2000 Tundra starter contact replacement write-up

[fustercluck]

Some instructions say to remove the fuel rails, but that is unnecessary. Some instructions say to remove the water jacket at the throttle body, but that is also unnecessary.

[fustercluck]

At this point one can remove the six 12mm bolts and four 12mm nuts that secure the plenum to the heads. If as they are being removed, one drops into the valley of the block it can be removed after the plenum is removed. These bolts are located at the base of the plenum. I had to join a few socket extensions to to reach them.

in this image you can barely see the shiney surface where the intake bolt has been removed. It is right next to and partially eclipsed by the upper woven section of the hose on the right.

[fustercluck]

Now we lift the plenum out...



It's important to note that there will likely be some sediment in and around the valley of the motor. You can see it in this pic. It is also consentrated close to the intake ports so I stuffed some rags into the ports and vacuumed the dirt with a shop vac.

Also not the screw at the eleven o'clock position of the port closest to the firewall on the left head bank. That screw secures a wiring harness anchor. Now would be a goo time to remove it and it's corresponding fastener on the other side (Follow the harness to the right. you'll see the anchor point)

[fustercluck]

At this point we can see the starter....almost done.

Just above the starter, running horizontally and just under the recently freed harness, is a coolant bridge. The techs I spoke to suggested that the starter can be removed without disturbing this piece. However, for me and those without a lift and fifty socket extensions to reach from under and behind the bell housing, will find the path of least resistence is to remove this piece. There are four nuts to remove and the bridge comes off easily. In doing so I lost about 1/3 cup of coolant.

[fustercluck]

Thar she blows! Finally, the starter has surrendered to me....kinda. There sre still two very difficult bolts to remove. Difficult, because one cannot be easily seen and the other (passenger side) must be removed with a box end wrench 1/16th of a turn at a time....

remove those and the last harnes bolt on the starter housing.

[fustercluck]

With those and the harness anchor bolt removed from the starter, tip it, turn it, flip it etc to expose the driver's side of it. The pigtail and the positive battery cable from it (12mm socket).


And we have lift off!



You may notice that the silt and muck have been cleaned from the block and heads at the ports.

[fustercluck]

Here's the starter, remove the three 8mm bolts to access the contacts and plunger.



The plunger has been lifted out and the contacts exposed. Note the semi circular wear pattern in the copper tangs

[fustercluck]

It's mildly important to pay attention to the series of parts that comprise the contacts and the poles they ride. note where each piece belongs in the sequence and replace them so.

Here are the contacts replaced

[fustercluck]

This picture sucks my butt. It was intended to juxtapose a new contact with the tired one. Oh well. What you can clearly see is the little wad of pocket lint I left out that made it into the pic...

[fustercluck]

Replace the plunger and resecure the fasteners. The starter is ready to re-install. The order of re-assembly is:

secure battery cable to positive pole of starter.
attach exciter pigtail.
install starter mounting bolts
attach harness anchor to starter and tighten mounting bolts
secure coolant bridge.
secure larger harness anchor bolts
install manifold gaskets (right and left)
put manifold in place
secure manifold bolts and nuts
install fuel line and fuel return
install throttle body
reconnect injector plugs and water sensor plug
secure vacuum lines and ancillary pigtails as well as the throttle cable
replace TB cover and reconnect battery cable.

I forgot to mention that when I removed the intake manifold, I was careful not to damage the intake gaskets. I cleaned them and dried them with compressed air between the metal sandwich plates.



note the carbon build up on the first port and the clean port next to my hand...