decypher

How's it going CL? It's hot as hell outside (100+ degress)! After I got done work last night I jumped in my car, started it up and hit the road on my way home. I drove about 2 miles, stopped to get gas, filled up with premium (93 octane), started right up and drove away. Next I drove another 5 miles, stopped at a convenience store to grab a pack of smokes and when I came out to start her up:

Slow chug.. chug.. one click... nothing. Waited a few minutes, lit up a smoke, finished it, went to try and start her again and she turned over / started up.

Relevant History/Facts of my 1999 ES300:
1. Summer of 2005 - Alternator re-build (brushes replaced by a shop)

2. Purchased 7/2009 - New Duralst Gold - Part Number: 24F-DLG
750 cold cranking Amps (935 cranking Amps) 130 reserve minutes.
**I just trickle/slow charged this battery the week of 7/4/2011.

3. May 2011 - New Denso iridium long-life plugs

4. June 2011 - New Air filter

5. No problematic charging system light on the dash (and the light definitely works). No CEL. Just random starting issues on HOT days.

6. Methods used to test battery with digital multimeter:
a. Set to DC Volts, engine off = ~12.4-12.5 volts

b. Set to DC Volts, engine on, head/fog lights off, A/C off = ~12.7 volts

c. Set to DC Volts, engine on, head/fog lights on, A/C max cool on = ~11.9 - 12.0 volts

Anyone have any ideas/advice?

Thanks,
Ryan

Tuner571

I had this same problem on my 99 ES300 a few months after I bought it. The car would start up fine cold, but would then randomly have a difficult time restarting after stopping somewhere. After some research I decided to clean the IAC valve and I have not had the problem since.

Hope this helps.
Cory

MikeLex

Check also the fuel pressure regulator for leaks.

CUMan

Alternator output seems too low. Sounds like you need another rebuild or a new alternator.

12.4-12.5 volts with engine off is a bit low.

12.7 volts with engine running is definitely low. This should be upwards of 13 volts. As I recall, the output on our 94 ES is about 13.5 volts with engine running and no electrical load.

11.9-12.0 volts with engine running, lights on, and AC running is definitely low. At this alternator output rate, you are pulling power from the battery.

decypher

Can anyone with a 3rd gen ES and a multimeter confirm their DC volt output using the same methods as shown above? It would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Ryan

decypher

I just got back from Autozone, they tested my charging system and the result was that my voltage regulator is dead.

I found this thread by Pheonix: v6 Alternator Swap: More Info and this thread by Ariyanna: Problem [SOLVED] (2004 Avalon alternator fits and works perfect in my 00ES)

Has anyone else successfully upgraded their ES with a higher amp Toyota alternator?

nfsuw

just did the swap on my 3ES (i actually have the same es as you, same year and even colour), cause the car literally almost commited suicide at traffic lights last week due to outside temps and me blasting AC in city driving conditions. i got an alternator from a highlander with touring package (130A) and car is running like a champ, though i had to trickle charge my battery to force it back to health due to how it was being run with the old alternator.

story is that toyota under speced the alternator on our cars, and at idle, it never charges the battery correctly when everything is going. and when an alternator fails (which mine probably was, it was rebuilt a while back also, didnt really both checking as i already knew i was going to get a 'new' alternator) it causes massive power issues right away and isnt very subtle about it. my alternator would always put out 14v at 2000 rpm, but at idle, battery would be at 12v, car off, battery would read something retarded like 12.2v. went to my local JDM place, asked for an avalon/highlander 100A alternator, they got me one that they though was 100A, turns outs it a 130A (according to part number), im not complaining, especially since i already got it pretty cheap.

you can get any alternator from avalon/highlander/sienna as long as its running 1MZ. you shouldnt have to worry too much about wiring, as its rated for 100A, but its recommended that you do the 'big-3-upgrade' if you get a higher rated alternator, but the car should not draw more then 100A if it's all stock. any alternator for 1MZ should be drop in, but watch out for the little things, like on mine, it was missing the wiring harness clip (you'll know what im talking about when you start fiddling with the alternator connectors), so i just zip tied the harness to my abs relay box.

part numbers for those who want them - these arent all of them, just the ones i used as reference
27060-20200 - 100A - Highlander 01-??
27060-20170 - 130A - Highlander 02-??
27060-0A050 - 100A - Avalon 00-04
27060-0A040 - 100A - Sienna 01-03

decypher

nfsuw - Thats good to know and I'm glad to hear that it worked out for you. I actually went to my local parts store to compare a 1MZ 80-Amp alt. to a 1MZ 100-Amp alt and the alignment of the fastening holes looked identical. The only difference I noticed between the two alternators was that the 100-Amp's case seemed to be larger without affecting the alignment of the bolt holes and that the voltage regulator was definitely larger on the 1MZ 100-Amp alternator.

Now you even went a step further and upgraded to a 130-Amp 1MZ alternator! Did you notice a size difference between the two? Any clearance issues? Any difference in pulley size? Did the belt line up the same? Did you compare, change or modify the alternator wiring schematics?

nfsuw

yah, the 130A was unintended, my invoice say 100A 1MZ alternator, i didnt really notice, until i checked the part numbers. when i saw first saw it on the counter, i though, that alternator looks... different yet.. similar (i googled pics of the 100A and 130A OEM alternators), only hit me when i check part numbers. i havent even gone to do a wiring upgrade (which most people will probably tell me im retarded for not doing), but going off advice of people who know what they are talking about, and my electronics background, as long as i run stock, i should be fine with my stock wiring and a 130A alternator (the car really shouldnt draw more then its wire rating on stock).

on the 130A the pulley is slightly smaller (more power during idle), but line up correctly. the body is slightly wider/longer, which my dad brought up as he thought the belts didnt line up, i only eyeballed it and they look lined up. there werent any clearance issues, as mostly that area is pretty... empty, like i said, the only issue was i had no where to clip the harness to as it was missing the harness clip/mount. i didnt modify any of the wires as there were only 3 pins and most people i talked to said it was pure plug and play, so i trusted them, and my cars been running for 5 days now, haha. ill double check on the wiring colours (mine compared to the cut off piece from the JDM) tomorrow morning.

but im thinking, since all these cars use the same 1MZ engine, im thinking all alignments would be exactly the same for large hardware parts