darkvice

Hello there all you true lexus masters!

I am quite new to the sc300 world. Actually, had I not purchased a 95 sc300 and had a maintenance issue, I would not have found a forum with such dedicated lexians! I live in a land where the four runner rock crawler is king and if you don't speak 22re than good luck with help Pfft.

So...about my my problem. I bought this fine ride with only 185000 miles on it from a buddy. Worked fine for a week. Come to it in the morning after work and I get the infamous click but no crank. So I think it's my starter. Thanks to this awesome forum(this is how I found this site), I learned how to jack up my car and replace the starter.

No dice. Still a click and no crank. So I used the secret ninjitsu technique using the ultra expensive and rare diagnostic tool (paperclip) to read the code. I read code 12. Googling as a newbie should, all I find about code 12 is a way to reset the codes by disconnecting the efi circuit. So I did that.

No dice.

So here I am, a newbie clicker but no cracker looking for help. Two things I have noticed: there is a slight hissing sound when I try to start the car. The temperature gague (the stick) that usually lights up red flickers and dims.

Anyone else have this problem? Any ideas?

2GSKaizen

iTrader: (1)

It's def a starter issues if you"re getting the click, and no crank. Usually it's the starter solenoid, but I'm assuming your new starter had the solenoid with it.(the smaller cylinder that is attached to the actual starter where the big power wire connects) If you reused the old solenoid, that's where I would start. After that you've narrowed it to a few items. Starter relay, bad power wire running from the battery to the starter, or possibly a horrible ground connection from the - battery cable to the body. I think the slight hissing sound you're hearing is just the fuel pump kicking on. No worry there.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

the click and not cranking is definately starter related. now if it is cranking but not turning over, then that would be a distributor issue with a code 12.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...pm-signal.html

darkvice

Ok guys...according to the link, looks like the distributor cap may be the Issue...I'll post the results results! Wish me luck!

salimshah

You are on the wrong track buddy. Chase the ignition if the starter spins the engine, but it fails to catch. If the starter fails to spin the engine then the problems are in

1. Battery [get a jump and eliminate that]
2. Terminals [just twist and see if they are loose]
3. Ignition switch [unlikely as you hear a click]
4. Park/Neutral safety interlock [unlikely as you hear a click]
5. Solenoid. Every one has told you about it. You can verify by jumping the posts with a heavy wire (same gauge as the one that has battery terminals. I have seen people use thick screwdrive). Be careful as sparks can fly and if you ground the thick wire you may crack your battery. You need to know what you are doing.
5b) your rebuilt starter can be bad.
6. Actual starter motor.


If you tell us what you see in the cluster [P or N, interior lights if they dim when you hear the click etc], some one can guide you better.

Salim

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

I just thought maybe by no crank he meant no turn over instead, but if its actually no crank then starter or you could have flooded the motor. those 2 will keep the motor from cranking at all and also make a click sound.

if its really not even cranking and you changed the starter with a good one, and you get one click and the motor does not move at all, then the only main other thing it can be is a leaky injector or bad ecu can tell the injectors to stay open (leaky capacitors have a habbit of causing rough starts and overfueling) leak fuel into the cylinder, and once its got fuel in it the motor can't turn over. It does happen especially after injector changes but a bad enough ecu could do it as well. I only mention it because you said a hissing sound.

the only test is to pull the plugs and then see if it will crank. if it cranks and spits out fuel everywhere, then you found your problem and you need to check the injectors, ecu, or injector harness.

it is entirely possible though, that if you replaced the starter with a remanufactured or even a new unit, that you got a bad one. try using your old starter with new contacts might work better, but if its the fuel problem as above that wont help.
maybe take a look at the ecu inside, has it been acting funny before this, using more gas than normal?