Jeep wont start

I have searched this forum and a couple of others and couldnt find anyone that has had the same problem.

My jeep wont start. I turn the key and all i hear is what sounds like the starter spinning, but not engaging. It did it with an old starter, so i went to buy a new one today, installed it and still the same thing happens. The sound is like a "rrrraaaaaaa" if u can picture that..... The motor does not turn over and nothing happens. Ideas? any help would be great.

Automatic? If so search on "flex plate", yours may be broken. However it wouldn't move if started somehow because it couples the crank shaft to the torque converter. This assumes the starter is good.

JoBo

Thaks for the info. I serached for "flex plate" and saw that one person said he had a loud knocking sound and that he was sure it was his flex plate. Could this be true? because i also had this loud knocking sound and coudlnt figure out how to fix it. It is commong from directly under the floorboards. I thought it might be the trasfercase mount...

EDIT: it was more of a thumping than a knocking sound. It only happened when i hit a bump and/or excellerated fast.

There's a plate between the oil pan and the bellhousing that should allow you to see in there. That's how you tighten the bolts to the tourqe converter. The flex plates have been known to crack and brake inaddition to the bolts holding the converter loosening and causing a knock. If it's broken you'll need to drop the tranny to replace it.

JoBo

Starter gear actually extends and retracts to contact the teeth on the flexplate. Sounds like your not extending to hit teeth or you have a tooth missing. Most auto parts store will do a bench test for free to make sure it is extending properly. As far as the flexplate teeth that just a visual inspection with starter out because thats where the starter gear is contacting teeth.


The " thump" when acellerating hard, been there, its good bet to check your tranny mount and while checking mounts do the engine too. A big pry bar placed correctly will show alot of up and down movement on that mount. Mine actually was separated in the middle.