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Starter or Solenoid??


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No start this morning. Just clicked when turned the key. All my accesories and lights seemed fine and bright. Jumped it with another car, it clicked once and then started up. Let it run for a little while, shut it off, tried again....just clicks.

 

I think it is my starter or starter solenoid. Any way to figure out for sure which one it is? Starter relay maybe? Help me out please.

 

Would a weak battery be related to this problem?

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This is what I do:

Step one is to clean up the battery terminals with a wire brush and examine the cables for corrosion or cracks in the plastic.

Step 2 is to take the battery to an auto parts store that checks them for free.

If you can jump it with another car, then I'm guessing your starter should be fine.

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i know i'm kind of hijacking this thread, but i am having the same probmem. ive hit the starter many times, and still, only a click. i've tested the battery in another vehicle, and it works. i've cleaned the ground on the motor, and the terminals on the battery. any other ideas i could try? i'm thinking of just pulling the starter out.

 

everything else works fine, including the lights, cd player, and subwoofer.

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There's a huge difference between powering the lights/radio and turning over the engine. Did you clean up the cable connection at the starter?

 

But aside from that, I once took apart a starter to find that inside the copper plunger that contacts to flow the juice had some severe wear. Cleaned it up with a grinder and it worked just fine. But that vehicle would start maybe 50% of the time I turned the key and the odds didn't improve if I was getting a jump.

 

Many auto repair places will check out your starter and battery for free.

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Check those cables!! People assume they last for ever...THEY don't!!!

Even with a clean connection there could be too much resistance in the wire itself to allow engine to start. ESP on really cold mornings. Also did you check the connec tion at the starter?

 

CW

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Well, I took the battery and starter to get tested and both tested good. Checked over the cables, seem ok, not the greatest shape, but ok. Tried to loosen the bolt for the ground on the engine to clean it, but couldn't loosen it, sprayed WD40 on it, but still stuck. Then I put the battery and starter back in. Turn the key and it started right up. Starts fine now.

Not really sure what the problem was. Maybe a bad connection somewhere, but seems odd that it started with a jump from another vehicle. Maybe the ground on the engine wasn't making good contact and the WD40 helped. I don't know. What do you guys think it was?

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Well, I took the battery and starter to get tested and both tested good. Checked over the cables, seem ok, not the greatest shape, but ok. Tried to loosen the bolt for the ground on the engine to clean it, but couldn't loosen it, sprayed WD40 on it, but still stuck. Then I put the battery and starter back in. Turn the key and it started right up. Starts fine now.

Not really sure what the problem was. Maybe a bad connection somewhere, but seems odd that it started with a jump from another vehicle. Maybe the ground on the engine wasn't making good contact and the WD40 helped. I don't know. What do you guys think it was?

WD-40 does not conduct electricity, and it has no business being used on connections.

Likely what dirty comanche said is true, same thing mine started doing. Random no starts that progressivly got less random and more no start.

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Renix? Mine does that sometimes and it’s the lead that runs off the positive battery cable under that black cover on the fender. I don’t know what the things called that it’s hooked to but it takes a 1/2" wrench. try messing with that if it does it again.

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Your starter has a dead pole/broken winding.

 

If this is the case, why would it start up so easily with a jump?

 

And that's why I thought it's a bad cable or cable connection that's not letting enough juice flow. I've seen perfectly fine looking cables or connections that simply did not let the truck start. I'd replace a cable or clean a connection and everything magically worked again. Don't forget to examine every battery cable and every connection between the battery and starter that would carry the starting current.

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Your starter has a dead pole/broken winding.

 

If this is the case, why would it start up so easily with a jump?

 

And that's why I thought it's a bad cable or cable connection that's not letting enough juice flow. I've seen perfectly fine looking cables or connections that simply did not let the truck start. I'd replace a cable or clean a connection and everything magically worked again. Don't forget to examine every battery cable and every connection between the battery and starter that would carry the starting current.

 

 

Check those cables!! People assume they last for ever...THEY don't!!!

Even with a clean connection there could be too much resistance in the wire itself to allow engine to start. ESP on really cold mornings. Also did you check the connec tion at the starter?

 

CW

 

Pete and I are singing to you in STEREO here........GOT CABLE???

 

CW

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Your starter has a dead pole/broken winding.

 

 

 

It'll fail completely given time.

I disagree. If this were the problem, jumping it would not have made a difference.

 

 

 

Disagree if you like. I've seen it before. My own XJ did it.

 

 

By jumping it you hit it with just enough more voltage to get across the dead winding and allow it to start spinning up.

 

 

I say time will tell. If it won't do $#!& all in a week then I know I'm right.

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I say time will tell. If it won't do $#!& all in a week then I know I'm right.

 

Well, I'll keep you posted. So far its starting fine.

 

 

Pete and I are singing to you in STEREO here........GOT CABLE???

 

Yeah, got it, thanks. I'd love to add another needed part to my list. I might as well buy a new truck with all the parts that should be replaced. How much does a decent set of cables go for?

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  • 2 weeks later...
I say time will tell. If it won't do $#!& all in a week then I know I'm right.

 

Well, I'll keep you posted. So far its starting fine.

 

 

Pete and I are singing to you in STEREO here........GOT CABLE???

 

Yeah, got it, thanks. I'd love to add another needed part to my list. I might as well buy a new truck with all the parts that should be replaced. How much does a decent set of cables go for?

 

head to NAXJA, do a search for a user named 5-90

 

He makes a very nice kit for the XJ/MJ, it's about $60, comes with crimped solid copper ends and it's all made out of 0 guage welding wire.

It's total overkill, and it will replace every mains cable in the truck.

hell, I couldn't even buy the wire for what he sells it for, let alone the ends and the crimper tool.

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Had the same problem. After checking all elec connections I pulled the starter. On the bench and hooked up every thing worked like its suppose to, cranked just fine. Put it back in and it starrted once, but, wouldn't start again no matter what i tried on it. Pulled it out and went to NAPA & picked up a remanf. for 96.00. Put it in and have had no subsequent problems. The old starter was just shorting out internallly when it felt like it.

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