Today my LS430 had a lot of trouble starting. The starter sounded like it was turning but it was making an odd whining / humming / oscillating noise. It took multiple prolonged cranks to get the car going. After it finally fired up the car drive great and there were no more issues starting. The battery is new (1 year old).However, I’ve been hearing clunking sounds after the car starts lately. Is my starter dying a snow death or could it be something else?

 

Do a current draw test to see if the starter is failing. It could also be your battery, cable corrosion, loose connection, etc. If it is the starter you will know very soon as they usually work or they don't.

 

 

hope it ain't the starter. it's tucked into the engine. PITA to get to.

 

You only have to take the intake manifold off its a 1 hour job to change the starter.

 

good to know, but if it was anything like the wife's Sequoia, i had to pull a bunch of **** off and out to get the starter out. All in all, it's not a bad place to have a starter since it's out of the elements.

 

The starter in the LS400 is deep within the engine and very difficult to get to. The location in the the LS430 is much easier. You might want to go to an auto parts store (Advance Auto, Auto Zone or even O'Reilly's, etc) that perform a free electrical test. It just takes a few minutes.

 

400 and 430 starters are in the exact same location.