Should You Replace A Working Toyota Starter? A DIY Preventative Maintenance Guide.
Toyota’s reputation for reliability is on full display in the 100-series Land Cruiser featured in the CarCareNut video below. As he explains, its starter motor is over 20 years old, has seen over 200,000 miles, and still works. The owner isn’t replacing it because it failed - he’s replacing it as preventative maintenance before heading on long, remote camping trips where a no-start situation would be a serious problem.
The starter in this Land Cruiser is the original unit and still works - it’s being replaced purely as a precaution.
At the same time, the alternator is being replaced for the same reason: not failed, just old. This is an example of classic Toyota ownership and preventative maintenance at its finest - the best way to keep a solid vehicle healthy so it can keep doing big miles without drama.
Replacing A Toyota Starter Motor
On most Toyotas, a starter replacement is pretty straightforward:
- Remove two bolts
- Unclip two wires
- Get the old starter out
- Put the new starter in
- Job done
This particular Land Cruiser is an oddball. Its Toyota V8 has the starter buried under the intake manifold, right in the valley of the engine. In this case, removing the intake manifold itself is actually the easy part; the real fight is reaching the two long mounting bolts at the back of the engine with the vehicle body in the way.
That’s why many of these V8 starter jobs are best done before the part fails - because you don’t want to do this in a driveway or on a trail. A bit of preventative maintenance whenever possible and cost effective is a good idea regardless of your Toyota model.
Why Preventative Maintenance Makes Sense On Older Toyotas
For a high-mileage, adventure-ready Toyota, preventative maintenance can be cheaper and safer than waiting for a breakdown. If a shop - or you in your driveway - already have major components off, it often makes sense to replace other aging parts that share the labor:
- Starter and alternator - Both are critical to starting and charging. On this older Land Cruiser used far from civilization, doing both together is inexpensive insurance. On your daily driver, it can save on labor and help prevent an inconvenient breakdown.
- Timing belt, water pump, and pulleys - On belt-driven Toyota engines, most of the cost is labor to reach the timing components. Replacing the water pump, idler pulleys, and tensioner while you’re there can save paying that labor twice.
- Hoses, brittle connectors, and PCV components - Many plastic parts get fragile with age. If they’re clearly cracked or broken once everything is apart, replacing them now prevents future issues.
Practical Tips For DIYers
Image Credit: The CarCareNut
The CarCareNut makes even the toughest jobs look easy, but he has some great tips to help DIYers tackle tricky tasks like a starter motor replacement on a UZ series V8 motor:
- On tall trucks and SUVs, tilt the nose down on a lift to reduce back strain and improve access.
- Always disconnect the negative battery terminal before working near the starter.
- When the intake manifold is off, tape over the ports instead of stuffing rags in - dropped bolts in the engine can destroy it.
- Expect old hoses and connectors to be brittle; move them gently and replace only what truly fails.
- For coolant temperature sensors high in the engine, the coolant often doesn’t need to be fully drained - just work on a cold engine and be ready for a few drips.
For specific information on everything regarding starter motors, read our starter motor buyer’s guide here. We also have an extensive range of helpful DIY info on just about every Toyota-related topic in our blog library.
Keep Your Toyota In Top Condition
This Land Cruiser’s original starter and alternator are proof of how durable Toyota components can be - but faithful preventative maintenance is what keeps them running for years without issues.
At Olathe Toyota Parts Center we have decades of online sales experience, and every OEM part we sell is backed by Toyota's 12-month, unlimited miles warranty. Whether you are looking for a replacement starter motor, alternator, water pump, accessory belts, or pulleys, we have it all and more. Contact us and benefit from wholesale prices and fast shipping. And remember to use our VIN decoder to ensure you get the right part, every time.