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won't start???

Jimbo_1321

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Santa Cruz
ok so my jeep is having a weird problem right now... it won't start. but the starter's going, it's just not catching. it does it randomly too... usually if it's on a hill or something. I'll have the key in the on position and the starter going until it's out of battery... then we'll just jump it from another car and it starts up fine. tonight though it wouldn't catch at all.... it just kept killing the battery, I'd try and jump it and nothing.... it's really weird and really a pain as it's my daily driver and with school and all I can't afford it not starting on me... any input would be good. thanks!
 
Sounds like you may have more than one thing going on. Clean your battery terminals and make sure they are tight. Clean them with a solvent, then sand them lightly till they shine. Grab the end of the ground cable down by the dipstick holder and feel if it's tight.
Does the starter spin, but the teeth not catch?
Check the mounting bolts for the starter. I recently saw an XJ with one loose bolt holding it in. The starter was kind of hanging in there at an angle.
It's possible your Bendix is sticky or has a burr. Cleaning the junk out of the gear end of your starter sometimes helps with this. The gear end gets full of oil from a leaky main bearing seal and collects dirt and sand until the Bendix gets sticky. The Bendix is the shaft the drive gear moves on.
Solenoid is also a possiblilty, but they rarley fail. If the brushes are worn, it won't usually spin at all, but may make a clunk noise when the key is turned to start.
 
ok well we were working on it and my dad accidentally broke one of the connector terminals, so we replaced them so I know they're clean. and I'll check the starter later. once it stops raining :)
and it the whole thing does spin it doesn't just clunk when I put the key on...
if that makes sense. thanks a ton.
 
You might also think about the fuel pump.
Mine died last week, and it was kinda the same thing... would turn over for as long as I wanted it to, but just wouldn't start.

I would rule out every other possible option before replacing the fuel pump. It's not my idea of a fun wrenching project!
 
This may not help, but if you have a auto. the nutral safty switch can give you similar problems to what you are discribing.... take a look at that and let us know the outcome.
 
Ryno said:
This may not help, but if you have a auto. the nutral safty switch can give you similar problems to what you are discribing.... take a look at that and let us know the outcome.

Oh yeah... that too.
Cleaned my NSS about 3 weeks ago (again, no start).

The ol' XJ has been living the good life lately - only ran 2 out of 4 weeks last month!
 
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