Solenoid (aka Magnetic Switch Assembly) Repair

[artbuc]

Wow. At less than 90k miles, looks like my wife's solenoid is failing. Yesterday had to hit ignition 4 times to get starter to engage. Was getiing the infamous "click" which usually indicates solenoid contacts are going bad. Will remove starter today to confirm problem.

Three questions:

1. Has anyone else had a solenoid failure at such low mileage?

2. Has anyone successfully replaced solenoid contacts & plunger ($25) vs buying a whole new starter ($250-300)?

3. Anyone had any luck with a remanufactured starter?

[mikey00]

Wow. At less than 90k miles, looks like my wife's solenoid is failing. Yesterday had to hit ignition 4 times to get starter to engage. Was getiing the infamous "click" which usually indicates solenoid contacts are going bad. Will remove starter today to confirm problem.

Three questions:

1. Has anyone else had a solenoid failure at such low mileage?

2. Has anyone successfully replaced solenoid contacts & plunger ($25) vs buying a whole new starter ($250-300)?

3. Anyone had any luck with a remanufactured starter?

Mine is still working at 133K, so I can't give you first hand info, but based on previous posts the answer is yes to all 3 of your questions. It seems like the soloind contacts in Nippon Denso starter used the RX are a common failure item. I remember posts in the past where owners used a new starter, a rebuilt, and replaced contacts. If you do a search on "starter" on this forum and over at CL you will get many hits. I even remember some R&R procedures if you need them. I did save this Nippon Denso repair link from a previous post in case I ever needed it. It may help you.

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/instructions.html

[artbuc]

Wow. At less than 90k miles, looks like my wife's solenoid is failing. Yesterday had to hit ignition 4 times to get starter to engage. Was getiing the infamous "click" which usually indicates solenoid contacts are going bad. Will remove starter today to confirm problem.

Three questions:

1. Has anyone else had a solenoid failure at such low mileage?

2. Has anyone successfully replaced solenoid contacts & plunger ($25) vs buying a whole new starter ($250-300)?

3. Anyone had any luck with a remanufactured starter?

Mine is still working at 133K, so I can't give you first hand info, but based on previous posts the answer is yes to all 3 of your questions. It seems like the soloind contacts in Nippon Denso starter used the RX are a common failure item. I remember posts in the past where owners used a new starter, a rebuilt, and replaced contacts. If you do a search on "starter" on this forum and over at CL you will get many hits. I even remember some R&R procedures if you need them. I did save this Nippon Denso repair link from a previous post in case I ever needed it. It may help you.

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/instructions.html

Thanks Mike. I already looked at this link...it is very good. Discount Toyota sells the contact repair kits & plunger for $35. This is a little more than nations but nation's kit only includes the bare contacts plus plunger whereas the Toyota kit includes new o-rings, insulators, etc. I'll let you know how things turn out.

[artbuc]

Wow. At less than 90k miles, looks like my wife's solenoid is failing. Yesterday had to hit ignition 4 times to get starter to engage. Was getiing the infamous "click" which usually indicates solenoid contacts are going bad. Will remove starter today to confirm problem.

Three questions:

1. Has anyone else had a solenoid failure at such low mileage?

2. Has anyone successfully replaced solenoid contacts & plunger ($25) vs buying a whole new starter ($250-300)?

3. Anyone had any luck with a remanufactured starter?

Mine is still working at 133K, so I can't give you first hand info, but based on previous posts the answer is yes to all 3 of your questions. It seems like the soloind contacts in Nippon Denso starter used the RX are a common failure item. I remember posts in the past where owners used a new starter, a rebuilt, and replaced contacts. If you do a search on "starter" on this forum and over at CL you will get many hits. I even remember some R&R procedures if you need them. I did save this Nippon Denso repair link from a previous post in case I ever needed it. It may help you.

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/instructions.html

Thanks Mike. I already looked at this link...it is very good. Discount Toyota sells the contact repair kits & plunger for $35. This is a little more than nations but nation's kit only includes the bare contacts plus plunger whereas the Toyota kit includes new o-rings, insulators, etc. I'll let you know how things turn out.

Yup. Battery side contact is over 50% gone plus pitted/corroded as is the plunger contact surface. My wife does mostly stop & go driving so many more starts per mile driven than most folks.

[TomC]

I would check the voltage drop between the battery and the starter while the starter is cranking. Bad connections/cables could cause a lower than normal voltage at the starter resulting in higher current draw and faster contact burnout. If your battery has always been up to par and the cables and connections are good, the contacts should have lasted longer.

Denso starters have a great reputation - the contacts are a normal wear item.

Good luck on a successful repair!

Tom

[artbuc]

I would check the voltage drop between the battery and the starter while the starter is cranking. Bad connections/cables could cause a lower than normal voltage at the starter resulting in higher current draw and faster contact burnout. If your battery has always been up to par and the cables and connections are good, the contacts should have lasted longer.

Denso starters have a great reputation - the contacts are a normal wear item.

Good luck on a successful repair!

Tom

Still waiting for parts but thought you would be interested in my temporary repair. Plunger and motor side contacts were in pretty good shape so I just cleaned them up well with fine emery cloth. Battery side contact needed much more help. Cut a piece of copper pipe and flattened it into a roughly 1-1/4" square. Shaped one end to get a nice tight fit into the curved wear spot on the contact surface, then soldered it into place using regular copper pipe soldering techniques. Then removed excess copper and filed/sanded to get the right final dimensions. Repaired contact looked great. Reassembled and starter is working great.

I will install new parts when I get them, but I don't see why this repair wouldn't last as long as a new contact.

[lenore]

Great job, a man that thinks like me. Thats what I would have done...Done stuff like that for years, my son thinks I am a genious.

[artbuc]

Great job, a man that thinks like me. Thats what I would have done...Done stuff like that for years, my son thinks I am a genious.

Thanks. I just love fixing things. When people ask my wife what I do, she says "he fixes things". Alot of times I have no idea what I am doing but I do the research as I go and usually end up ok. I've spent hours reading my Lexus Service Manual. The Internet has been a huge help.

I'm looking forward to getting my wife's door actuator working again. I did look on ebay. Did you buy a kit designed to convert manual locks to automatic? I couldn't find exactly what you purchased.

[lenore]

Here is an example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...rksid=p284.m185

here is another one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-x-Power-Door-Lock-Ac...t=1218783862906

[code58]

I would check the voltage drop between the battery and the starter while the starter is cranking. Bad connections/cables could cause a lower than normal voltage at the starter resulting in higher current draw and faster contact burnout. If your battery has always been up to par and the cables and connections are good, the contacts should have lasted longer.

Denso starters have a great reputation - the contacts are a normal wear item.

Good luck on a successful repair!

Tom

Still waiting for parts but thought you would be interested in my temporary repair. Plunger and motor side contacts were in pretty good shape so I just cleaned them up well with fine emery cloth. Battery side contact needed much more help. Cut a piece of copper pipe and flattened it into a roughly 1-1/4" square. Shaped one end to get a nice tight fit into the curved wear spot on the contact surface, then soldered it into place using regular copper pipe soldering techniques. Then removed excess copper and filed/sanded to get the right final dimensions. Repaired contact looked great. Reassembled and starter is working great.

I will install new parts when I get them, but I don't see why this repair wouldn't last as long as a new contact.

Artbuc- Many, many years ago (our younger son and his wife just celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary and it was when they were going together) our now DIL had starter failure on her Honda Prelude and I took it apart and found the exact thing you are talking about here. At 125k mi., the starter looked like new inside but the solenoid contacts were burned half away. Being one to always try to fix (love a challenge) things, I did the only thing I knew to do with what I readily available , I brought out the trusty acetelyne torch and brazed the erosion full and ground it down to the original dimensions. It still worked flawlessly when she sold the car a few years later. I recently had to do the same thing to her 99RX. The starter (brushes, armature and all looked like NEW at 123k mi.!) I don't believe it's possible to wear those brushes out- the solenoid contacts, now that's another story. Although I do feel that they do well for the # of times they've had to endure the arching load of the starter. I remember many years ago how common it was to have to service the GM starter solenoids. I've seen them need to be serviced at as low as in the 30k's.

If she has it long enough to give problems again (I doubt that it will), I'll just grab the torch and do the same thing again- doesn't take any longer than going to the parts store. :)

[artbuc]

I would check the voltage drop between the battery and the starter while the starter is cranking. Bad connections/cables could cause a lower than normal voltage at the starter resulting in higher current draw and faster contact burnout. If your battery has always been up to par and the cables and connections are good, the contacts should have lasted longer.

Denso starters have a great reputation - the contacts are a normal wear item.

Good luck on a successful repair!

Tom

Still waiting for parts but thought you would be interested in my temporary repair. Plunger and motor side contacts were in pretty good shape so I just cleaned them up well with fine emery cloth. Battery side contact needed much more help. Cut a piece of copper pipe and flattened it into a roughly 1-1/4" square. Shaped one end to get a nice tight fit into the curved wear spot on the contact surface, then soldered it into place using regular copper pipe soldering techniques. Then removed excess copper and filed/sanded to get the right final dimensions. Repaired contact looked great. Reassembled and starter is working great.

I will install new parts when I get them, but I don't see why this repair wouldn't last as long as a new contact.

Artbuc- Many, many years ago (our younger son and his wife just celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary and it was when they were going together) our now DIL had starter failure on her Honda Prelude and I took it apart and found the exact thing you are talking about here. At 125k mi., the starter looked like new inside but the solenoid contacts were burned half away. Being one to always try to fix (love a challenge) things, I did the only thing I knew to do with what I readily available , I brought out the trusty acetelyne torch and brazed the erosion full and ground it down to the original dimensions. It still worked flawlessly when she sold the car a few years later. I recently had to do the same thing to her 99RX. The starter (brushes, armature and all looked like NEW at 123k mi.!) I don't believe it's possible to wear those brushes out- the solenoid contacts, now that's another story. Although I do feel that they do well for the # of times they've had to endure the arching load of the starter. I remember many years ago how common it was to have to service the GM starter solenoids. I've seen them need to be serviced at as low as in the 30k's.

If she has it long enough to give problems again (I doubt that it will), I'll just grab the torch and do the same thing again- doesn't take any longer than going to the parts store. :)

You, Lenore and I are definitely on the same page. I get alot of ribbing from family members who say I am a cheapskate. They don't believe me, but I fix things for the joy of it. If I save $$ great. Sometimes I make mistakes which cost me as much or more money than if I paid someone to fix it. Of course, everytime I have taken one of my vehicles to the dealer for warranty work, the dealer totally screwed things up. I guess there are some Toyota/Lexus dealers who fix things right the first time, but I haven't found one yet.

[code58]

I would check the voltage drop between the battery and the starter while the starter is cranking. Bad connections/cables could cause a lower than normal voltage at the starter resulting in higher current draw and faster contact burnout. If your battery has always been up to par and the cables and connections are good, the contacts should have lasted longer.

Denso starters have a great reputation - the contacts are a normal wear item.

Good luck on a successful repair!

Tom

Still waiting for parts but thought you would be interested in my temporary repair. Plunger and motor side contacts were in pretty good shape so I just cleaned them up well with fine emery cloth. Battery side contact needed much more help. Cut a piece of copper pipe and flattened it into a roughly 1-1/4" square. Shaped one end to get a nice tight fit into the curved wear spot on the contact surface, then soldered it into place using regular copper pipe soldering techniques. Then removed excess copper and filed/sanded to get the right final dimensions. Repaired contact looked great. Reassembled and starter is working great.

I will install new parts when I get them, but I don't see why this repair wouldn't last as long as a new contact.

Artbuc- Many, many years ago (our younger son and his wife just celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary and it was when they were going together) our now DIL had starter failure on her Honda Prelude and I took it apart and found the exact thing you are talking about here. At 125k mi., the starter looked like new inside but the solenoid contacts were burned half away. Being one to always try to fix (love a challenge) things, I did the only thing I knew to do with what I readily available , I brought out the trusty acetelyne torch and brazed the erosion full and ground it down to the original dimensions. It still worked flawlessly when she sold the car a few years later. I recently had to do the same thing to her 99RX. The starter (brushes, armature and all looked like NEW at 123k mi.!) I don't believe it's possible to wear those brushes out- the solenoid contacts, now that's another story. Although I do feel that they do well for the # of times they've had to endure the arching load of the starter. I remember many years ago how common it was to have to service the GM starter solenoids. I've seen them need to be serviced at as low as in the 30k's.

If she has it long enough to give problems again (I doubt that it will), I'll just grab the torch and do the same thing again- doesn't take any longer than going to the parts store. :)

You, Lenore and I are definitely on the same page. I get alot of ribbing from family members who say I am a cheapskate. They don't believe me, but I fix things for the joy of it. If I save $$ great. Sometimes I make mistakes which cost me as much or more money than if I paid someone to fix it. Of course, everytime I have taken one of my vehicles to the dealer for warranty work, the dealer totally screwed things up. I guess there are some Toyota/Lexus dealers who fix things right the first time, but I haven't found one yet.

Artbuc- It's not about being tight- I've never been tight, I just love a challenge. I come from a family of fabricators (5 boys and it was in all of our blood). I figure if man made it, I can fix it. I've been a tool freak all my life and have more tools and equipment than it should be legal for any man to have. And I use 'em! Fortunately my wife is very understanding (I have never smoked, drank or gambled in my life and I think she figures she's still way ahead. LOL).

[lenore]

You guys are great, I too look at it as a challenge, cheap, yea that too, but I gain so much satisfaction knowing I can do this stuff and others cant. I just wish I could make money doing it. My wife thinks I am a genious, once and awhile. The other thing is you learn from doing this stuff, and boy I have friends that are amazed, and when I spent a hours worth of time and no parts cost, it makes me feel good when my neighbors talk about having to spend $500 or more to get the same thing fixed. I just repaired the vinyl on my wifes lexus, the cheapest quote was $100 and no guarantee that it would be completely hidden. I picked up a kit from Autozone and did the repair for the first time. $15 and my repair was completely invisable. Plus now I have enough to do about 50 more repairs. Amazes me how easy it was. I rebuilt my alternator (preventative) at 140k miles on the lexus for $50 with all Lexus parts. That is cheap compared to a new alternator and I know the quality of what I have done.... The door lock was a success with $15 in parts versus the lousy $258 part that I did the first time 5 years ago... The list goes on and I just keep it going....Good luck to all my fellow fixers and saturday shade tree mechanics....

[code58]

You guys are great, I too look at it as a challenge, cheap, yea that too, but I gain so much satisfaction knowing I can do this stuff and others cant. I just wish I could make money doing it. My wife thinks I am a genious, once and awhile. The other thing is you learn from doing this stuff, and boy I have friends that are amazed, and when I spent a hours worth of time and no parts cost, it makes me feel good when my neighbors talk about having to spend $500 or more to get the same thing fixed. I just repaired the vinyl on my wifes lexus, the cheapest quote was $100 and no guarantee that it would be completely hidden. I picked up a kit from Autozone and did the repair for the first time. $15 and my repair was completely invisable. Plus now I have enough to do about 50 more repairs. Amazes me how easy it was. I rebuilt my alternator (preventative) at 140k miles on the lexus for $50 with all Lexus parts. That is cheap compared to a new alternator and I know the quality of what I have done.... The door lock was a success with $15 in parts versus the lousy $258 part that I did the first time 5 years ago... The list goes on and I just keep it going....Good luck to all my fellow fixers and saturday shade tree mechanics....

Good old American ingenuity Lenore- what did they do 50- 60 yrs. ago? They sure didn't have access to the finances or dealers to have done whatever needed to be fixed. My father never had the money to have a very new car and certainly none to have it worked on. Whatever it needed, he had to do it and that meant "fixing" (not replacing) whatever needed to be "fixed". All of us boys grew up doing the same thing from the time we had our 1st. bicycle. At least we're not totally at the mercy of the shop (hopefully not much). I took the responsibility of maintaining and repairing my son and DIL's rather high miles cars when they were fighting the fight of their life when their son had leukemia (a battle he unfortunately lost), but was greatful for the knowledge and ability to do it. Shade tree mechanic?, doesn't sound to me like a bad place to be.LOL We were in Yellowstone Park one year on vacation in our motorhome and came upon 4 young men with an old Datsun. They were in one of the parking lots that have a small greenbelt about 8 ft. wide between face to face parking. They had evidently had engine trouble because between the 4 of them they had unbolted the engine and lifted it (with no help from any hoist or engine lift) out of the car onto the green belt and were working on it there- now that gives new meaning to "shade tree mechanic" LOL. Need to get this book to the publishers. Have a great weekend all!