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Road trip with a failing starter

J

jwolford

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Berkeley
My 96 XJ 4WD has been a little slow to turn over lately. And last week when at Jiffy Lube, it would not start at all. All the power came on, did not respond to a jump. Finally the guy at Jiffy Lube apparently whacked the starter with a wrench, and it started right up.

I got the power but no crank symptom tonight after work. And once a gain, a whack to the starter with a wrench, and it's starting up again.

So that's twice in a week it's failed to start, and each time, a smack to the starter got it going again.

So my question is, am I pushing my luck driving around like this? From what I've read, this is almost certainly a starter that needs replaced, but I am planning on leaving town with it in the morning.

Thanks in advance.
 
Starter needs to be replaced - the solenoid is likely going out. Keep a hammer handy and a spare set of hands to start the vehicle. I'd just replace the starter - it only takes 30 to 45 mins to change out.
 
you can easily change it out on the side of the road, depends on where you are going!
if its somewhere rural, i'd pickup the starter on your way out, just in case!
 
Excellent, thank you for the fast replies!
I'll likely leave before the crack of dawn, but I'll look for a place to grab a starter along the way.

I've not done a lot of work on cars, but I keep a Chilton manual and socket set in the Jeep, and I am not shy with the tools. So this is an easy fix for a novice?

Prices seem to vary wildly online. Will any old brand do? Is this something that I can get easily at one of the chain auto parts shops?

Thanks again!
 
pretty easy yeah. make sure you disconnect the battery as step #1, after that it's two wires and 2 bolts, then re-assemble.

its easier on a lifted jeep, if its stock height park up on a curb.
im not too picky on starters, dont go thru that many. most parts stores will have one in stock.
 
Note from DJ
Replacing starter tips
Lawsoncl posted; Unhook Battery + terminal.
- Unbolt big and little wires on the solenoid
- Two bolts holding the starter in
- Curse and wiggle it out, trying not to drop it on your head
- Ala Haynes, reverse the above steps for reassembly.

Pay attention to which bolt went where on the start. As I recall one is metric and the other SAE thread and close enough you'll strip threads if you get them backwards.
 
As above. I actually have done this on roadside. The two bolts are different lengths, different head sizes, one from front and one from back. Make sure you have both 14 and 15 mm wrenches handy, and note also that there is an unrelated transmission bolt in the vicinity that might be mistaken for a starter bolt in bad light. If there's a likelihood that you'll need to do this job on the road, it's nice to have a really good flashlight of the sort that you can set down, or with a magnet on it, and make sure you have some proper hand cleaner and rags, because the starter catches all the leakage and gunk from your engine, and you will be black as a coal miner after you're done.

If you can get through the trip without a replacement, it might be worthwhile when you get back to check into local shops. A good auto electric place can probably repair your starter cheaper than buying another.
 
Matthew Currie said:
As above. I actually have done this on roadside. The two bolts are different lengths, different head sizes, one from front and one from back. Make sure you have both 14 and 15 mm wrenches handy, and note also that there is an unrelated transmission bolt in the vicinity that might be mistaken for a starter bolt in bad light. If there's a likelihood that you'll need to do this job on the road, it's nice to have a really good flashlight of the sort that you can set down, or with a magnet on it, and make sure you have some proper hand cleaner and rags, because the starter catches all the leakage and gunk from your engine, and you will be black as a coal miner after you're done.

If you can get through the trip without a replacement, it might be worthwhile when you get back to check into local shops. A good auto electric place can probably repair your starter cheaper than buying another.
Click to expand...
Actually, one is metric and the other is standard thread. The bolt into the engine (American made) is standard, while the bolt into the transmission (Japanese made) is metric.
 
Doing a roadside replacement might be acceptable if you feel comfortable with it, or have done it a few times. But just waiting for it to completely fail might end up costing you the added expense of a tow, and/or ending up paying someone to help you out.

I'd take the 45 minutes to replace the starter prior to the trip so you can enjoy the road, rather than stressing out every time you turned the key get back on the road.
 
If you are heading through Northern Colorado, stop by, I have a good used starter and would put it in for $20.
 
don't get psyched out with the 45 minute thing.
Changing oil takes 45 minutes.
Changing a starter? Light a smoke, when it's done so are you.
It's literally the bat, 2 wires and 2 bolts. If you can change a distributor cap, you can change a starter.
 
jwolford said:
My 96 XJ 4WD has been a little slow to turn over lately. And last week when at Jiffy Lube, it would not start at all. All the power came on, did not respond to a jump. Finally the guy at Jiffy Lube apparently whacked the starter with a wrench, and it started right up.

I got the power but no crank symptom tonight after work. And once a gain, a whack to the starter with a wrench, and it's starting up again.

So that's twice in a week it's failed to start, and each time, a smack to the starter got it going again.

So my question is, am I pushing my luck driving around like this? From what I've read, this is almost certainly a starter that needs replaced, but I am planning on leaving town with it in the morning.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


Your starter absolutely should be replaced. That is exactly what happened to my Jeep an number of years ago and a new starter cured the problem.
 
I'd do it before the trip if possible, just so you don't find out that the only parts store within 50 miles of East Jockstrap or wherever you finally break down can't get it until next Tuesday. If you absolutely don't have time to do it before the trip, consider buying one and carrying it with you.
 
Thanks for all the help guys.

I made it to my destination and picked up a starter. The toughest part was getting the Jeep safely elevated, I was in the country, and had to improvise with cinder blocks and strategically placed firewood, in case anything shifted. I had silent fears of the Jeep falling off the blocks and crushing me, and my winning a Darwin award in the process. :)

So that top bolt was a little tough to get to, but I got it installed and it is starting 100% better.

What I did wrong, was I assumed that the nuts that came with the new starter replaced the old nuts. So when securing the nut to the top wire, the nut just spun and spun. It was snug in place, but I could've tightened it all day.

I am guessing this was my fault, I should've left the nuts on the new starter, put the wires in place, THEN installed the flange nuts from the old starter. Is that right?

Any harm with using it as is until I can find time to get under again and get the flanges in place? Are the flanges even necessary?

Thanks once again for the advice and encouragement.
 
OttawaXJ said:
The AW4 is German is it not?
Click to expand...
No, it's Japanese. Aisin-Warner. If I understand the lineage, Aisin started as a partnership with Borg Warner, then split off shortly after the AW-4 and its relatives (more or less the same tranny on some Toyotas) were designed. So it appears we have the best of both worlds. Borg Warner design and Japanese quality control.
 
I just had to do a parking lot starter swap yesterday. I rolled it out of the way and then called my wife to come pick me up and take me to the parts store. I had it off before she made the 1.5 mile trip to come pick me up. Could have been faster if it wasn't 100* outside and the starter wasn't the tempurature of the sun.

Whats bad is I spent extra money to buy a new delco brand starter and it crapped out on me in a year with no warning. So it got the cheap lifetime warranty one this time around.
 
While flange nuts are better, the new starter likely has different threads. Use the nuts that came with it, and call it a day.
 
BlueCuda said:
I just had to do a parking lot starter swap yesterday. I rolled it out of the way and then called my wife to come pick me up and take me to the parts store. I had it off before she made the 1.5 mile trip to come pick me up. Could have been faster if it wasn't 100* outside and the starter wasn't the tempurature of the sun.

Whats bad is I spent extra money to buy a new delco brand starter and it crapped out on me in a year with no warning. So it got the cheap lifetime warranty one this time around.
Click to expand...

I've been through 4 of those "cheap lifetime ones" Its ok if you don't mind changing the damned thing ever 4 months.
 
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