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First post to the club, but a frequent user of the great advice you guys offer. Having a crank issue with a 91 4.0 Have power, but as soon as I turn the key completely to ignition I hear one click coming from the starter, the starter is trying to engage but then I lose all power and Can not keep trying to crank until I disconnect the battery and the reconnect to have the same thing happen. Things I’ve checked and or replaced: Starter Starter wires Grounds Ignition switch nss (completely replaced) all relays and fuses battery (used multiple different batteries to be sure) battery terminals and negative and positive terminal clamps radio and speakers (checking for shorts) Fuel pump ballast resistor map sensor and probably a few others that I’m forgetting Probably have about 25 hours in to this problem and I’m at a complete loss. Maybe I messed something up along the way so feel free to give any knowledge of common mistakes made during install or my checks along the way. I hope what I’m trying to say is clear and if not I can clarify

I swapped a 95 4.0 and aw4 into my 86 manche. Got all pumped to start it for the first time and no luck. The starter engages but isn't making a happy noise. It will turn the belt very slowly. Theres some tough spots where the engines been sitting for a while. If I turn it by hand (1/2 ratchet on pulley) I can get almost a start with no starter death noise. Next week, I'm going to pull the spark plugs and see if that gives it less of a resistance to spin but does anyone else have some advice. Cylinder one looked clean. I stored it with diesel for a while when the heads were off. Just need the motor to make it six months

So I'm trying to find out why my truck keeps dying. I jumped it off, let the vehicles run for several minutes, took the jumper cables off, and it runs for about a minute, then dies. I also noticed its idling weird. it will idle high, then get really low, then sound like someone is tapping the gas pedal. It will die soon after that. The alternator is brand new, I tried 3 different batteries (can't find my multimeter at the moment to make sure they are good, they are all about 5 years old). So I think I have it narrowed down to the battery, or a connection to the alternator. In the morning I am going to find my multimeter, and recheck the alternator connections. Am I missing something else that it could be? Would a bad battery make it idle like that?

Hi guys, I have a 1987 Jeeep Comanche 4.0. The other day my Comanche would not start or crank. I took off the started, took it in, and I was told it was in bad shape. Got a new one, placed it back in, and then it was a no go as well. I was very certain that it was the starter since they tested the old one and it failed. I then replaced the starter relay and that didn't work as well. So then I went under the truck, went to the starter, and wired together the positive outlet to what I believe is the solenoid outlet? And then the truck started. So I don't no where else I could look since it won't start through the key ignition but will if i do it manually under the starter. Any ideas? Thank you very much.

Hi Everyone, This is my 1st post. I picked up this Comanche a little over a month ago(My first!). It is a 88 2wd/lwb Pioneer 4.0/Aw4. 222k on the clock. The original owner purchased it in Missouri. Lived there for a few years before moving to Florida. Then recently made its way to Michigan to his granddaughter here. When once she realized the amount of work needed. She sold it to the shop she took it too. And I purchased it from them. It still has most of it's original window sticker. it is 100% rust free. It has been repainted at some point. The AW4 was rebuilt about 18k miles ago. The shop I bought it from redid the top end due to a bad HG. all new Cooling system. Still the closed-loop. full tune-up. What I've done: replaced the self-destructing balancer, Timing set, TPS, Starter, Starter relay, Cables, re-freshed grounds. added a ground to the core support from the battery, and I left the body to engine ground strap. but added with it a cable from the body to a intake heat shield bolt. Now here is the issue, which has been present since before I purchased it...It starts just fine when it has sat for several hours(overnight, or while I'm at work. Once it is warm. It struggles to start. It will start cranking strong, then it will slow down like the battery is almost dead, and then pick back up, slow down etc. Sometimes it will start while doing this. Or it may take me a couple tries until it lights off. Then sometimes it will fire up with no issues. But that is very rare. I checked the timing, seems to be where it should be. Battery was load tested and passed. The Alt. charges as it should...14.4v. I jumpered the ballast resistor, no difference. Fuel pressure is at 30-31psi w/ vac. 37-38 w/out vac. the vac line to reg. does smell of fuel, but is not damp. I also disconnected the A/C Clutch and no change. When it happens. There is a large voltage drop when it slows. I've noted with my volt meter on the batt. It will drop to 9v, even 8v when it slows, then voltage will come back up to over 10v when it speeds back up. I've even tried hooking a jump box to it, and still happens. I feel that it is some sort of "Heat Soak" Issue. A buddy mentioned possibly the coil. It does appear to be original. I've lurked on this site and have checked countless others. And haven't seen anyone else having a similar problem. I'll post/link my youtube video so you all can see for yourself what I'm dealing with. https://youtu.be/fAZT_wsADR0 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fAZT_wsADR0"frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hey guys, I’m having trouble tracking down an engine turnover problem. A few days ago I turned the ignition and got nothing, dead nothing. I was in a parking lot with no tools (of course). My positive battery cable was loose so I wiggled it and few other things, it started so I tightened it at home and had no more problems. Until this morning when needing to go to work (of course). I could get it to try to turn over, the starter was working but it was not starting. Then it would only engage the starter every 4th or 5th time turning the key over. Completely unresponsive, not even a click on the in-betweens, with the exception of the sound of something electrical like a solenoid spitting its dying breath. Got a ride to work, but I thought I would post while at work so I might have a clue when I go home and try to work on it. So the big questions for me are, does my 88 Comanche have the kind of starter with the solenoid built into the starter? I replaced the starter about 8 yrs ago, so it’s not all that old. Also, does my truck have a voltage regulator in between the battery and the starter like my cars from the 70's had? My battery is only a few months old too. Of course, first off I will try jumping it when I get home, and I don't mean with a baseball bat. My gut tells me it’s not the battery, but I did eat spicy food for breakfast…. Thanks in advance :thumbsup:

1986 jeep comanche 4X4 2.4l engine my alternator light was on for months. one day i went to start it, nothing. i changed the alternator and motor craft solenoid. my husband had undone the negative cable from the solenoid to the battery. after i installed the alternator and solenoid i had not known my husband unplugged the negative cable (he did it when i was getting the parts), after i installed all the new equipment i turned on the light switch for the headlights and turned the key... nothing. i went to go check the cables and saw the negative to the solenoid unhooked, i hooked it up and tried again. still no start and no lights. i took the battery to the store to have it charged. i was told it was discharged. took it back and hooked everything back up. still no lights and no start. checked the starter by jumping it. the engine turned over yet would not stay on. i still have nothing when i turn the key and no brake lights or headlights? what is wrong and how can i fix it?

Hi All, I have a 1992 MJ 4.0L 5-speed and the starter is going out.... What's the better starter to purchase? I'm looking for quality...not overly concerned with price... THanks!

So, driving home tonight the truck was running great until I was about 3/4 of the way home. Then the truck just randomly died. Lights stayed on, battery connections are solid, no engine code, just dead. Here's the weird thing. After it died, it took about five minutes and then it would start right up. BEFORE that five minutes was up, there was absolutely no power to the starter. No click, no grind, just nothing. My question to you guys is, what the hell could it be? I'm at a loss. I mean, POSSIBLY a ground wire, but then I would think it would kill the battery too and there would be no lights... I'm just at a loss. Let me know.

ok. I had a feeling my starter was about to go and yesterday, it happened. thank God I was home. it took me an hour to find one on Oreilly's website, pull mine, call a friend, get it tested and buy a new one, go get groceries for dinner, and reinstall. love those 4.0's! however, when I went to start it this time, I got a click and then lost all power. please help. waiting for rain to stop so I can start checking fuses, relays and wires. the complete loss of power has me a little lost though. any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

1989 swb, 4x4, 4.0, 5spd. I am in the middle of dropping in another engine and have 90% of the engine harness ran. As of right now i have two issues, 1. starter clicks only once when i turn the key, I have to wait a min, with key off, before i can get it to do it again, interior lights and radio work normally the whole time. Battery is fully charged, terminals are clean and tight, starter relay is good with all old connectors cut off and replaced with shiny new ones, starter also works fine, installed on engine and tested with jumper cables before dropping engine into bay. 2. Fuel pump no worky, worked perfectly when i took it out, EDIT: also the ballast resistor has been bypassed. I know the problem is the ground, I just don't know where/how the fuel pump is grounded, the plug for the pump (at the back of the cab) is getting power, just no ground I can have pictures up within min if you need to see something. thanks guys, ftpiercecracker

Alright, I've ran into a bit of trouble with my 87 2wd 4.0, the past few weeks its been a little rough firing up, but I just figured it was because it was getting cold and I haven't worried about it because after a couple seconds it would crank. Now the truck won't start at all. I hear the fuel pump running, and the gauges work, but the starter won't engage at all. I got it to start by moving the shifter around(auto trans) because I've had problems with the NSS before and it's worked by shifting between park and neutral.... Which led me to believe it was the neutral safety switch... So, after bypassing the neutral safety switch altogether by connecting the wires together, it still won't start. If I connect the terminals together on the starter It engages as well. I'm a little lost and any help would be appreciated? Maybe the starter relay?