Another No-Start Jeep

Alright, I'm allready pretty sure its the starter, but I'de let to get more opinions. When the key is turned, it makes one click (from the starter, not starter relay, I was actually underneath the truck and was listening.)... If you tap the starter, it will try to turn (sometimes sounding like a weasel is inside the starter tho), but its never fast enough for the I6 to start. My Jeep buddy swears its the contacts from the battery to the starter... Thoughts?

96 XJ Classic, AW4, I-6HO,

-J

I actually had to park it in a Mc Donellds lot in hammonton (I was out at wharton park last night trying to find my old bumper. )

It can be many things, so you fix the free stuff first. The most likely problem is the electrical connections. You should take the connections at the battery apart and clean them with sandpaper or scotchbrite and then with electrical contact cleaner or brake cleaner or spray start. Then reassemble. Proceed to do the grounds and the starter connections the same way. The next thing to suspect is the charge state of the battery. Test it with a multimeter and make sure that you have more than 12 volts. The next thing you can try is to jump across the two terminals on the starter. The big wire is always hot from the battery and the little one activates the starter. Be careful to have it in park as this bypasses all of the safety stuff like the NSS. You could also take jumper cables from another vehicle and jump directly to the connections (both big and small wire connections) with the positive and ground the negative to the starter body. If that won't crank it, you do need a new starter. The auto parts chains will test your starter, so you don't need to just replace it on a guess.

Alright after hours of trying things, nothing seems to work. I tested my battery, 650CCA, at the Starter its 400CCA. IF i turn on the Accessories it drops to 50CCA!!! What SHOULD I have to crank this starter WITH my accessories turned on? 50 seems really low to me. I jumped it with the jumper cables from the battery terminals to the starter and it just clicked, like it either isn't getting enough power still or its toasted. I jumped it across the Small Positive and the Positive from the battery and same thing as with the key, Relay fires, and it *clicks* as if it just isnt getting enough power...

Any Ideas?

Anyone?

I didn't know you could check CCA with common equiptment. How are you checking that? Don't you have another vehicle with a known good battery to try jumping the starter from? You should have almost no drop to the starter.

Take a meter and put it on the starter with the key on. You should have approximately full battery voltage there.

If you do, the problem is most likely the starter itself. If you don't, then you need to start working your way backwards to see where the voltage drop is coming from.

Common problems include dirty battery posts/cables/connections. Cleaning them is ALWAYS a great idea to ensure good electrical for starting and engine management.

Fully charge the battery (overnight, or 24 hours--best).

While the battery is charging make sure to clean all cable ends. While at it, test the cables with an ohm meter--you should have ZERO resistance across those cables.

Now that the battery has a full charge, have it load tested.

Fully charged battery that has passed a load test, good cables with clean ends, try and start it.