Starting Problems

[profdlp]

I am supposed to leave Wednesday for five days of deer hunting, so the timing of this *****. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Yesterday my Jeep would not start on the first crank. It does not seem to be the battery at all. It is less than three years old, my Garmin shows good voltage while running (when the old one was dying I could see wild fluctuations while idling or driving), and all other electrical systems seem fine. I ran some errands and had no further problems.

Today, it took me five or six tries to get it to turn over. Once started, it runs fine. Idles at 600 rpm, no trouble moving down the road. It also seems to start better once things are fully warmed up. Once I got it started for the second time (to drive back from the gas station) I left it alone.

Any idea? I am supposed to be working until 10 pm. (Work at home.) Tomorrow is my only shot to get this solved. For what it's worth, I was down to 1/4 tank of gas. Hoping (praying) I just might have a little water in the gas tank I tossed in some of my Marvel Mystery Oil and filled the tank up with premium.

I'm thinking it could be the starter. The Jeep now has ~88,000 miles on it and has been babied since I got it 4.5 years ago with 42,000 miles.

Help!

 

[CzarKJ]

Do you leave anything plugged in that may have a parasitic draw? I know the port under the radio never turns off.

 

[turblediesel]

What sounds does it make? Any clicks or buzzes? I've had grounds to the block develop enough corrosion to stop the electrons. Try improvising a ground with a jumper cable from the battery negative to a good spot on the engine.

 

[Jeremy-WI]

Are you saying it turns over fine but doesn't start? Try turning the key on for 3 seconds, turn off for 8 seconds, turn the key on for 3 seconds and then attempt to start

 

[profdlp]

Everything lights right up, as in dome light, etc. The starter does not sound right, like something is spinning but not catching. I have gone out twice since I originally posted and it took three to four tries each time before it would start.

It does not sound "slow", like a weak battery.

 

[profdlp]

Are you saying it turns over fine but doesn't start? Try turning the key on for 3 seconds, turn off for 8 seconds, turn the key on for 3 seconds and then attempt to start

Going out right now to try that. Is that the fuel pump trick?

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Yep.

That's a really common problem with XJs. It won't strand you. It's just an inconvenience, but I'd still trust to make the trip.

 

[profdlp]

I could hear the pump kick in just fine. It still didn't start until the third or fourth try, though.

I will be out in the woods and nowhere near a dealer or even a decent repair shop. That is kind of unnerving...

 

[jeeplib05]

My problem is when it’s warm and I constantly start/stop (Black Friday shopping for example) it’s like the whole thing jumps
Tried 3-4 times and wouldn’t budge, tried one last time and held the gas in while doing it and it started right up

 

[profdlp]

Yep.

That's a really common problem with XJs. It won't strand you. It's just an inconvenience, but I'd still trust to make the trip.

I can get down there. If nothing else, I always take my spare key. I could just lock the doors if I had to stop and leave it running. Once it's started you wouldn't know anything was wrong.

And for all I know, it could even be the battery, though I would think there would be at least one other symptom. My Garmin Mechanic link gives me a real-time readout of the voltage and it stays steady whether idling or cruising at 45mph.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I remember one time with mine a loose battery connection resulted in a no start, but nothing came on when I tried to start it.

If you think it could be the starter, you could try hitting it with a broom stick or something and see if that fixes it. Starter is right above the front driveshaft, kind of above and behind the diff (seen it a lot lately when dealing with the axle seal leak) LOL

 

[profdlp]

If I start in with a broomstick under there I may not be able to stop. :angry94:

Any advice on just how and exactly where I should deliver this magic tap? It does sound to me like the starter, almost as if something that should be engaging somewhere is just spinning around.

(Which is another reason I do not suspect the battery at this point. When I turn the key, stuff always happens, just not always the engine firing up.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I would guess just on the body of it somewhere, there's probably a video on how to start a Jeep like a redneck

 

[ltd02]

When activated the starter gear will move out to meet the flywheel and start the vehicle. My guess is that it ain't. If it doesn't it will spin with a much different sound due to no resistance. Like HJ said probably a tap on the housing will do it for a while but you'll want to get it fixed at some point.

 

[profdlp]

When activated the starter gear will move out to meet the flywheel and start the vehicle. My guess is that it ain't. If it doesn't it will spin with a much different sound due to no resistance...

That sounds exactly like what I am hearing. It's more of a swishhhhh sound than the good old cranking noise we all know and love.

I'm going to see if I can get someone to look at it in the morning. I think those sneaky deer paid somebody off to sabotage me. If I do make it after all I am going to let The Ol' Mossberg do my talking for me. :Bye:

 

[Casey.N]

Do you leave anything plugged in that may have a parasitic draw? I know the port under the radio never turns off.

it actually does turn off, at least in my 02 kj, it just takes like over 10 mins, really weird

 

[HoosierJeeper]

That sounds exactly like what I am hearing. It's more of a swishhhhh sound than the good old cranking noise we all know and love.

I'm going to see if I can get someone to look at it in the morning. I think those sneaky deer paid somebody off to sabotage me. If I do make it after all I am going to let The Ol' Mossberg do my talking for me. :Bye:

Shoot the starter with that, I've always wondered if it's bullet proof, planning on going to Chicago soon. :happy175:

 

[profdlp]

You think a 12GA Federal Premium Trophy Copper 3” 300 Grain 2000fps slug would do it? Or should I look for something heavier?

 

[Damotee]

My last car had a faulty starter motor. Sometimes I would turn the key and nothing would happen. The dash lights came on but no sound from the engine. I had to hit it with a hammer and it would fire right up. So weird. I did this trick for a couple of months before the starter died completely.

 

[turblediesel]

Everything lights right up, as in dome light, etc. The starter does not sound right, like something is spinning but not catching. I have gone out twice since I originally posted and it took three to four tries each time before it would start.

It does not sound "slow", like a weak battery.

Sounds like the Bendix gear in the starter has worn out. It's the gear part that shoots out to engage the teeth on tge flywheel/flexplate. The gear is part of a ratcheting mechanism so the engine start-up doesn't spin the motor part of the starter. They go bad. Make spin noises instead of vroom sounds. They die intermittently and eventually.

That's my guess. Replacing the starter is the quickest way to bag a deer, maybe.