Hows it going everyone...so here's the thing. I have a '95, 4.0L, 5 spd. It started cranking slowly a little while back but always started. One morning I came out to start it so I could take my kid to school but when I turned the key...nothing. The dome light, key buzzer, radio and volt meter/dash lights all came on but I didn't even get a click out of the starter. I pop started it and drove it for the rest of the day, starting it with the key every time. Since then I've had to pop it two other times. Now today it started with the key and I drove to two different stores with no problem (except slow cranking). When I went to pick my son up at school I turned the key and once again it didn't make a sound and I haven't been able to use the key since. It'll pop with no problem and all the lights, power windows and everything are still working. Whatta you guys think it could be?
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'95 Country starts intermittently
- Thread starter cjstefan
- Start date
- Location
- Waukegan, IL
I'm leaning towards starter.
If you have a friend and a hammer with you next time it fails, Have them hold the key in start, while you tap the starter. If it cranks over, its a dead giveaway. The slow crank is another clue.
As a p.s. check the battery and starter connections for looseness and corrosion. Either one can also cause slow/intermittant cranking.
If you have a friend and a hammer with you next time it fails, Have them hold the key in start, while you tap the starter. If it cranks over, its a dead giveaway. The slow crank is another clue.
As a p.s. check the battery and starter connections for looseness and corrosion. Either one can also cause slow/intermittant cranking.
8Mud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central Germany
X2
You can use a two foot piece of water pipe or something similar and kind of strike the side of the starter from the top. You just want to jar it, not destroy it
.Like mentioned, loose of corroded battery terminals can do this also. Starter brushes and/or battery terminals can both make iffy contact and cause this.
A battery failing can also cause something similar. Especially if it happens after you have started it a few times in a short period of time. The battery wears down and because it is failing, recharges slower than normal. I just went through this a couple of weeks ago, with a two year old battery, actually two years and three months, it had a two year warranty.
Thanks for the responses guys, I'll definitely give that a try. In my mind I had kinda ruled out the battery or starter since in past experiences, theres at least a clicking sound when either one is going/goes bad. Come to think of it, my battery free replacement time frame just ended a couple months ago...hmmmm
8Mud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central Germany
Starter would be my first guess, it may be a combination of things also.
Sometimes the starter clicks, sometimes it doesn't, depends on where the solenoid gets hung up and/or how deep the solenoid engages. I've had the same series of events happen on multiple occasions over the years, turn the key and no start, no click, no nothing. If the starter doesn't spin up the solenoid *may* not seat completely and the click is missing. My first response is to find something to bang the outside of the starter with and see what happens. I keep a long handled tire spoon in the back of the XJ just for this circumstance (can also be used as an attitude adjuster in road rage encounters
).If you have oil dripping on the outside of your starter from an oil leak at the oil filter adapter this can also cause periodic starter brush contact problems. Someway or the other the oil finds it way inside the starter and can cause iffy contact for the starter brushes. Sometimes cleaning out the inside of the starter is all you need, especially if you've been mudding.
If you bang on the side of the starter and it starts up, you can be 90% sure your starter brushes have worn down to nubs or are making bad contact for some reason. Striking the side of the starter can reseat the brushes and you may get a few more starts out of the starter. Just don't whack the side of the starter too much, you can damage the insides or bend the case.
Thats absolutely what it was. Gave the starter a tap and it started. The oil filter adapter did have a ridiculous leak but I replace the o-ring maybe 4 or 5 months ago. I'll have to see if the starter's covered in oil or not, I couldn't really tell this morning. Thanks for the tip guys. From this day forward I'll be keeping my floor jack handle under the back seat just incase.
