achilles100
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Scottsdale, AZ
While making my way through a canyon near Lake Pleasant today, I had to cross a rock that required a good amount of articulation (relatively speaking) from my stock suspension 00 XJ.
When I got half way over the rock, I started hearing the starter motor spinning! I pulled off the rock the rest of the way and shut off the truck but the starter motor kept spinning (even after I pulled the starter fuse and relay), and in fact started to catch on fire after a minute or so. (Nothing a little sand thrown on the fire didn't fix)
Long story short, I had to get towed out of there by the guys with me, and my melted starter would no longer turn the engine over or even make any attempt to engage.
Upon getting back into town I discovered that the battery positive cable to the starter was completely worn away/smashed where it runs along the bottom of the oil pan area, and the starter ignition signal cable is in the same loom so they had shorted together providing constant B+ to the starter.
Closer examination showed me that my passenger upper control arm mount on the axle is making contact with that wiring and with the oil pan mounting flange right next to the motor mount. The wiring managed to get wedged between the two on that rock, I presume, which is what destroyed it and caused the short to B+.
So, long story long (sorry), does anyone have any idea why a completely stock XJ would see the upper control arm mount make contact with the oil pan? I'm talking stock tires, swaybars connected, etc. Completely stock.
Any advice on possible things wrong is appreciated. I'm a rookie at this whole thing.
Thanks!
Aaron
When I got half way over the rock, I started hearing the starter motor spinning! I pulled off the rock the rest of the way and shut off the truck but the starter motor kept spinning (even after I pulled the starter fuse and relay), and in fact started to catch on fire after a minute or so. (Nothing a little sand thrown on the fire didn't fix)
Long story short, I had to get towed out of there by the guys with me, and my melted starter would no longer turn the engine over or even make any attempt to engage.
Upon getting back into town I discovered that the battery positive cable to the starter was completely worn away/smashed where it runs along the bottom of the oil pan area, and the starter ignition signal cable is in the same loom so they had shorted together providing constant B+ to the starter.
Closer examination showed me that my passenger upper control arm mount on the axle is making contact with that wiring and with the oil pan mounting flange right next to the motor mount. The wiring managed to get wedged between the two on that rock, I presume, which is what destroyed it and caused the short to B+.
So, long story long (sorry), does anyone have any idea why a completely stock XJ would see the upper control arm mount make contact with the oil pan? I'm talking stock tires, swaybars connected, etc. Completely stock.
Any advice on possible things wrong is appreciated. I'm a rookie at this whole thing.
Thanks!
Aaron