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Jeep Starter Problem - 93 YJ

I don't know if anyone has had this problem but, here is the situation.

My wife's 93 YJ would not start one morning. No extreme weather, no symptoms of slow start or anything. The Jeep would make a click noise at the starter. The starter was trying to engage, but would never spin. After trying to wack the starter with a mallot to break it loose, my thought was to replace the starter. This did not fix the problem. Same symptom as before.

Next is was the starter relay to be replaced. Once again, no solution. I swapped an Optima battery into the Jeep thinking that it might be that the battery didn't have enough juice. That did not work either. At this point, I am on the internet trying to find a solution???

I have looked for loose wiring, but all seems fine. The ground wire from the battery goes to the Jeep body, and another from the battery goes to the engine block. Both connections and wiring look sound. All the connections at the starter are good.

The only clue I have is that while my wife was undoing the top nut on the starter, she caused something to cross, and the jeep turned over??? I had her disconnect the battery, and then press on. This happened with the original starter. I assumed that the starter had just come out of it's locked up position and it was explainable.

So, Jeep won't start. Turn ignition, and get click, power, wipers, and an electical click at the starter. The starter is just not turning. Any suggestions? Thanks for your ideas.

Reply to
Lawson[rem0ve]news
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Reply to
RoyJ

Lawson, What I thnk your wife found was a loose wire in a terminal.. Push the wire(s) toward the connectors while someone turns the key and maybe use a slight left & right motion. This would help determine a defective wire connector. Just as Roy suggested your positive cable may be bad but most likely at the connector (otherwise you would see a gash or burnt group of wires along that harness highway). As for 'looking' at the frame ground, removing the bolt (if not rusted on), removing and wire brushing all surfaces, wiping clean and reattaching is the only way to ensure a good contact. Than again - the wire to the terminal could be bad to the wire. In this situation you describe, you would be able read the proper voltage or resistance but the starter would still not be receiving the proper cranking amps. Good Luck, Steve By the way, before buying a new starter I would always put the starter in question on the ground secured with my foot and strap jumper cables accross the stater. This saved me bucks in the past but I don't know if this method would still work with todays starters.

Reply to
popeyeball

Ok, I would try the starter a bunch of times, then go and 'carefully' feel all the battery cables at the ends.

If you find one warm or even burning hot, you have found the bad connection. My guess is the negative connection on the block.

Then you could have just gotten a bad starter. I would hook a booster cable to the starter power bolt, make sure the Jeep is in neutral or park and touch the cable clamp to the battery positive to verify it actually turns.

If it turns, then one of those connections that 'looks' good isn't.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"Laws>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Thank you. I will pass these thoughts along to my wife. Any thoughts on whether it might be the ignition switch? Hopefully one of these things will cure here problem.

Laws> I don't know if anyone has had this problem but, here is the situation. >

Reply to
Lawson[rem0ve]news

If the starter clicks or the starter relay clicks, then the keyswitch is likely ok. It doesn't have to pass high power through it.

One other thing. If I remember right, that fender relay hs 2 green wires on it or something silly. I have seen folks mix those up when changing the relays. One has a stripe I think.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"Laws>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Ok, Thanks for all the suggestions.... but still same problem.

  1. Lights on tried to start, lights remained consistently bright the whole time.
  2. Cleaned ground wires from battery to body and engine block.
  3. All wires look solid, no burns or weak spots.
  4. Held ignition in start position for about 10-15 seconds and felt for hot wires. Everything cool.
  5. Tried to start the vehicle multiple times, 10 or so, and felt wires looking for hot wires. Everything cool
  6. Tried to start while wiggling the battery terminal wires. All terminal wires appear firmly planted in end.

Have not replaced the ignition?

Am going to roll the engine by pushing in 2nd gear, just to advance the engine and make sure nothing locked up? I don't suspect this to be a problem, but maybe something is jammed. Tried to bounce the car while in gear yesterday while in gear to jar the starter, etc. No luck.

The power seems to get to the starter, there is a sound like hitting the block with a small hammer. Sounds like the starter is engaging, but hitting an object that won't give. The sound is not an electrical click, but an engaging sound like the starter hitting the flywheel but going no where. Still looking for any more suggestions. Rolling the car in gear is next, followed by replacing the ignition.

Is there anyway to jump the car at the solenoid? If I can jump at the solenoid, then is it the ignition?

Thanks.

Lawson

Laws> I don't know if anyone has had this problem but, here is the situation. >

Reply to
Lawson[rem0ve]news

Bad connection still....

As I mentioned before, you can put a booster cable onto the starter power bolt and touch it to the battery positive. If the starter is good, it will spin up.

Is that some type of starter that needs a shim? What engine is it?

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"Laws>

Reply to
Mike Romain

The engine is a 4.0 Liter. There was no shim that I noticed before. Just replaced the starter, but will try to spin up.

To spin up. You say from battery positive to ignition connection (starter power bolt) on the solenoid.

Can I just jump the connection at the solenoid? The solenoid has three connections. The positive one from the battery, the wire that runs to the ignition, and a wire from the solenoid to the starter. Can I just connect the two terminals at the solenoid, the battery positive, and the ignition? What does it mean if it does or doesn't' spin up?

Thanks for your help on this. My wife has a jeep book that does suggest the ignition. Someone mentioned that the ignition would not be the answer, but I am running out of other ideas! If I can jump the connection and get the starter to turn, does that mean bad ignition switch?

I'm losing my mind today. Currently fighting printer problems that I have had for 3 days. Between that and the Jeep, I am quite fed up.

Again, we appreciate the help.

Laws>Bad connection still....

Reply to
Lawson[rem0ve]news

You can try jumping the relay, but if it doesn't work, that still leaves two possible bad connection points. I would try that first because it is easiest, then I would try putting the booster to the power bolt right on the starter. This eliminates all the positive cables and relay.

Then you can also put the other booster cable from the battery negative to the starter case just to eliminate the ground path as an issue.

If still no start, the starter is a dud. That happens more time than you would think. I now spin them up before putting them in just to be sure.

Are you sure the relay only has 3 wires? Like I mentioned, most I have seen have more than that with the two green wires easily mixed up and put on the wrong posts so the keyswitch has no effect.

If the keyswitch makes things go click when turned to run, the switch is working. If it doesn't then that short circuit you mentioned happening likely took out the fuse link wire. This is a soft fat wire about 8" long that attaches to the starter relay with a fat rubber tube crimp connector where it connects to the wiring harness. Auto stores sell replacements in the 'help' brand of parts.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"Laws>

Reply to
Mike Romain

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