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Slow starter

S

steve-o

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Boerne, Texas
Recently when trying to start the XJ, it was taking a little longer than normal to crank, I thought it was just the cold spell we were having. It got worse and worse until I though it wasn't going to turn over at all. I had a spare starter and replaced that but didn't fix the problem. The battery seems to be okay. I also noticed I have been leaking alittle bit more oil as well. Right below were the head bolts to the block. Could maybe I have blown the head gasket and gotten oil in the cylinders? It's not running hot at all so I am not sure the head gasket is blown. Any help is much appreciated. Its a 96 with an AX-15 with the inline 6.
 
Also check for corrosion on the battery clamps, and oil/grease buildup on the starter electrical terminal. Oil especially has a funny way of getting into places where you really don't want it, and I've seen that sort of thing happen before.

Also, make sure your grounds are clean. It's amazing just how many "massive" electrical problems can be traced back to shonky grounds...
 
mflueras said:
What, other than slow starting, makes you think you have a blown head gasket?
Click to expand...

He said slow cranking - so the better question would be, "What does a blown head gasket have to do with slow cranking?" Last time I checked - nothing.

Honestly - check the connections before you start suspecting parts. If they're clean and sound, start by suspecting the battery, since they get weak when it's cold (and, back home, the first frost was always a good test of your battery. That's why I use the freezer to test mine.)
 
Yes, check your cables, its ALWAYS the first step in diagnosing a stating problem for me. Weather or not the battery is the problem, pick up a spray can of terminal protector and a can of battery cleaner (most of the cleaners have a acid indicator that turns red when acid is present), the protectant is the same thing as putting petrolium jelly on the clamps to prevent corrosion but its much more easy and it gets all over the clamp.

As for the blown head gasket, check for oil in your coolant, coolant in your oil and a white exhaust even after its warmer outside. But if anything, a blown head gasket should only make the starter crank faster, that is if its blown around the cylinders, leaking compression onto the water jackets or oil. Check your valve cover gasket :patriot: .
 
Check the condition of the + cable that runs from the battery to the starter. New cables plus adding an additional ground from the battery to the body (my 87 grounded to the engine block only) fixed my slow turn over.
 
Jed said:
Check the condition of the + cable that runs from the battery to the starter. New cables plus adding an additional ground from the battery to the body (my 87 grounded to the engine block only) fixed my slow turn over.
Click to expand...

He said it's a 96, which as the ground directly to the chassis and the one to the block. But, adding a chassis ground to RENIX is usually a huge help (one of the small things Chrysler did right...)
 
The reason I thought I might have a blown gasket is becasue I have a fair amount of oil coming down the passanger side of the block. i tightened all of the valve cover bolts. I just replaced that gasket about 3 months ago. But it doesn't start getting wet until right below where the head meets the block. The old started was covered with grim a and oil so maybe that had something to do with its demise.
 
steve-o said:
The reason I thought I might have a blown gasket is becasue I have a fair amount of oil coming down the passanger side of the block. i tightened all of the valve cover bolts. I just replaced that gasket about 3 months ago. But it doesn't start getting wet until right below where the head meets the block. The old started was covered with grim a and oil so maybe that had something to do with its demise.
Click to expand...

Did you torque the screws down? It's easy to crush a valve cover gasket and have it start leaking soon, if not straight away...

It would be fairly unlikely to have oil leaking from the cylinder head junction there. Not impossible, but unlikely. I'd suspect improper installation of the valve cover gasket first (I don't recall the torque spec offhand, but it's on my site. Also, I've worked out a better way to get the thing to seal - if you search up here, you should be able to find it.)
 
Did you ever solve your problem? The reason I ask is I'm experiencing slow starts now... sounds like the battery is dieing...

Well tonight I go to A-zone and get a brand new Duralast Gold battery and my '96XJ does the same thing... just barely cranks and then fires right up and runs like a top. Lights are actually even a little brighter than before. So I drive it around a little while and then pull in my driveway... turn it off, then try and start it up again and it gives me a little bit of grinding sound (like a bad starter) ... then just starts right up and runs fine. I'm thinking I have a bad starter, but don't want to throw more money at it unless I'm sure it'll fix the problem.
 
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