97 4x4 intermittent starter problem

[jasonlarrow]

Need some help here. Just bought a 97 hardbody 4X4. It won't always start, won't even turn over. I attempt to start it and nothing. An hour later it will start no problem. I don't know if it is the starter or the solenoid. It could be a relay. I checked the wires to the starter and everything looks clean and tight. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[JasperIAM]

Could be a few things. When it doesn't start, is it warmed up, cold, or both? Is it a manual? Could be tied to your clutch engagement switch (Can't think of real name). Intermittent issues are the worst to trouble shoot!

[dvdswan]

check your connections for the battery, positive and negative, make sure they are clean and tight.

[Aatrain]

Mine did the same exact thing- it was indeed the relay, but it was hard to pinpoint bc sometimes it worked, sometimes not- seemed like every time I looked at that being the problem, it would straighten up and run right!
I would go to your nearest pick n pull and grab a handful of relays (I have bought bad ones) and try replacing that relay. One way that I could tell if a relay was good without having a meter: they're the same relay as the fuel pump relay on mine. So I would switch out the relay with the fuel pump relay and then turn on the key and see if I could hear the fuel pump spinning. If I could, i knew the relay was good. That's the way that I fixed mine, but I'm no mechanic.

[oldmako]

Where is the relay located for the starter?

[Saudade]

While physically inspecting the connections is a good thing, you need a multimeter as well to check the connections "electrically".

When you say "nothing", do you mean no sounds, no clicks nothing? Do any other electrical items work? What about the questions Jasper asked?

[Aatrain]

Oh- I neglected to mention- it was the main relay on mine-so nothing in the ignition circuit was getting fire to it til I replaced that relay... It was all or nothing, depending on the mood of that relay...