Burned up 2nd Starter/ 89 JC

Sounds like a bad solenoid. Did he change out the solenoid as well?

Might also look for another mechanic.

Figure the parts store uses the same rebuilder and he just hired someone at $5.00 an hour to come rebuild rather than flip burgers....

You might have to change brands of parts, I have had to on too many occasions over the years. I had to actually leave town to get a GM waterpump after the 5th failure in a row.

I gave up on one store for rebuilt brake and clutch masters, they just can't do it.

Jeeps also have a starter relay on the fender. A dirty connection there can cause your symptoms. The bad connection can cause a no start and the bad connection can cause lots of heat which can sometimes cause the relay to stick on.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: N> I have a 89 Jeep Cherokee here in the -30 great Alaska.

I noticed that the starter came from NAPA? Having been an employee of said company, I know there are 3, yes THREE levels of quality available. You didn't say which engine you had so the parts below are for a 4.0 six cylinder.

Part # 244-6273 is the El Cheapo and shops pay around $90.00 for this one.

Part # 44-6273 is a Serious rebuild and will generally last like a new one. It goes to a shop for around $125.00.

Part # 4N-6273 is an all new product, no used parts. Downside here is that it is imported from CHINA. It will sell to a shop for around $175.00.

Those prices are Repair Shop and include giving them your old starter.

Speaking from personal experience, the "Serious Rebuild" gives less problems than the Chinese built new unit and the El Cheapo is not to be trusted.

Your repair receipt "may" have the part number on it. If not, the starter has a sticker with the part number stamped there. The sticker is designed to fall off hopefully before the starter fails, so as to eliminate a lot of warranty attempts so you might consider spraying a coat of clear paint over it for future reference.

Good Luck, Bruce

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Hi Matt, No he didnt replace the solenoid. I'll mention it to him. Thanks.

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Hi Mike, Yes thanks for that information. I am going to have him replace the relay also. Wish me luck. Too fricken COLD for this nonsense at 40 below! Burrrr! Trish

Hi Bruce, Yes he got it from NAPA. When he replaced my old one & bought the new rebuild, it cost him $160, that was with his discount. I dont have any idea of the part number. But I will find out. Normally we pay much more here in AK. If you bought something that cost $100 in lower 48, it will cost us here $140 approx. I also was thinking if there is one bad apple then there is probably more. Maybe we should go buy it from our only other possible place of choice- "M & O Schucks". LOL We dont have many to choos from here. Trish

You didn't mention if I guessed correctly on the engine size? Assuming it is a 4.0 and the numbers I gave you are correct, I would pay the difference and "trade up" to the better rebuild if the El Cheapo is what they got the first time.

On a totally different idea, are you sure it is the starter? The "Neutral Safety Switch" can go bad and cause intermittant "no start" situations. If that is the case, and provided YOU are the ONLY driver of the vehicle for safetys sake. The NSS can be bypassed so the engine will start in any shifter position.

Good luck, Bruce

Hey Bruce, Well I couldnt get hold of my mech. so I called NAPA myself. The starter part # is for the El Cheapo! He totally lied to me. They said it only cost him $96.99! Well him & I have been friends for over 2 yrs, cant believe he would take advantage of me like this. My finances are so in the red & he knows it. Well he called me back now to tell me the part # & I let him know I called to get it myself. He agreed it only cost him $96.99 but it cost normally $160 without his discount. HMMM! I have always in the past went with him to buy the parts or got them myself under his name. I didnt this time. Well hes going to get the #44-6273 starter, tow my jeep & I'm only paying for the difference of the starters plus labor. So far I cant afford the labor till next mo. Im a bit upset, but in my situation I cant afford to go to another mech. Just in case it not the starter causing this, what would be causing the starter to burn up? The relay & solenoid - Is there a way to test both of these before we replace them? When the other gentlemen, Matt & Mike, mentioned solenoid - Is it the solenoid on the starter itself or elsewhere? Can we still test them with the starter burned up? Is there a free place on the NEt to look at schematics for this? Thanks guys, your are my gaurdian angels! Trish

Don't get all in a "tizzy" girl, the mechanic has got to pay his bills!

All, and I do mean all shops charge a "mark up" on parts. Normally, they sell to the customer at what is called "List" and then charge for Labor. If you buy your own parts and bring them with you, they will normally just charge more in Labor and you still spend the same in the end.

This vicious circle is what led me to do any and all repairs that I can myself!

I am not really familiar with that model, but I think the solenoid is mounted on the starter and will be new with the one you are buying. If the starter has a small "soda can" sized attachment where the wires attach, that is the solenoid.

Good luck, Bruce

Oh, you can pay us all back by having a party this Summer and inviting us up!

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Just FYI, I have had the solenoid on my CJ7 freeze and have had other types freeze up too at -40. In my cases a thump fixed them until I replaced them. I figure humidity was getting in them from engine heat and blowing snow so bought nice fresh hopefully nicely sealed ones.

They are not expensive and after the last starter draw I wouldn't trust it.

Mike

The starter relay/solenoid we are talking about is on the fender near the battery. They are cheap and do stick on in the real cold.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Well your in luck Bruce! I got plenty of room in the summer here in my lil log cabin home. Its not the Ritz but its home. About May I go to Valdez for Halibut, in July & August we go to Chitna for Salmon and @ end of August

1st of September we try to pull down a nice size bull moose to fill the freezer. My yard is huge enough to fit a couple RVs, travel trailers or ptch some tents too. lol As far as my mechanic goes, he did tell me the cost of the starter for "him" was $160 with his discount. I have allways helped him thru out the last yrs financially to get him out of the red as he also gives me the discount on all parts in return. This one time I'm not going to get in a "tizzy" . He did get real quiet though when i said I called NAPA myself. lol Yes it is a 4.0 . We will get the 44-6273. Im going to replace the relay to be on the safe side. So when you get ready to come to Alaska, let me know! Always welcome to hang a hat here for a while. Trish

Goodness, what an offer! Chunk my CJ-7 and my XL-500 on the trailer hitched to my old 4x4 Diesel Suburban and "...off to Alaska!". I could just "camp" in the Suburban and cruise the CJ and the Honda...

Be careful, I might not ever leave!!!

By the way, I agree with the other guys. Since you live in a suburb of the North Pole, I would look VERY critically at the cables from the battery to the starter and battery to ground. If they are not PERFECT, you should replace them also. They MUST be a minimum of 4- Gauge wire and if 2-Gauge will fit, substitute it instead. Also, your Cherokee does NOT have a fender mounted solenoid, it is mounted on the starter like a General Motors or Chrysler. It possibly has a "starter relay" though. Follow the + (HOT) battery cable from the battery toward the starter, if there is a small metal box connected between the battery and the starter, that is the "relay". Just in case you are suspicious of its condition, the NAPA part # is AR578 and it is going to cost you about $25.00.

Cherokees are hindered by only having room for that dinky "Group 58" battery. In case you need to know, the highest amp NAPA battery that fits your Cherokee is Part # 7558.

Once again, good luck!

Bruce

My book says some versions of the Cherokee do have a Motorcraft starter with the solenoid, but anyway, both my 87 and 88 have the fender relay that is the one that can stick on and fry the starter or cause a no start by not working. As you say, just follow the battery cable.

Mike

Highcountry wrote:

I have the wiring diagram PDF for the 88 and it clearly indicates my starter relay on the fender. If you follow the other red wire from the battery, it leads to it on the fender. It is where all the fuse links hook up and it has a green wire feeding off it that is the trigger to the solenoid down on the starter and the other green wire comes from the key.

If this sucker gets a bad connection is can send no trigger to the starter or it can arc on on and keep the starter turning.

Check, if you pull off either green wire on the fender unit, you will have no start.

Mike

Will H> Dang, that's wierd Mike. My 88 MJ (4L) has the positive cable going