97 TJ Starting Issue

since you say it’s turning over good, check spark next time it won’t start… You’ve checked battery and starter and say they’re good, so next check if you’ve got spark, if so then check fuel delivery, because it sounds like you've got an intermittent fuel delivery or spark issue… Once you determine which is the problem, you‘ll be able to better able find the problem…
Hope this helps
 
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I went by my mechanic‘s shop today. He said try leaving the key in the on position for a few minutes and then try to start it. I did that and it fired right up without a jump. He asked me if needles on the gauges were moving. At first they weren’t and it wouldn’t start. After turning the key on and off they started working and it fired up, When the needles on the gauge don’t move it won’t start. It only starts when they are working and sometimes it won’t start until I wait around 2 minutes with the key in the on position. I’m not sure about the exact sequence or timing but I’m pretty confident I can get it to start within a few minutes. The check engine light is not coming on at all even when driving. I did hook up a code scanner and it showed no faults.
 
Just to restate because this is bizzaro to the max: you turn the key ON and nothing happens; gauge needles are sitting at 0. Then you wait for some indeterminate amount of time, and eventually the fuel gauge & volt meter suddenly start reading actual values, and only then if you turn key further it will start?

Do you have gauge cluster lights during this process? Is the odometer "on"? What about the Check Gauges, CEL, airbag, seat belt (forget what else) lights? Are they on at any point in this process? Trying to figure out what else isn't working might give some insight.
 
I just tried to check how the gauges and lights are working and couldn’t get the gauges to move or the Jeep to start. Yesterday the gauge needles were not working until I would switch the ignition off and back on again. I’m pretty sure one time they were off and when I looked back up they were on but I‘m not positive because I didn’t notice that again. The airbag, seatbelt, check gauges, fuel and upshift arrow come on briefly when turning the key on and the odometer stays on. No check engine light.

When I was jumpstarting it before it took many tries because I thought the battery connections weren‘t good and I didn‘t notice what was going on with the gauges So I ended up turning the ignition on and off several times every time I was adjusting cables.My mechanic just asked me about the gauges yesterday. So now I’m thinking it wasn’t being jumped at all it was just the cycling of the ignition switch causing the gauges to work that allowed it to start.

To answer some previous questions;
-no work done prior to these issues
-no other symptoms
-battery cables are tight
-don‘t know about key check to check codes but yesterday code scanner
showed no faults

I’m wonder what the problem usually is when the gauges are intermittent or don’t work at all. It seems like that is the determining factor of whether it will start or not.

Thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.
 
If it was me, I would do as @Havasu mentioned and check fuel & spark.

Found this thread, https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/dash-gauges-are-dead-and-jeep-wont-start.9853/. , Might be worth a read to see if any of the items mentioned in post #3 line up with your problems.

If it was my Jeep, I would check all the grounds(given that leaving the key engaged seems to work), and I would search if there are any known issues with the ignition circuit that manifest themselves as you are describing.

Another item I would look for is some sort of aftermarket alarm system that might not be working as intended when it was new.

I am running out of ideas that don't involve pulling out a multimeter, wiring diagrams, and a ton of patience.
 
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PirataCoqui said:
If it was me, I would do as @Havasu mentioned and check fuel & spark.

Found this thread, https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/dash-gauges-are-dead-and-jeep-wont-start.9853/. , Might be worth a read to see if any of the items mentioned in post #3 line up with your problems.

If it was my Jeep, I would check all the grounds(given that leaving the key engaged seems to work), and I would search if there are any known issues with the ignition circuit that manifest themselves as you are describing.

Another item I would look for is some sort of aftermarket alarm system that might not be working as intended when it was new.

I am running out of ideas that don't involve pulling out a multimeter, wiring diagrams, and a ton of patience.
Click to expand...
@PirataCoqui Nice find and exactly describes OP’s issues… as such I’d follow the diagnostics in the link and let us know if it fixed your problems…
 
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Thanks for the thread and all the replies and suggestions guys.

I disconnected the CPS harness and the gauges still don’t work.

Just got the gauges to move from cycling ignition switch
lots of times. Tried starting right away and it wouldn’t start. Waited 2 minutes and it fired right up. Now the gauges have worked 4 times in a row and it fires right up every time without waiting.
 
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