I’ve been working on my Jeep went to start it yesterday but the motor wouldn’t crank there was only a click at the starter from the solenoid kicking out. I checked voltage and my battery holds 12.4 volts. I checked my starter relay switch and it was good. I jumped my starter straight to the battery and still only a clicking from the solenoid but no turning. So I assumed the culprit was the starter I pulled the starter and jumped it outside of the car and the solenoid would kick out but no spinning so I went straight to the auto shop and got a new starter came back installed it and same problem, I can hear the starter solenoid kicking out to the flywheel but no cranking. I tried to rock my Jeep back and forth to see if the flywheel was blocking the solenoid from popping out but no luck. I also tried jumping this new starter straight to the battery and still no luck only the solenoid popping out but no turning over. My battery is only a year and a half old I tried hooking up a jumper just to see and still no luck. Just the previous day the Jeep would crank right over no problems, I can jump start the jeep from a rolling start. I was thinking that it had something to do with my flywheel. Any ideas would help before I drop my tranny tomorrow thanks.
99 Jeep TJ won't start
- Thread starter Molokai808
- Start date
Mudflap
Member
I don't know if this will be helpful to you (especially since I am seeing this late), but try washing off the starter. One time I got my Jeep really muddy and the next day it just wouldn't start when I was leaving for work. Later I looked under the car while having someone else turn the key and I could see some mud getting thrown around in there. Hosed off the starter really well and it started working normally again and still keeps starting. Mud getting packed in there may not be the culprit in your situation but it sure wouldn't hurt to try the easy solution, worst case scenario is that you clean off your starter.
Disconnect the battery cables and check the terminals and clamps for oxidation....
Since the same problem exists with the new starter as with the original starter the problem is either your battery OR the cable clamps/terminals are dirty/loose.
You have been using the Jeeps battery to crank the starter; try removing the starter and testing the new starter using another battery and a pair of jumper cables to engage and crank the starter.
Since the same problem exists with the new starter as with the original starter the problem is either your battery OR the cable clamps/terminals are dirty/loose.
You have been using the Jeeps battery to crank the starter; try removing the starter and testing the new starter using another battery and a pair of jumper cables to engage and crank the starter.
X2 on this. If only the Bendix is moving and not the motor on both starters, it almost certainly is the battery, cables, or terminals.
Mudflap
Member
deadbeat son
TJ Addict
deadbeat son
TJ Addict
Always good to eliminate the obvious. I saw where you had tried jumping from battery to starter, but not jumping the battery from another vehicle.
I took the starter off and jumped the starter directly and the pinion would pop out and not spin. It is a remanufactered starter from 2018. Could something be shorting my starters or is it just dumb luck that the starters don’t work
Johnbob
New Member
Johnbob
New Member
IF it were the starter solenoid; there would be no transfer of electricity and the Bendix gear would not extend either....
I recently replaced my starter because the brushes were worn out. The new starter worked fine for about 3 weeks then started having an issue where it would not start just a weak click when you turned the key to start. That would happen 2-4 times and then it would turn over and start. After checking everything it turned out to be the solenoid on the new start was junk. I still had the old one in my shop so I pulled the solenoid off it cleaned it up and installed it on my new one, works perfectly now and it been a couple of months. It can happen that you can get a dud when buying new, occasionally happen. That may or may not be the case for you but you really need to start at the battery and work your way through the system. Make sure you have a fully charged battery, clean the posts, cable ends, connections are tight etc etc. And don't assume I have seen and repaired a car where the ground in the trunk looked clean no corrosion dirt or damage but it was not grounding correctly causing several issues. A good cleaning of the terminal and the metal where it mounted fixed it right up.