Can you help me identify this relay on my 86 4Runner? It came to me in this condition -- sloppy crimp on connectors hanging upside down beside the oil filter in front of the starter.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72188695@N05/6844329797/
The reason I'm asking is because my rig now has a starting issue. The starter and solenoid all check out and I just replaced both the clutch safety switch (at the pedal) and the electrical ignition switch in the column. I get a relay click under the dash and can hear the fuel pump running but I do not get any cranking what so ever. I just had my battery tested and it is also good.

I'm aware that there is a starter relay on pass side fenderwell which I do have. I'm a bit puzzled what this relay is for and if it could be contributing to my issues.

 

follow the wires, where do they go?

i can tell you for a fact that i personally have never seen a relay in the location you described.

 

Hi Stanz,

That relay does not belong there. Looks like an EFI relay that PO used to remedy click-only issue you're having. the black wire with heat shrink on it probably plugs into spade terminal at starter solenoid. It's dangerously-wired, too. No insulation between spade terminals.

If you're getting the C.O.R. click-only problem, try this test to see if problem is on starter solenoid and downstream or starter solenoid and upstream.

That relay could be someone's version of a "hotshot" relay, to remedy the wiring mistake that Toyota did on mid-86's to 88 (22RE) 4Runners and pickups.

I suggest you find out if it is a remedy, get rid of that mickey mouse job and fix that wiring mistake with simple fix I have on my sig.

 

Thanks guys! I gave up this morning and towed the rig to the dealer. I rely on this as my daily driver and ran out of time and patience to get this fixed.

They took one look and concluded that this relay was wired redundant to the factory starter relay, which they diagnosed to be in working order. They cut out the hack job, put things back to factory wiring and it fires right up.

I'll keep an eye on the intermittent click on relay. If it comes back I'll do the HotShot relay upgrade.

I have to hand it to Toyota. Practically all of my issues have been the result of previous owner hacks or sloppy mechanics missing finishing details. The good news is that I've been through almost every detail of every functioning system and almost everything has been replaced, upgraded or rebuilt stronger. I find as I work out the bugs, this thing just runs stronger and better! What a machine!

 

Cool.

I'm pretty sure your truck has the wiring design mistake by Toyota (It had better mechanical engineers than electrical engineers back then). Just verify using this quick guide if it's got the mistake:


If your truck has it, no need to buy hotshot system, just .
Rewire to this:


Here are details of how I fixed mine.

Yep, same here. Nice to have a simple machine with easy access to see problems before they happen.

 

So the intermittent click came back. I decided to go my own route instead of the HotShot relay. I picked up a 40A waterproof relay from Jegs. I wanted it to be plug and play with the factory wiring (no cutting) so I picked up a spare used OE starter relay and made it a donor for its wire harness connector. I took the connector apart, ran the new relay's wiring into it and soldered the new wires to the existing terminal plugs, with the exception of the 12V+ constant -- I ran that directly to a circuit breaker I already had installed on the fender from my Big 3 wire conversion.

I also upped the wire guages: 10 gauge for the 12V+ lead, 12 gauge for the rest. The relay mounts using the same bolt at the factory relay.

I've had trouble free starting ever since!

The Jegs relay ($19):



Here it is being assembled:




Close up of the factory harness connector with the 12V+ terminal siliconed closed so that it can feed directly from the battery:


Here it is installed:

 

Nice work, Stanz. Now it looks like stock BUT wired properly.

 

Thanks RAD!!! You were a huge help in pulling this off!