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Jeep dont want to start, please help

Hi,

I have a 87 Comanche 4X4 with the inline 6, 270 000Km (162 000mi) no air conditioning and a lot of rust :).

The truck didn't want to start Sunday morning. When turning the ignition the starter made the tic tic tic tic tic tic sound. Tried almost 15 times with the same result. I hooked the power pack on the battery and the truck started just fine. Went shopping, and I had to hook the power pack again to restart it. When I arrived home I cleaned the battery terminal connections (but they were fine). The battery was 8 months old, the starter (rebuild) is

7 months old, the alternator is 1.5 month old and the ignition switch is less than 3 months old. So because I found corrosion near one of the battery cap, I went to Costco and had the battery replaced for a new one. The truck started just fine so I was very happy.

Had no problem Sunday evening and Monday during the day.

Yesterday evening, the same problem happened again so I needed the power pack to start the vehicle. And since yesterday, it's the only way to start it.

I checked the voltage of the battery posts before starting (±12.45 V) and after starting (with the power pack removed) (±14.45 V).

I phoned the mechanic garage and they said it is probably the starter that needs to much power to be able to start.

I need your help on that one

Do you know what could be the problem?

Thanks

Bruno,

Ottawa area, Canada

Reply to
B Pilon
Loading thread data ...

Your battery cables have 2 ends.....

Mike

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

B Pil>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Yes, the positive terminal connection has 2 cables.

I'm pretty sure that the negative terminal connection has only 1 cable.

Bruno

Reply to
B Pilon

No.....

'Each' battery cable has 2 ends.....

It is pretty (very) common for 'both' ends of the cables to become dirty, especially the negative at the block and the positive at the starter relay and/or solenoid.

There also is a mesh wire from the back of the engine to the firewall that needs 'both' ends cleaned every once in a while but that will just give a no start or strange stall, not a click click noise.

Mike

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

B Pil>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Ok, I understand. I have to clean both ends of the cables. Your right, I forgot the other end.

Thanks for the help.

Do you think that the starter can be faulty?

Bruno

Reply to
B Pilon

Reply to
Steve Foley

LOL!

It is just such a common failure up here in the salt belt....

Mike

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

Steve Foley wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

It is amazing the number of no starts that are 'fixed' by running a booster cable from the battery negative to the engine block....

Mike

B Pil>

Reply to
Mike Romain

After you try Mikes cable cleaning, if the problem persists I would consider pulling the starter and taking to Crappy Tire and have them bench test it (its free), it sounds like a bad starter solenoid, it could however be as simple as dirt and rust build up on the solenoid connections.

Snow...

Reply to
Snow

Thanks,

Tonight, I will clean the cables first and if it doesn't work I will go to Crappy Tire (as you said) for a free test and also because I bought it there and it's still on warranty.

So it will be a greasy evening.

Bruno

Reply to
B Pilon

Reply to
L.W.( ßill ) Hughes III

Reply to
FrankW

Where about are you located? I ask just due to some insight into the company who rebuilds starters and alternators for Crappy Tire in the Southern part of Ontario.. Their Crap, plain and simple. Last time I needed an alternator quick I had a buddy grab it when he was in Northern Ontario.

Snow...

Reply to
Snow

wow No one mentioned that you might have a drain on the battery when the engine is off. Maybe a light under the hood, brake light switch, glove box light, interior light, relay, or something else that might possibly cause a drain when the ign. is off. Might even be a defective alternator that drains the battery. :-(

Simple test is to remove one battery lead after you've had a good drive and see if it starts the next day after you reconnect the lead. There are other tests you can perform such as an amperage drain, or even connect a volt meter, between battery post and removed lead. Remember that a door open or the hood open (activating one of the lights) might affect your test results. Oh and very short drives don't allow the battery to charge back up well! ;-)

JMHO later, dave AKA vwdoc1

Reply to
One out of many daves

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