TJ won't start

Glenno

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Original poster
Joined
Apr 27, 2020
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24
Location
Gold Coast
Vehicle Not starting, battery is good, turn key and Nothing, starter motor not turning over. Just dead, anyone had this trouble before?
 
Everything else works? If so try physically removing (!) both battery connections and wire brushing the battery posts and the inside of the connectors. A $4 battery brush kit from the auto parts store has male and female wire brushes to make it easier.

I don't care if the connectors look perfectly clean and fine. Perfectly clean and fine looking connectors can cause that problem. Make sure you get them back on tightly enough that they can't be moved around on the battery posts even with considerable hand pressure.
 
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First get out YOUR meter and make sure the battery IS good- Check voltage DC & make sure its 13+VDC Lots of times I get the same thing on a battery thats got 12 (+).
Is your radio working?
What happens when you turn on your headlights?
Sounds like a battery / connection issue somewhere
 
A broken ignition actuator switch pin?

02764551-8RXJ9RX4.jpg


https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-drive-home-if-your-ignition-pin-actuator-breaks.10902/
 
Glenno,
I would follow the above instructions, but I have had a similar issue with my jeep in the past. If it's an auto transmission, try moving the shifter (park to neutral, then back to park). Then try to start the jeep. My jeep would not start because it was not fully in park.
 
Sounds like a dead battery or bad battery connections to me.

How do you know the battery is good? Have you had it load tested?

Have you inspected your battery terminals?
 
An easy way to check if your problem is battery related or ignition related is to put the trans in N, key in the on position, pull the starter relay and jump the switched side of the relay receptacle with a little pair of needle nose pilers. That will bypass your ignition switch entirely and send battery voltage directly to the starter. If she cranks then you know your problem is in the ignition circuit (probably a broken actuator pin), if she doesn't crank then you know you have a problem with the battery or starter. A picture of the starter relay terminals is in the above linked thread.
 
An easy way to check if your problem is battery related or ignition related is to put the trans in N, key in the on position, pull the starter relay and jump the switched side of the relay receptacle with a little pair of needle nose pilers. That will bypass your ignition switch entirely and send battery voltage directly to the starter. If she cranks then you know your problem is in the ignition circuit (probably a broken actuator pin), if she doesn't crank then you know you have a problem with the battery or starter. A picture of the starter relay terminals is in the above linked thread.
Legend, will do, thankyou
 
Sounds like a dead battery or bad battery connections to me.

How do you know the battery is good? Have you had it load tested?

Have you inspected your battery terminals?
Battery is 3weeks old though I do hav a bloke coming to test it this arvo, New terminals are being fitted, the starter relay just clicks with turn of key
 
Glenno,
I would follow the above instructions, but I have had a similar issue with my jeep in the past. If it's an auto transmission, try moving the shifter (park to neutral, then back to park). Then try to start the jeep. My jeep would not start because it was not fully in park.
Thx mate
 
First get out YOUR meter and make sure the battery IS good- Check voltage DC & make sure its 13+VDC Lots of times I get the same thing on a battery thats got 12 (+).
Is your radio working?
What happens when you turn on your headlights?
Sounds like a battery / connection issue somewhere
Power to everything else, headlights working. Battery is new, new terminals fitted, load tested, seems to be faulty relay, waiting on replacement 👍😎
 
the starter relay just clicks with turn of key

The actuator pin only applies if you have absolutely nothing. If you're getting a relay to click it's something else.