Winter GW Blues

They are a great winter rig, but yours is 21 years old! Obviously, you need to check your battery and starter connections. If it isn't starting within

2-5 seconds, you either need a tune-up or you have bigger problems. If you want reliability, consider a newer car. If you want a great winter rig that is built like a tank, gets lousy gas mileage, and will give you problems occasionally, fix this one.

Dana

Sounds like his battery has seen better days or the charging system needs attention. You can get a free check of your battery and charging system for free at most auto-parts places that sell batteries (i.e. AutoZone, Advance Auto, Pep Boys)

It might be as simple as dirty battery terminals or a loose alternator belt.

These are great rigs, if you can get over the fact that they suck gas and won't hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood or sheetrock. (That is why I got a twenty year old Suburban, instead of a twenty year old Wagoneer.) As with any twenty year old vehicle, yours needs some regular maintenance to keep in shape. If you fix that battery or whatever is ailing it, and institute a program of regular maintenance, yours should give years of additional service, unless of course it is a rust bucket. (Another failing some of them have.)

Earle

You're right, of course. Since it turns over without fail to begin with, I'm wondering if there's a problem with fuel getting to the cylinders. Maybe plugs? I think I need to get a copy of the Dummies Guide to Carbeurators!

Any specific suggestions? The alternator is new as of this spring.

Thanks.

JP

****************************** Isn't *every* post a troll?

You should be able to give it two shots of gas and hit the key with a vroom.

My CJ7 starts at the first blink of the key.

What engine do you have?

When was the last tune up? Specifically distributor cap and rotor.

How old is the fan belt?

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

And don't neglect the fuel system. The rubber fuel lines are over twenty years old and need replacement. The carburetor may be leaking down and probably needs a rebuild kit. The fuel pump could have a suction side leak. It is hard to say without hearing you try to start it, but it may just be a moribund battery.

Earle

Jay Pique proclaimed:

They are good winter rigs when owned by someone with sufficient brain cells to take proper care of the ignition and fuel systems. You

*should* sell yours and buy a Santa Fe.

The original whiner noted that it turns over ok. That is not a battery or starter problem. Ignition, too thick and oil, and fuel system are the suspects depending on whether the engine fires during cranking, fires regularly but does not increase in speed at all on a fire, or fires and then quits.

Dana Rohleder proclaimed:

Jay Pique proclaimed:

Old saying. Do not mess with the carbs until you are absolutely certain the ignition system is in excellent working order. If you are certain, you are not qualified to judge. [OK, so this applies to SU carbs and the cars that had them.]

Roughly what is the outside temperature and how long does the engine crank before it slows down? Problems here would indeed be battery, cabling, or aging starter. Or wrong oil.

Does the engine fire regularly as it cranks? If the firing is regular, it tends to make the ignition less of a suspect.

Does the engine sputter or change speed when it fires? This could be poor fuel, either too much or too little, depending on the type of sputter or speed change.

Are you using a winter grade multi-grade oil? A cold engine with oil that is too thick will fire and sputter, but can't generate enough power at low speed to turn itself thru the wrong grade of oil for the weather.

Were the Canadian engines subjected to the same indignities as the American ones were during the infamous smog era of the mid-70's to 80s? Without good multiport fuel injection, engines of that era were not shining examples of driveability.

Mike Romain proclaimed:

Nothing using the computer as a boat anchor and putting a manual choke on didn't fix right up. :-)

At least the Canadian CJ's don't require a Cat.

Mike

L>

The problem is, that he didn't say how many seconds, minutes, or hours it takes to get "weaker and weaker". There isn't enough data here, to say whether there is a battery problem or not.

Earle