Crazy starter issues. HELPPP please

so last week i would turn my key, get a click, and then nothing, all this after slow slow cranks for a few days. so i replaced the starter and it fired up like nothing was wrong at all. drive it for a few days, the starter comes loose today apparantly, so someone push it into place and i could start it no problem once again all day. i get home, go under, after disconnecting the negative terminal on the battery, i tighten the 1 bolt that came loose. go in to start it, Bam, jeep is back to square one, 1 click, and nothing when i turn the key. i cant be stranded another week without a car to work and school.

please help out guys

Year?

I did have some trouble with the start motor screws coming loose - and it took me a while to bother fixing, because I was going to change the transmission anyhow... Might I suggest using LocTite #242 (or equivalent?) Seems to work rather well.

Also, the reason I ask about your year is that you may have a start motor relay on the way out - if you're 1990 and earlier, you're probably going to go to the dealer (it's possible to use a Bosch - but I don't remember how I did it, and I do have bigger things on my plate right about now. Writeup forthcoming - but don't hold your breath...) If it's 1991 and later, it should be just a standard Bosch/Hella/DIN relay you can get anywhere for $10 or less, and it just plugs right into the PDC. Either way, the relay does do some pretty heavy switching, and if it's original, it may want replacing. If it's a Bosch/Hella/DIN relay, I'd get several, since you use them in quite a few other circuits as well...

The RENIX start relay (1984-1990 AMC I4 or AMC I6) is a dealer-only item that runs about $40. They should have one on the shelf, but I haven't had to get one in a while (I did go through five in one summer a few years back, and they always had one when I walked in.)

I'm not sure what the setup is for the GM V6-60 or the Renault Diesel, since I've not had to deal with either one of those (just yet...)

5-90

its a 1997. so relay possibility? i dont see why though it worked the second after i installed the new one til today, it came loose, then i tightened the bolt, and now it instantly doesnt work.

A relay is cheap - try it.

Did you clean the start motor mount when you replaced it? If it gets oily down there, it can cause you some problems you don't need - so it's worth checking as well...

5-90

check the positive cable running to the starter. it may be bad and all you are hearing is the solenoid clicking.

any other suggestions to add on to these already for when i tackle this tomorrow? thanks guys

Speaking of checking cables, also check the engine block end of the negative battery cable. If it's coming lose or dirty, you could be getting a poor ground to your engine block, and not be able to supply enough current to run your starter.