Starting Issue

[JamieR]

89 v6 4Runner. When I turn the key forward you hear a "click" coming from the passenger side fender area. After a few turns the engine will turn over and away you go. Yesterday for the first time after a few clicks I lost all power to my instrument panel, no dash lights no guages working and no click, nothing. Stereo, cigarette lighter still had power, even reset my dash clock so it lost all connections as well. Every few turns I would get lights back and turn the key to start and click and dead again. Eventually I bump started the engine, drove home and here I sit.
Relay box by the front fender... this is where the click is coming from, looked at a few posts from yoda tech and one person suggested cutting the no 4 line for the ignition system off the relay box and have it go directly to the pos post for the battery. This will be a closed circuit from the battery post direct to the starter relay yes?

Relay box is probably just getting old and wires are beat up. Any other suggestions to this fix? My electrical is not the best for sure. Can I just clean up the wires going to the relay box(es)?
Thanks
Jamie R.

[Ralph123]

It sounds more like it's your starter but you'll have to do some tests. Turn on your headlights and if they work it's probably not your battery but make sure your battery terminals are clean and tight. Then you'll have to check voltage at the starter. Sounds like your relay is working ok. Here's some more help
click here>>>http://www.2carpros.com/first_things..._not_crank.htm

[JamieR]

Okay I had a little light voltage tester to check if there is power to everything. I found the starter relay switch by the right passenger fender under the hood, it looks like it's in good shape, battery is well connected tight posts and clean. Pulled the computer from the panel inside the passenger door so I could access the relay switch for the ignition and there is power to one plug with the key to acc and if I hold the key in ignition position I get another light so that circuit is closing and getting power, seems right. The starter is clicking as well but it is not tick tick tick ticking repeatedly off the cylinoid, still I believe it's working.
However I will have to check the starter on a proper tester to find out.

Now the question is why am I losing all power to my instrument panel only when I turn the key past acc to ignition? Sometimes takes a few back and forth turns to get the lights to come on on the instrument panel then click again and no power at all,

[ToyTect69]

seems likes to me ur car is always draining da battery..when u jump start it starts up right? but when u leave da car for a bit n try to start again all you hear is da solenoid clicking..ur starting system is fine..do parasitic load test and see if any amperage is used during key off...it should be below .5mA to 10mA over that something is draining ur battery.to figure out which one is draining da battery start pulling out fuses and if amperage goes down then that fuse will lead you what ever component works off that fuse..do da same with tha charging system and see how many amperage it puts out to da battery..I can get u any wiring diagram to test any available voltage to the circuit..

[Ralph123]

Have your battery checked for cranking amps. Most auto parts stores will do this for free. It is possible for your battery to have the correct voltage but not have the amperage to turn your starter. How old is your battery? If your battery is more than 3 or 4 years old it is suspect. Try swapping your battery with a known good battery of the same size if you can find one and see if that works.

[jdmccright]

Please refrain from using "textspeak" to reply to posts. This makes it difficult for some to decipher and also does not allow the search engine to work properly. Thanks.