'99 XJ will not crank, I'm Baffled!

Yesterday my 1999 would not start when I tried to drive back from lunch. It acted like a dead battery. The Solenoid just click, click, click, clicked. The volt indication on my Scangage said 9.6V.

I got a jump start and still click, click, click. I goofed with the two batteries' connections but didn't seem like it was getting a boost until all of a sudden it cranked over and started.

Once running the volts as indicated on the Scangage rapidly fluxuated between 11.8 and 14.1 volts. I drove it home and shut it off. After work I took a battery reading, 12.75 volts. Turned the key and the buzzer was very weak and only solenoid clicks. I tried jumpstarting it and couldn't get any crank, only clicks.

I pulled off the battery cables and wire brushed the rings all good. (1/0 gauge cables on battery, winch and starter). I pulled every relay and fuse in the Power Distribution Center looking for a shorted circuit, I found nothing.

I am at my witts end. Does anyone know where I should look? I am completly out of ideas. Help!!

I'd check grounds....make sure they're good. Also, just cuz a battery shows 12+ volts doesn't mean it has the amps to turn the starter...could be a bad/dead battery too.

Flyfisher said:

I'd check grounds....make sure they're good. Also, just cuz a battery shows 12+ volts doesn't mean it has the amps to turn the starter...could be a bad/dead battery too.

Click to expand...

Thanks, grounds appear good and I swapped in a different battery to eliminate the possibility.

What does everyone think about neutral safety switch? Could a bad NSS show similar symptoms?

"Looks good" doesn't mean much with electricity. Get a meter and check.

you could have a dead cell in the battery and still get good voltage. have the battery load tested!

hubs97xj said:

"Looks good" doesn't mean much with electricity. Get a meter and check.

Click to expand...

this. and to go further, don't bother with the meter. Just take them apart and clean/protect them. It will take 30 minutes to get all of them, it's time well spent.

This is what mine does randomly and its a bad/dirty Nuetral safety switch.. just turn the key and shift into nuetral and crank it, and if it doesnt start then shift into park and try it again .. repeat the process until it starts.

What he said^^^

It could be a bad starter or the NSS. Next time it won't start, put the shifter in neutral and wiggle it forward and back in the neutral position while you turn the key. If it fires right up, you are headed in the right direction. You can try adjusting the NSS at this point, but most likely, it will need to be removed and cleaned.

How many miles on the NSS? Ever taken it apart and cleaned it?
And do you mean one cycle of the key gives you one click, or does it click repeatedly as you hold the key in the start position? Big difference there...

If it was the NSS, would he even get clicks?
I'd take the battery to get tested first. It's free, drop it off and let them charge it for 30 mins, and if that comes back negative, then go forward from there.

AFSOC XJ said:

Once running the volts as indicated on the Scangage rapidly fluxuated between 11.8 and 14.1 volts. I drove it home and shut it off.

Click to expand...

Also check the alternator if the battery is good.