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'89 Cherokee wont turn over.

L

LkuHomer

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Wilmington
I have been having so many problems with my Cherokee, but this one is the worst. A few months ago the TPS went bad, and when getting the bolts out... they snapped in half in the hole. Nice and flush. It's hard to get anything in there to tap them out, so I just got a nice handy roll of duct tape and professionally secured it in place. But the car turned on and idled right around the right RPM. I drove it maybe 4 times like that, but turned it on a bunch and let is sit idle. I took a break from the engine, and took off the tape. I started work on the bumper, which had fallen off due to years of road salt and rust. I got the bumper on last night, and now ready and full of excitement tried fruitlessly to get the engine on. I haven't touched anything besides the TPS and all the connectors and wire seem to be in place. The battery seems fine, I can put it into ACC and the radio works and the dash lights come on. The starter is less then a year old, and the alternater is even younger. The engine doesn't turn, nor does it 'click' when I turn the key to start. Any help would be amazing.
 
Do any welding? main fuse blown? Does the battery have any charge?loose wire?
 
sounds like my truck.. sometimes it wont turn over at all or do anything. I think my problem is the neutral safety switch. the truck still thinks its in gear when its not..
 
I think that you may have a faulty starter relay. Have you tried jumping the hot battery/ignition on wire to the starter solenoid wire at the relay?
 
Do any welding? main fuse blown? Does the battery have any charge?loose wire?
Click to expand...
No, don't think so, and enough to start radio and dash but I did try jumping it without any luck, and no all the wire seem to be tight.

sounds like my truck.. sometimes it wont turn over at all or do anything. I think my problem is the neutral safety switch. the truck still thinks its in gear when its not..
Click to expand...
Where is the NSS?

[qoute]Crank position sensor?[/quote]
Could be, but I hope not.

I think that you may have a faulty starter relay. Have you tried jumping the hot battery/ignition on wire to the starter solenoid wire at the relay?
Click to expand...
Nope, haven't tried that one yet.
 
I tried starting in neutral, driveshaft in neutral, any combination of neutral or park, same response: None at all.
Just got back from Sears and the battery is fine.
 
Its the CPS. When you untaped it you probably moved it. It need to be in the exact position it is to work. Without a function CPS nothing works. Big clue: if your fuel pump doesn't run when you turn the key for a few seconds, 9 outta 10 its the CPS.

Broke the mounting bolts for the CPS eh? Damn, that's a bitch. I don't have any good ideas for you. Myself, I'd be pulling the engine to fix.
 
Nevada City Sparky said:
Its the CPS. When you untaped it you probably moved it. It need to be in the exact position it is to work. Without a function CPS nothing works. Big clue: if your fuel pump doesn't run when you turn the key for a few seconds, 9 outta 10 its the CPS.

Broke the mounting bolts for the CPS eh? Damn, that's a bitch. I don't have any good ideas for you. Myself, I'd be pulling the engine to fix.
Click to expand...

Try reading the post again................the comment was about the TPS. And the TPS can not keep it from cranking.

Common no crank items are in order of likelyhood:

Corroded battery cables, both positive and negative and check both ends.

Stuck bendix in the starter. Give the side of the starter a rap with a hammer. This sometimes knocks it loose.

Bad Battery. Have Autozone or the like charge the battery and do a load test.

Shot starter relay.

Actual ignition switch failure.




​
With the vehicle in park or neutral, jumper from the hot side of the battery over to the starter and see if the starter spins. If it doesn't the starter is shot (not all that uncommon)




Big clue: if your fuel pump doesn't run when you turn the key for a few seconds, 9 outta 10 its the CPS.
Click to expand...
This has got to take the cake.
SPOBI
 
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Thanks old_man, I will jump the battery to the starter tomorrow, it was just a bit cold today. I am also going to check the sensor relay, and beat the crap out of the starter.
 
First sign of good news! I went to put a jumper wire to the +side battery to the starter and the starter did it's thing. So I was hoping that the few love taps I gave it with the hammer jiggled it loose, and that was the problem. Went to turn the key, nothing. I think that will help narrow the search down, but I still have no idea whats wrong.

**UPDATE**
Listen to that baby roar! I turned the key into the On posistion, then went and touched the wire to the starter, and it started up. So I think that will help narrow it down. I'm going to give it a few more minutes on, then try to use the key to start it up, but I don't think it will work.
 
Last edited:
Sure, get an insolated wire, I used one side of a speaker wire. Strip the ends, and connect one end to the + side of the battery. Then feed that wire down to where your starter is. Then carefully, touch the end of the wire to the starter selonoid wire. You will probably get sparks, and remember this is a hot wire!

And I know where the relays are, I just don't know which one is the starter relay. I have the electrical manual and it shows me a picture of the starter relay, but doesn't show me where it is. Can anyone point me in the location of it?
 
Thanks. I replaced my starter motor in September and twice now it quit working. Today being the second time. So I will try this.
 
I finally got a patsy to come and turn the key while I listen to the starter relay. I was all set to here a 'click' when the engine started right up. So I turned it off, and tried again, started up. I don't really know why it's starting now, but I hope it keeps doing it. But just in case, I'm going to keep that jumper wire in the glove compartment.
 
Now see that's what mine did the first time it quit working with the new starter motor. Nothing, nothing, let it sit for a day and then it started right up when I had someone else try to start it so I could hit the starter motor. It's worked fine now for two months and then this morning. Nothing. I'm hoping and praying when I get home that it will just start but I won't hold my breathe. It's good to know that jumper wire thing works.
 
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