Won't start???

[My_Little_Pony]

Alright, I went out the other morning to take my Jeep to work, but it wouldn't start. I didn't have time to play with it, so I just took the Dodge to work. Well today, I got a chance to take a look at the Jeep. I tried jump starting it and that didn't do anything. The motor won't even turn over. There is not a single noise it makes, it's just silent. My guess was a bad starter, but I didn't want to just start taking wild guess' and replacing everything. I had my radio stolen, so I can't see if the radio turns on. I turned the key to the "on" position and turned my headlights on and those worked just fine. If it sounds like a starter problem to you guys....whats a good performance starter that will hold up? My only other guess is, that I have a bad alternator and it wore my battery completely out, but then my headlights wouldn't work, so that doesn't seem right. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!

[8Mud]

If it´s an auto, try starting it in neutral instead of park, wiggle the shifter a little. Try giving the starter a wack with a hammer, if the brushes in the starter are worn and not making good contact, this will often get you another start or two.

[old_man]

A quick way to rule out the starter is to put it in park and get out the jumper cables. Run a lead from the positive terminal on the battery down to the starter. When you touch it to the big terminal on the starter, the starter should actuate and start turning over the engine. If it does not, you either have a bad starter or a bad ground. Since your lights work, it doesn't sound like a ground, but you can check that by hooking the other lead of the cables to the negative and hold it to the starter case while you hit the terminal with the positive battery cable. If still no turn, its the starter.

If it turns, there are a few things that can cause it. The starter solenoid mounted by the battery, could be bad. Not real common, but possible. You can unplug the second green wire from the top of the solenoid and then do a short jumper from the battery positive to that solenoid terminal. The solenoid should activate and the starter should crank. If it does, the solenoid is fine.

If the solenoid is fine, the causes can be many. The most common problem with an auto equiped vehicle is probably the neutral safety switch. Like the man said, try wiggling the lever in park or putting it in neutral and see if the key will make it crank. A bad ignition switch could also be the culprit, or various other wiring problems. There are tons of writeups on how to overhaul the NSS on the web.

[My_Little_Pony]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!! I did try putting it in neutral, but nothing happened there. I did not wiggle the shifter while it was in neutral. I'll go out and try to pound on the starter with a hammer. If pounding on it with a hammer gets the Jeep to start, then I need a new starter, correct??

[8Mud]

I just replaced my brushes about two years ago, starter is still doing well.

[My_Little_Pony]

Alright, now that it is narrowed down to the starter. I was wondering are there any special tools I will need to replace my starter. I took it out and put it back in two times now, but that was at the shop I used to work at. I am going to be doing this in my garage that has only my basic socket set. Will that work? Anyone know sizes? Thanks in advance!!

[TUFFXJ]

Alright, now that it is narrowed down to the starter. I was wondering are there any special tools I will need to replace my starter. I took it out and put it back in two times now, but that was at the shop I used to work at. I am going to be doing this in my garage that has only my basic socket set. Will that work? Anyone know sizes? Thanks in advance!!

Not really I think it is one 15mm and one 16mm bolt and the wires on the starter itself, real easy. Be careful once you unbolt the starter it falls right out and can hurt your melon. Oh and DON'T FORGET TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FIRST... MAKES PRETTY SPARKS IF YOU DON'T

[A_J]

Also be sure you unscrew the right top bolt. Sounds stupid, I know, but its easy to miss. The bottom bolt is easy to see, but the top one is a little blind. There is a tranny cover bolt there that *looks* like its the right one, but its not.

While your at it, check the wires the go to the starter from the battery terminal. The insulation on mine was worn down so that bare wire was touching the block.

Other stuff to check while you're poking around the area - check for leaks around the oil filter mount. If its bad, its time to change the o rings.

Good luck!

[My_Little_Pony]

Thanks for all the tips and techniques guys. Your help is much appreciated. I will be attempting this task tonight, so hopefully I can go back to driving the Jeep.