature causing your intermittent problem. All academic really as we tend to just replace the whole starter nowadays, but just thought I'd chip in! Enjoy all of your vids Ray and even find myself doing the 'doodley-doo' noise when the phone rings....even though mine doesn't even make that sound!
actually dealers and manufactures want you to replace the whole car. BTW had a recall done at dealer I'll be taking them to court worst experience ever.
Toyota actually putting the starter where it can be accessed fairly easily. Unlike GM and Chrysler which has literally put them inside the valley of a v shaped engine under the intake manifolds in GMs case and on Chrysler putting the 3.6 liters behind the front suffrage mount on the minivans. Let alone some of GMs battery locations.
I bought mine from Autozone, a car parts dealer in the U.S. I'm sure they're available in other car parts stores. Of course you can always order from Amazon.
"...Not acceptable to drive around with your high beams on" Ice never seen so many high beam drivers as I have in Florida. But the cancer is spreading. Also: fog lights on a clear night.
note: a friend would when checking oil level, ok no one does that, would let oil from dip stick ,what is that? drop on terminals his looked new 5 years old. just saying.
Dielectric grease goes around/on top of connections, keep that in mind. It does **not** conduct electricity. Can make sense if you live in a corrosive environment (sea water). I never use it and my contacts looks just fine.
Thank you, Ray, for the high beams PSA. I'm a truck driver, and high beams have really become a problem over the years. Behind me or in front of me, they are a huge problem. Thank you.
If they're annoying to you, try driving a lowered JDM car. Shit drives my insane
I like the fact that I have really bright LED lights. When people drive towards me with high beams on, I just turn mine on since I know mine are brighter and more blinding. Is even more funny when they turn theirs off and then flash for me to turn mine off.
0
Nothing that a huge led bar can't fix.
From someone in a 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GT that is consistently blinded by low beams on cars without LED or HID lights, please do as this commenter suggests, some of us cannot see for almost a minute after passing you with your brights on.
It makes me smile to imagine how many people across the world now sing “doodle-doodle-loo” along with you every time the shop phone rings?! I join in with the ‘Clicks’ and the powering down sounds too. It’s daft, but it amuses me!
I've manged to get my wife to do it when I am watching the videos. Best regards from the south of Great Britain.
Yep I'm starting to do the Doodle Le Doo's too.
I’m not going to admit to any of that.
Gravity has taken over as well.
@@lechatbotte. we need a T shirt with gravity and a picture of a falling 10mm socket
Worse than high beams on all the time are people driving without lights at night thinking the lights are on because the instrument cluster is lit.
Then when you try to tell them they freak out and floor the gas.
LoL yah day time driving lites front not that tiny rear end, ah but THOSE people have to come to a full stop to turn and/or signal after turning or LANE change then drive 18 miles with signal on. maybe just distracted driving.
We have the same here...In the daytime you are allowed to run DRL's only and no light on the back.
A lot of french cars, you have to turn on the light when you start it, and you can not leave the switch on because the headlamps and whatnot will not turn off, with the ignition...What it will do, is bong at you relentlessly until you turn off the light, manually before exiting.
Result....A lot of people in french cars, will drive with their puny LED DRL's in the front and NO light in the back.
Have had a few close calls with slow moving vehicles with no rear light on...
Only advantage is that i get to test my high beams and horn thoroughly when it happens. :)
@@JohnDoe-bd5sz My 2018 Ford (EU Version) also is not easy at the lights. Let me explain: Light switch:
Auto (turns on and off (almost) as expected including fancy stuff: headlight beams following bends (i like) and automatic high beams (i hate, because half the time those engange even so there is oncoming traffic).
Switch at low beams always on position, there is no fancy stuff. When I turn the ignition off, all lights get switched off automatically, but the car still keeps beeping at me.
Why does it not beep at me, when the light switch is at "0" !?
Sorry for the rant. It made me go back to an older car with less brainboxes. Now I can forget to turn the light on and off all by myself :D
There’s a reason the cluster dims it’s telling you your headlights are on and you gotta turn up the dash lights. My car got DRL and then it flicks to the main headlights when it’s dark I keep it on auto so I don’t have too remember to turn them on. There’s a sensor in the dash that detects the sunlight and automatically flicks between the two so even during the day the lights are on. Also got parking light selection that just turns on the parking lights so you don’t sit there shinning the headlights blinding cars that might be coming down the road.
@@florian7492 yeah, the GM vehicles i have driven over the past 20+ years have all had a function that if you left it on "lights on" it would just turn off the lights with the ignition and not beep at me at all.
last 2 cars have had auto light so i just leave them on auto.
The french cars i mention that are from before 2015, usually dont have any light sensor, so no autolight.
As said, have had a few near misses, where someone drove on an unlit road at 50 miles per hour and i met them in a slight bend, so i saw them pretty late....And they were doing well below the speed limit as well...Which is understandable when driving with only LED DRL on. Why they did not think.."Hmm, i seem to be unable to see very far, maybe i should turn on the headlamps on the car"..
Once i met such a vehicle in the pitch black winter mornint, and braked hard...After that i flashed them a few times, but they did not seem to react.
I ended up just dropping back a bit, hit them with the high beam to illuminate them for other motorists and put on my hazard flashers as well.
Still took them a good 30 seconds before they apparantly realised why the "id1ot" behind them lit them up, and turned on the hazard flashers.
Sadly this is not something the police prioritize here, in my opinion they should get their rear lamps coded to be on all the time, if they are this poor at remembering to put them on.
I guess this problem is also the reason the EU mandated that all cars sold after a certain date back in 2015, was required to have auto-light.
The battery terminal cleaning technique saved my Camry from getting computer replaced. The problem was when the car would sit more than a day the Christmas tree would light up on the board and codes pointed to computer faulty. But after cleaning terminals never seen the problem to appear again. Thanks Ray
This video took me back in time when I performed the only successful car repair in my life when I changed out the starter motor on my 1965 Toyota Stout Pickup. Thanks for transporting me back 45 years in time and allowing me to relive my youth.
You're a regular Time Machine.
Ahhh. The old replace the starter starter job for our younger selves.
Mine was a 68 mercury Monterey in late 70’s. Lol
OMG I loved that car
My favorite repair was fixing the starter problem on my mom's K-car back in the day. For whatever reason replacement starters (even rebuilt) for those stupid cars cost an absolute king's ransom. I disassembled the solenoid and saw that the terminal blocks had eroded. I also noticed the worn areas were an arc with a radius similar to a penny. Lightbulb! I cut a (copper) penny to fit those spots, brazed them in and filed everything nice and flat. Car ran for years with no further starting issues. I like to say that I fixed it for 2/3 of a cent.
Parts departments used to carry solenoid contacts as well as bushings/bearings and brushes for their starters. The contacts cost a lot more than 2/3 of a penny!
What is that an English Penny or an American penny have a good night
It is great using old school tests and procedures to diagnose problems on modern automobiles. No bells and whistles (although that horn was a PITA…). Just a jumper wire, a voltmeter, battery terminal brushes, hand tools, and a lifetime of practical diagnosis and common sense. Great video!
Yea its a toyota look were the start is located
Ray, I can't tell you how many of your videos I've watched but what I have observed is that you are a top notch mechanic who can be absolutely trusted! I wish you were in the Dallas area as finding someone you can trust is extremely rare.
Your diagnostic skills are logical & quite thorough. I've seen too many mechanics pull out the parts cannon guessing at the cure. Your quality of work is amazing! And to make things even more difficult, you add the challenge of being a camera man ensuring your audience has the perfect views into your work. As a weekend home mechanic who does his own work, I salute you sir & offer my most sincere gratitude!
Same here Tim, also in Dallas (up near Plano) and wish there were a shop with a local Ray. Or more likely, there is at least one, but finding it (or them) is proving... challenging.
Well, it’s just a 22 hr, 1160 mile drive to Sarasota and then back. You’re in and out in no time 😂
@@oswaldpeter Cool! My Check Engine light hasn't been on THAT long, so I'm sure it'll last for the drive, so Ray can see it for himself. Oh, and work on crusting up the battery terminals. I don't want to miss out on the complimentary clean, shine and tightening!
Look up Jeff at Joe's Auto Repair in Garland. He's freaking awesome. Spends more on diagnostic equipment than most dealers. LOVE THE GUY!
Ray and Eric O are thee best mechanics on RUclips in my opinion
I am a retired firefighter. One of the best procedures that I learned in my 42 year career was, always disconnect the ground first. Prevents accidental shorting out when removing the positive.
Pro tip: Only black date stickers on batteries are from manufacture. Colored sticker means that it has been though a recharge cycle from a vendor due to sitting on the shelf for too long before being sold.
Another excellent video Ray, but PLEASE stop removing the positive cable of the battery first!
With everything made of plastic on today's automobiles, it's very hard to hit ground with the other end of the wrench. He technically did not remove it first, since there was no second. However, I totally agree with you on proper procedures.
High beams PSA is sorely needed. People seem to have gotten worse about just leaving high beams on all the time recently, happens at least once a day to me.
They forget to dim them because they’re too busy looking at their damn phones.
I like how Ray respects his client's description of the problem (when they're obviously not a complete loon), and he pushes until he finds the fault that, by their description, was obviously intermittent - the bane of any diagnostician. Been there, done that. Thank you Ray.
The power of suggestion. Thanks to you every time I switch something off I now by default make the ‘Pewww’ power down noise.
It’s also a Pavlovian response to say ‘gravity’ whenever I drop something.
Thanks for that PSA about the high beams. Nothing is more frustrating that someone that doesn’t know how or when to use their high beams.
How is that knowledge not a part of your driving school classes. ?
@@JohnDoe-bd5sz There are no driving school classes required. You need only pass a written test, and then a day time driving test.
@@williameldridge9382 Holy moly, that sounds pretty dangerous.
In my country the minimum requirement to get a drivers license is as follows.
29 theory lessons each 45 minutes long
24 driving lessons
Pass a first aid training program
The 24 driving lessons are atleast 4 hours on a small closed plot, where you learn to maneuver the car, then atleast 5 hours on a closed track followed by 15 driving lessons of 1 hour, conducted in a special car, where the student is in the drivers seat, and the driving instructor sits in the front passenger seat, the driving instructor has an identical set of pedals so they can brake, or operate the clutch (Education must be conducted in a car with manual gears...I assume this will change when electric cars are more prevalent)
All of the above has to take place over at timeperiod of atleast 14 days....No speedy weekend course, you need time to learn and what you learn must have time to soak in.
When all of that is done, you are allowed to take a written test and then a driving test, both of which you must pass to get the drivers license.
Your ability to diagnose an issue is extraordinarily. A lost art, the world needs more problems solvers like you. I wish I had your skills.
I love your videos!!!!!!!! being old school "60's muscle cars growing up were so easy to work on " and now watching you remove so much just to replace a simple part amazes me. thank you for sharing.
Hooters gto's 442 hemmings man knows where the days I remember them well lots of fun wish I had them old cars have a good night
I like the way you put in extra effort and time to prove the diagnosis. Too many guys knee jerk the most common solution.
Great job, Some of the Dealers would have replaced the rear diff and new tires and brakes or maby the rear tail lights, Been screwed by dealers to many times. Keep up the good work
As usual, this video is gold. Don't forget with your repair videos to put into your title or description the car year, make, and model so future folks can find your most excellent videos to help them out with their cars!
That’s a great idea. Maybe hashtag it or similar
Thank you for emphasizing the "blue light" functionality. Nothing is worse than driving at night and suddenly being blinded by some idiot who doesn't understand the use of highbeams. On the other hand I doubt that most people watching your channel don't already know that. If they tell a friend however maybe we can start a revolution :).
Yea if u can't see at night without ur highbeams on then u shouldn't be on the road at night. A lot of the time it happens, itll be a little old lady or man sitting right up against the steering wheel. U know damn well they probably should quit driving.
@@davidtryon1205 or we could go back to high beams requiring a pull back on the turn signal lever, since having it flop forward and stay there means randomly as the turn signal gets used it can flop into that forward position, leaving it sitting in the high beam position so that when it gets dark, the high beams are on already and the operator has no clue...except for that little blue light that they've learned to ignore.
But then there's the people running around with the auto headlights switched off because they think it'll drain their battery, so at night their fancy gadget filled dash lights up like it's daytime and the DRL's are working and they THINK their headlights are on so they run around with no taillights and they are SO much fun to come up on around a curve, since they can't see with the DRL's since they're so dim and they are driving 20 under the limit. These cars with DRL's and fancy lit up dashboards should be able to tell how light it is outside and dim accordingly if it's not daylight. Then without the speedometer and trip computer glaring them in the face, they'll be able to see out the windshield to realize their lights are NOT on.
In the UK this is covered in Highway Code Rule 114 and is generally observed. I drive on a lot of rural country roads and only encounter continuous highbeams from oncoming cars a couple of times a year although occasionally some drivers are a bit slow at turning then off.
@@davidtryon1205 In town/urban areas high beams don't have much utility. In rural areas, it really can help avoid tagging kamikaze deer waiting to leap out and trash your truck. Naturally you'll want to switch to low if oncoming traffic appears before you.
Trust me, they know what they're doing. They just don't care.
The moment you described with the customer said I already knew bad starter solenoid. You went through the proper steps to prove that fact which means you're an honest mechanic. If I ever had to take a vehicle anywhere I'm coming all the way down to you. And I'm half a country away.
Hi Ray! Love how you work! A tip I learned from an old auto and aircraft mechanic (my dad): always disconnect the battery ground first. That way, no matter what you do and how tight things are, you can’t get any rude electron flows while working on the hot side, especially while disconnecting the hot side of the battery. Yeah, it’s not important when there is lots of room, but when there isn’t it’s good to have habits! Murphy never sleeps!
That is my general practice too.
Same here, negative off before any real work starts.
My father was an aircraft mechanic in the RAF in England in about 1940s then he immigrated to the United States hey have a good evening and thanks for bringing back good memories
Ray, I appreciate the fact that you will spend the extra time to confirm a failed component before replacing it. This confirms that you are not a technician, you are a mechanic. Big difference!
By 0:40 I guessed a battery ground wire issue.
6:40 solenoid looking crusty...
We used to be able to change a solenoid without changing the starter.
The solenoids were cheap and mounted where you could easily get to them.
They tended to last 5 to 7 years.
Had a '68 Cougar with it mounted above the fender well, easy to arc with a screwdriver when the solenoid gave out. Sure miss those days...except for adjusting the points.
I think you still can, but if you pull the starter, you should strip it down and clean the inside of the starter and change the brushes at the same time. You get dust build up from the brushes as they wear down overtime that can cause other issues later, because the components tend to get heavily coated with the stuff. Last one I did was about 6 years ago and it’s still going. Also did someone else’s near the same time because they were looking to get rid of the car because of it and that is still going also.
But if it is being done in a workshop though as per se, it’s probably more cost effective to get it exchanged with a refurbished or new starter motor to offset the labor costs + you get the warranty from the supplier.
@@thefireman2854 I had a screwdriver in my 81 bronco for just that reason. I was in high school and between paychecks so I had to make do! 🤣
my uncle used to tune a model A by turning crank to #1 TDC and aligning 10 penny nail rotor to wires on cap that went to #1 amazing now just replace the car
They also sold rebuild kits for alternators and starters. It had new bearings, bushings, brushes, etc. You could also buy diode trios and rectifier bridges.
Who else gave a chuckle when Mr. Ray poked himself with the fancy new tool because you knew he would, didn’t expect him to call himself out thought. Top notch video again.
Ray, thanks for the videos, good stuff. One comment on your diagnosis on this job though. You tested the power supply into the solenoid with the meter, but you didn't check the return wiring before condemning the starter. Verifying there is no voltage on the motor frame/bellhousing would prove you have a good ground connection between the engine block and battery -ve. Many moons ago I had a car where the choke cable (remember them?) glowed red when cranking because it was acting as the return instead of the proper cable due to a dirty ground connection. Just a thought, not a criticism :) Cheers
well considered, I'll add that to the mental database
I remember it was from the ground connected from your battery do you fender do you fender was loose and bouncing up and down and help me if I'm wrong but I remember when you had curly hair bye
@@michaelpressman7203 Have you figured it out yet?
RaInman who hates the rain when under boat trailer, you are the next level battery preparer, good job he who hates rain.
Damn, you’re right about the high beams. I was in Florida coming up to a left turn. The a-hole on the other side had high beams on, causing me to mis-judge the distance to the car in front of me. First accident in decades…
Great job on the headlight dimming procedure. Unfortunately, many new cars have such bright low beams everyone is blinded anyway - just less blinded I guess.
About 50 years ago, in California, CHP would set up vehicle inspection check points on random roads. I got a fix-it ticket for headlight adjustment. I had to go to a licensed adjustment station to get them aimed correctly. That vehicle gave me the best night vision of any I've owned. Most blinding low beams just need to be aimed properly.
@@VashthStampeede Or it might be that the car is loaded differently (all weight in the back), and they don't know how to set the light height in the car. It's a switch next to the main light switch with usually 4 positions.
@@csgergo80 American cars do not come with those switches.
@@Terror1Void That explains why the high beams were on. You can't do that in Europe, you have to put it on manually, or in the latest cars, leave it to the computer. It's very reliable in mine on auto.
The blue-headlight craze that manufacturers all seem to be onboard with.. I don't know if it's because they're LED/xeon or whatever.. seems to be attributing to that. I miss ordinary incandescent.
"I don't know if this is the right tool for this but I'm gonna try it." I have several scars from using that tactic though no missing digits and the tools didn't get destroyed so it was a win win in my book.
On my toyota corolla my starter just diededed. No noise, no nothing. After diagnosing it was the starter, and not power related. I pulled that same starter you had there out, and the copper bundle between solenoid and the motor was completely blown through. I replaced that and brought the 2004 beast back to life. But how did a computer geek know how to replace that starter motor? By videos like this on the internet. That was just a couple of months ago, but it made a grease monkey out of me once again, and I am back working on my own vehicles. That's how I found this channel, and I subscribed and listen every day as I do my nerd shit. Thanks for all the technical help Ray!
Easiest way to determine if it’s a faulty starter is drop the voltage by turning everything on in the car. Then try to start it 5 times usually under 12 volts your starter will seize or completely stop working. I see that the vehicle owner thinking it was battery they changed it and I bet the problem went away for a few months because of the higher voltage of the new battery. Keep up the great contents
Problem with that is all the various computers will not like being deprived of power so it might not start even if it turns over.
Retired GM master tech. How many times has customers put an inexpensive battery in their vehicle just to regret it. More important today than ever before, good battery and clean good connections. A bad battery and dirty connections will set all kinds of codes, and cause more problems than I can mention here. What can I say,, get the right story from the customer, duplicate the problem, fix and verify the repair. You hit a home run Ray. Merry Christmas.
I remember having this issue as a kid with my parents car. My mum or dad would get out and give the starter solonoid a little lick with a tyre iron. Then it would start as it was free to actuate.
The good old days!
First, thanks for the high beam PSA! Too many people ignore that fact. Second, you just uncovered the mystery of what probably happened to me with my first vehicle when I sold it. I had a Chevy S10 that would not start when it got heat soaked. I figured it was a wire connection and never considered the starter solenoid went bad! I was throwing parts at it constantly, so I was glad to let it go.
Great job, Ray! I have found that on Asian cars, 8mm bolts typically have a 12mm head. The 8mm bolt on a European car typically has a 13mm head. Very rarely do I find them reversed. Some shops will keep either type of hardware in stock but not both. They can be interchanged, but it drives the techs crazy from constantly changing their wrench.
How nice of Toyota to put the starter right on top and in front. I remember back in my teenage years changing a starter on a 1979 Ford Granada where you had to jack up the engine and remove the passenger side motor mount to remove the starter. It was a nightmare!
Ray, If I can offer a small bit of advice. Please remove your wedding band (or
wrap a bit of electrician’s tape) before you work around the battery. It’s easy to weld a wrench to the battery when you accidentally touch it. Imagine if you touch that wedding band to the positive, through a wrench or other metal. I have seen the damage first hand, not pretty! Otherwise, great videos, keep it up.
My stainless steel wedding ring has JUST THAT scorch mark in it for that exact reason.... Smoked it so fast that I had a 2nd degree burn all the way around my finger .... Needless to say I don't wear one now... One other reason to not wear a completely closed one is if you snatch your hand back quick for some reason and it snags, or you slip and fall and reach out to grab something and it snags, it'll deglove your finger in a hurry! At the least cut it in one spot so it'll open up and spread, but the new rubber ones are the trick if one in our industry MUST wear one!
I'm loving the new battery cleaning using the cordless drill!
You can tell it's a good battery cuz the way that it is, and it has a to go handle-VGG😁
Derek's batteries are only as good as his brakes.
cracks me up every time you say "good day to all of you"..Never hear anyone say that anymore...very very cool !!!
Ray, I'm sure it takes alot of work to produce the video's. Thanks, for making them!
Working on cars(especially tight space on cars) is tough, working a camera to where the audience can see can only make things Abit tougher or uncomfortable, props ray!
"Legendary battery cleaning skills"
I'm jealous at how easy that starter was to replace. Did one on a 16 Kia Sorento 2.4 and it was the biggest pain in the ass.
It's always something. Like with the 90's and 2000's Grand Am's and Prix's, the water pump was underneath the engine and buried in a corner so it wasn't even accessible by going under the vehicle. You were required to remove the entire engine to access it according the repair manual. most shops would partially lift one side of the motor to access to reduce work and labor time. Add on to that fact that they were notorious for failing and it was a nightmare. Each vehicle has to give up something for the design to work, there's always gonna be one part that's insanely difficult to access.
Ray! If you press the push button start 2 times quickly, that makes it go in to accessory mode.
I find at least 50% of people I show that to were unaware you can press the button without the pedal because the screen says "press pedal to start" and no one at the dealer ever showed them
My step son is a brilliant person but not a car guy. He bought a ‘09 Camry from family and he had the same issue, no crank no start. I chuckled, and explained it’s a hybrid. Great person, just not a car person and didn’t know and has never driven a hybrid.
Just a note: when I replace parts I write the date on the unit when possible.
Just an FYI for you Toyota owners, on most(not this particular one)Denso starters that have the built in solenoid with the 3 screws on the cover. You can replace the 2 copper contacts underneath the plunger for about $10.00 each. If you get a click and then it starts after a couple of clicks it is almost always the contacts and are very easy to replace. it is NOT the brushes which will last the life of the vehicle. taking nothing from Ray on this job, well done Ray!
I like the upgrade you made to your battery terminal cleaners! Now done with more electrons!
You have inspired me so much watching you work, I decided to change the front brake pads and rotors my 2010 Honda Pilot. It took me about 4 hours and I seriously enjoyed the work. Unfortunately I was also so dog tired I looked in the mirror and said, hey dude you are over 70 years old and not a spring chicken anymore. I still plan to keep it up as long as I can though. Thanks for your patient and positive attitude!
When the 4A and 2E motors still had carbs on the Toyotas, one could flick those starters in and out while smoking only one Marlboro in the procedure.
Working on a hot engine speeds this up a lot, a cold motor requires 2 Marlboros and a cup of coffee.
Could Camels be used as an acceptable substitution?
@@wayneessar7489 That would be correct procedure yes
@@Uncle-Duncan-Shack 😂🙏
And click, another Rays repairs video is done. Have a great day!
Customer says yes to the repair! Yay!!
Getting more rare isn’t it?
Another great example of diagnostic excellence, and doing right by your customer. I swear if I lived anywhere near you, you would be my only mechanic.
Great video those terminal brushes look fancy , I was half expecting after you diagnosing it the owner declining the fix
I had to replace the starter on my kids 99 Camry. Napa supplied me with four starters until I got one that worked. The week after the Camry repair I had to replace the starter on my 1985 F-150 and it took three starters from Napa to get one that would work for more than a week. Quality control sucks on electronic parts.
Love your work. Just have one complaint. I cringe every time that you disconnect the positive battery terminal first.
He didn't the first time. Having done it five minutes earlier, the second time he knew the spanner could only touch the plastic box. No point disconnecting the negative lead again. It would just risk damaging it for nothing.
I do like Toyota's parking brake release design. My 2001 Malibu and my 2003 Tundra also used that type. Very easy, quick and hands free.
High quality work Ray!! Love it when people take so much into consideration and deliver the best possible care.
Legend has it that folks are traveling from Alaska and Washington state to south Florida for Ray to clean their battery terminals.
"i am leaning towards starter motor heatsoaking"
... Impressive. Leaves me speechless when experience lets you call the problem after very few tests.
Just WOW.
Just as impressive is that he went and verified the failed component instead of just replacing a bunch of stuff and hoping. He's a solid mechanic, and I hope people watching pick up his good habits.
You do things just the way I would do them and I'm old school. Got to get me some of them newfangled spin brushes. They sure do work slick. Loved your PSA about high beams, they bother me very much also!
nice job - and a surprisingly easy accessible starter unit. well, it's a toyota, many of them are good to work on.
Some Toyotas have the starter under the intake manifold
Thnx for teaching an old dog new tricks in return for ever 10 minutes of video I'll watch 1 add in full.
Great video. Ray, how about explaining the system you must use to organize bolts and nuts when you remove them so you don't lose them and put them back in the correct order. I notice you often put them by the windshield wipers. It must be difficult when you have a lot and you have to wait on parts. Do you just put them anywhere? I use old ice cube trays for the fasteners and start upper left to right. Thanks Joe
Can't see much wrong with your system Joe. Low cost, recycles another item and systematic.
Thank you so much for this video! I'm having a similar issue where the vehicle showed no signs of any trouble until it wouldn't turn over. Turning the key over there was no click or any engine noise. Battery tested good, tried to jump start it, nothing. Again No clicks, no engine noise. Full power inside, air, radio gauges...everything works. Pulled the alternator due to online forums saying same issue that it wasn't the starter that it was the voltage regulator. Alternator was junk but technician stated that it wouldn't have been my issue. Waiting for new alternator to arrive but curious if I could test the starter without an alternator installed. Keyboard warriors don't come after me if that's a dumb question, I'm a newbie and thanks to Ray I'm learning!
I miss the days when the solenoids was on the fender wall of the vehicle and a $8 part to change!!!!
Solenoids are now $25+ :D ... I know... Have 3 OBS Fords :D
Good diag on making sure the starter was the issue and that little brush that you put on the electric ratchet is sweet @Rainman Ray's Repairs
Interesting. I can remember a time when a Toyota or Honda starter would last almost the life of the vehicle. They don't make them that good anymore. For example my 93 Acura Integra. The original starter just failed a month ago being almost 30 years old.
Not made in Japan.
A testament to your quality is the fact that you have 7k likes and not 1 dislike. Great content.
Lately I don't see dislikes shown. I think RUclips stopped their display.
Love the blue light lesson, Florida drivers seem to think this is an acceptable thing to drive in well lit cities with their high beams on
that satisfying click when the object that you are fishing for hits the magnet!
I can’t wait for the day where he gets the most corrosive, rusted battery ever and does his signature cleaning on it 🤤
Just keep watching the back-library, there's quite a few of those in there!
My only "complaint" is that with the time change I wish you published your videos an hour earlier. It would be great to watch me sweet dreams when I first get up and drink my coffee before work.
I still enjoy catching your videos every day. Thanks
The reason the old nut looks higher quality is because the whole old OEM starter is of higher quality it may appear to look pretty much the same but its not
Great video and diagnostic skills keep it up
Using his vast and sophisticated tools (the hammer), Ray started to work on the starter!
So the solenoid failed? Did the starter fail also? Do you always need to change both together? I remember in the old days the solenoid was mounted separately, and if it failed you could bypass it to get it started.
Best too just change the whole unit why’ll you are there right
Usually what actually fails in them is the 1/2 inch square copper contact plates from arcing during use. The parts themselves that fail CAN be cleaned by a back yard mech with patience and time, but the smart thing is to replace the whole unit as you can't buy just the solenoid. Unless it's an OBS Ford with a fender mounted solenoid that is....
As a DIYer, I've replaced the starter contacts on these Denso starters on several of my Toyotas over the years. Not really on option for a shop due to time and warranty issues, but a great solution for DIY.
GOOD JOB, I like the fact that you double checked and did not just assume it was fixed
Well done Ray.. I have a Toyota and I am glad to have my patience with mechanics (Automobile Technicians) validated.
I suspected that working on cars today was a major pain in the ass, unless you have a lift and a truck load of tools.
I WAS NOT WRONG :) Keep up the great work and that positive personality.
I can't argue against your opinion. I'm not a pro mechanic, but I've ended up with 2 lifts and a truck load (or two) of tools.
I was a pro mechanic and it has always been that way. While working with a lift is a whole lot easier. I like others have been managing with Jack's and ramps for years. You still need a lot of tools though, but not having power tools is slower.
I don't think you need a lift for most jobs (maybe none) but having a good tool collection including power tools makes all the difference. The key is to be safe, know how to diagnose your car, and have a service/repair manual if you're not sure what to do. Of course, if you have power tools and a lift the better but not necessary. You should try getting a OBDII scanner and learn to work with computer codes to troubleshoot your car.
@@MrSupernova111 I don't work professionally anymore so no need for power tools. Power tools only speed up the process nothing more and in the wrong hands will strip over tighten and snap bolts. Better to use a torque rench and hand tools.
@@thewizzard3150 . I'm not proposing to tighten fasteners with power tools but some power tools today come with auto stop feature when the fastener reaches certain torque. The idea of using a power tool is to make the job easier on the person and possibly prevent injury due to overexertion. In fact, the one thing I dislike about this channel is that the guy doesn't use torque wrenches which is a disgrace to his profession regardless of how much experience he has. His gut isn't an accurate measure of torque.
I just replaced the starter on my 2003 Toyota Corolla. It was the original one. Very easy job. I love Toyota's. I also replaced the starter relay that was located under the dash on the drivers side. ( Same symptoms, fail to crank when hot. ) It's all good now.
"Rusty... Very Rusty!"
Hahaha!
Come back north, Ray!
You're getting Rusty in Florida!
We've got cars ready for the crusher after 5 years!
Thank you for the PSA about high beams. It's needed.
Love the content. How do you know you didn't finish breaking the starter?
Does it matter? Either way, it's still a core.
Hi Ray. From the great white North here. Funny enough more often than not it’s always a Toyota owner that is either driving with their high beams on or even better, NO lights on when it is dark out. Don’t get why but it’s always those guys. 🤷♂️
Be very careful *aerosolizing* lead oxide.
You'll quickly go from Rainman to Stuporman.
Lead paint abatement is performed with a HEPA vacuum for a reason.
Please be careful, Ray.
Yeah, I wouldn't have blown the freshly made dust around. I'm stupid enough already, so I'm a little paranoid about heavy metals.
Yeah, could turn one into a Leftist Liberal Dem.
@@grassroot011 Reps and libs are on opposite sides of the same downy coin.
@@nodriveknowitall702 facts
I like your habit, IF weather permits, roll down driver side windows first. Because I usually start my wife's car for her in the morning, she always questioned me, why I did that, I stopped answer her. You learned from your mistake but I like to learn from the experienced professional. Not against woman, any simple car maintenance is husband's job, no questions asked, I learned that hard way.
Cool tip: Toyotas never use 13 mm bolts.
Japanese and Korean cars in general don't use them. I think it's superstition.
@@Scrubworks odd numbers are bad m'kay
@@Gruxxan I think it's specifically 13, the unlucky number. Lots of 17mm bolts on Japanese cars. No 18mm though, that's the preserve of European cars.
@@Gruxxan what about all the 17 and 19s?
Really?
This video took me back to 1995 when my Fathers Toyota Camry suffered the exact same flaw when trying to start. When I stripped the starter motor down, bearing in mind this was an early 1987 Camry, it turned out to be the copper plates that produced an electrical contact point at the far end of the motor casing. I managed to get some replacements plates for less than a dollar from a local electrical specialist. Taking care to install these flush and square to avoid premature ware , the motor proceeded to run flawlessly for another 135,000mls, without ever having to replace the starter motor. It’s interesting to me , that this fault still seems to be occurring regularly even on more recent models.
Probably not a failed solenoid as such, more likely that the 'pull in' winding can't find it's earth return through the armature windings and brushes. There are two windings on the solenoid. A strong one (pull in) and a relatively weak one (hold in).
Your hold in winding appears fine as you can hear it trying as you're dabbing the battery terminal. It's earthed straight down to the body of the starter.
The pull in winding (it will consume 30A or so) gets it's earth return via the brushes. I'm guessing poor brushes on the armature causing your intermittent problem.
All academic really as we tend to just replace the whole starter nowadays, but just thought I'd chip in!
Enjoy all of your vids Ray and even find myself doing the 'doodley-doo' noise when the phone rings....even though mine doesn't even make that sound!
actually dealers and manufactures want you to replace the whole car. BTW had a recall done at dealer I'll be taking them to court worst experience ever.
Good info. Thx
Toyota actually putting the starter where it can be accessed fairly easily. Unlike GM and Chrysler which has literally put them inside the valley of a v shaped engine under the intake manifolds in GMs case and on Chrysler putting the 3.6 liters behind the front suffrage mount on the minivans. Let alone some of GMs battery locations.
Hi ray where did you get those terminal cleaners they look pretty handy
I’m sure it came from the snap on truck, they sell a similar one for plumbing at Ferguson
I bought mine from Autozone, a car parts dealer in the U.S. I'm sure they're available in other car parts stores. Of course you can always order from Amazon.
Love your gripe of the day about high beams and thoroughly agree.
Where did you get the battery cleaners for your impact? They are awesome! As always, Thank You for your hard work, PSA's and general good humor.
Harbor Freight ? maybe.
You know what ?
You are a god of cars trucks suv you're the best of the best.......
"...Not acceptable to drive around with your high beams on"
Ice never seen so many high beam drivers as I have in Florida. But the cancer is spreading. Also: fog lights on a clear night.
Terminal cleansing skills par excellence.
Just a question: Do you ever apply or recommend dielectric grease to terminals when reassembled?
note: a friend would when checking oil level, ok no one does that, would let oil from dip stick ,what is that? drop on terminals his looked new 5 years old. just saying.
He did, is was in the spray bottle
@@jhonditch4269 Lubrication and protectant is where you find it. Just look around and it will be within reach somewhere.
Dielectric grease goes around/on top of connections, keep that in mind. It does **not** conduct electricity. Can make sense if you live in a corrosive environment (sea water). I never use it and my contacts looks just fine.
@@slydog4535 The "battery terminal protectant spray" is NOT dielectric grease, it's an anti corrosion chemical compound
Chemical Composition/Ingredients
Petroleum gases, liquefied, sweetened
Naphtha, petroleum, hydrotreated light
Hexane, 3-methyl-
Heptane
Petrolatum
Hexane, 2-methyl- Hexane, 2-methyl-
Methyl cyclohexane
Solvent-refined heavy paraffinic distillate
Xylene (mixed isomers)
Ethylbenzene
Hexane
"I am my own biggest setback sometimes."
I felt that in my soul!🤣