Won't start, but starter clicks

2001, 4.0, AW4, 231, 224,000 miles. Drove home from work Wednesday and everything has been normal. Thursday morning it won't start. Just a few clicks from the starter and then nothing. It doesn't turn over. I replaced the starter and nothing. Symptoms didn't change. The battery is only a month old and tests fine. Testing with a multimeter show the same voltage at the battery that's at the starter. What readings should I be getting at the s post on the starter. I checked all the fuses and they are fine. Ideas?

Bad connection on the large starter cable. Once the starter tried to draw load it disconnects from the bad connection. Check cleanlyness of battery terminals and starter end wire.

I replaced the positive battery terminal and both the cable that runs to the starter and the positve cable that runs into the fuse block. No change. I checked the small gauge wire for breaks and cracks and found nothing. I bypassed the the weatherpac connector at the starter and connected that wire directly and still no change.

If you jumped the little wire going to the starter to batter + and still had nothing the starter might be bad. Or the engine is seized. Highly unlikely but check if you can turn it by hand

How did you test the battery? Measure the voltage at the starter "when" trying to start it. Also verify that you have a good ground connection!

Clicking and not starting is usually a low voltage issue from:

• dirty, corroded, damaged, or loose wire connections
• internally corroded battery wires
• a short circuit or parasitic drain
• a failing battery
• a failing alternator
• leaving the lights on

Perform routine maintenance of the start and charge systems. Remove, clean, and firmly reconnect all the wires and cables to the battery, starter, and alternator. Look for corroded or damaged cables or connectors and replace as needed. Copper wires should be copper color, not black or green. Battery terminals and battery wire connectors should bright silver, not dull gray and corroded. Do the same for the grounding wires from the starter to engine block, the ground wires at the coil, and the ground wires from the battery and engine to the Jeep's frame/body. You must remove, wire brush, and clean until shiny the cable/wire ends and whatever they bolt onto.

Jeeps do not tolerate low voltage, bad wire connections, or poor grounds.

Place your DVOM (Digital Volt Ohm Multi-Meter) on the 20 volt scale. First check battery voltage by placing your multi-meter's positive lead on the battery's positive post ( the actual post, not the clamp ) and the negative lead on the negative post. You need a minimum of 12 volts to continue testing. Next, leave your meter connected and take a reading while the engine is cranking. Record this voltage reading. Now connect your positive lead to the battery terminal stud on the starter and the negative lead to the starter housing. Again, crank the engine and record the voltage reading. If the voltage reading at the starter is not within 1 volt of battery voltage then you have excessive voltage drop in the starter circuit.

Typical voltage drop maximums:
• starter circuit (including starter solenoid) = 0.60 volt
• battery post to battery terminal end = zero volts
• battery main cable (measured end to end) 0.20 volt
• starter solenoid = 0.20 volt
• battery negative post to alternator metal frame = 0.20 volt
• negative main cable to engine block = 0.20 volt
• negative battery post to starter metal frame = 0.30
• battery positive post to alternator b+stud = 0.5 volt with maximum charging load applied (all accessories turned on)

Test the output at the alternator with your volts/ohms multi-meter. You should be measuring 13.8-14.4 volts. Load testing the alternator is still recommended.

Have your helper turn the ignition key to START while you tap on the starter with a hammer. If the engine starts, you probably need a new starter.

Have the battery, starter, and the alternator Load Tested for proper function in a test machine that applies a simulated work load. Handheld testers are inaccurate and will often pass faulty parts.

Just had the new starter tested to rule that out and it's ok. I bought new cables from a member here and I installed the positive to the starter and the positive to the pdc yesterday. I will be installing the rest and see what happens.

Put the starter back in and hooked eveything up. Tested at every possible combination of negative/positive and eveything came back 12.59v. Did not have someone to turn the key to test under load so I replaced the rest of the cables and the negative battery terminal and it started right up. So I assume it was just a bad ground connection.