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For the last 2 weeks, I've been having trouble starting my 1994
Cherokee Sport (I-6, 4.0, auto).
It started to sound like this (er,er,er,varoom) then it would start.
Yesterday I went to do a little shopping, got to the store, shopped
then went to start, nothing.
I should mention that I had just installed a new battery, thinking I
had a bad cell in the old battery causing the slow starting.
I have power to all accessories, but when I turn to start, nothing.
The brake light on dash lights up when I turn to start.
I checked for codes, the only one I'm getting is #12, and then #55.
Things I'm going to check out today is, battery cables, grounds,
starter connections.
What else should I check ?
Funny thing yesterday while stranded at the store for more than an
hour, in the dark with flash light trying to check out some wiring &
connections, waiting for my wife to come to my rescue, I tried moving
the shifter to neutral, then back to park, still nothing.
Just as my wife pulled in to the parking lot, I flipped the key over,
put it in, an it started.
How weird was that. Drove it home, shut it off, then tried to start it
again, and nothing.
Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to give you Jeep Guru's as much
info as possible.
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Starter giving you that last start so you can make it home? <g>
Some will install a remote starter to the starter solenoid for testing
purposes or for emergency use.
Try it out and see if the starter works reliably and spins fast enough.
When my starter did that, it got replaced as soon as I made it into the
garage! ;-)
Check out my Jeep Cherokee
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Mine is doing the same thing, it is the starter. I can knock on the
starter a few times with a ratchet and it will start. I think the
bendix is locking up. I am going to get a new one Monday. I still have
to find a new one, I will NOT do the autozone lifetime thing anymore.
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I bought an autolite reman through the web at Advance.
Lifetime warranty too, even has roadside assistance and the price was good. $69.99[IIRC] plus core and the local store will take back the core so no hassle there!
You have to wait for them to come in though as the stores don't stock them.
No tax on it if your local store does not sell it though! ??? Not sure I understand that?
Anyway after fooling trying to fix mine with a new brush set from an ebay seller and failing I bought the autolite.
It's been on since sept-oct-ish. looked like a real nice unit and has been flawless in operation.
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NSS?
mine's a manual, so i can't say i know for sure the signs of the NSS going
bad, but that'd be my guess.
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Those are the exact symptoms of worn out brushes.
Unless you have a good local starter repair service do not bother trying to repair it though.
The set I got for mine were GARBAGE and failed within 2 weeks, the ebay seller offered to replace them if I paid shipping both ways. There was not point as they ruined the starter commutator.
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Also symptoms of corrodes battery connections or wiring. A dirty NSS will
cause no cranking at all, and often will start just fine in neutral or after
wiggling the shifter.
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this same thing happened to my DD once when my wife was driving it all the time. the clamp on the hot cable was stretched and would not get good enough contact with the post. at the time I just put a screw in their to get by. didn't have a problem since. check out the wiring first for sure.
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it's not clear from your description; is the engine turning over and
not firing, or just not turning over at all when you turn the key?
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No noise at all when turning the key to start, except for the priming of the fuel pump noise.
I removed starter cables (cleaned them up) and replaced them, still no-go.
Removed the cables from coil pack (cleaned them up) and replaced them, still no-go.
I do have corrosion on battery cables, I cleaned them the best I can, still no-go.
I did have a blown fuse in the panel below the dash, # 18, replaced it, still no-go
What does fuse # 18 do ? I checked all the fuses in the engine compartment, none were blown.
After all that I cleaned, it did start up once. I let it run for a few minutes, shut it off, then tried to start it again, back to the same thing, no start, nothing.
Everything comes on. All accessories work.
This one has me stumped. I've been working on & wheel'in with Cherokees since 1993 (backyard mechanic).
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Did you do the headlight test?
Crank the engine, or attempt to with the Hlamps on and see if they dim.
No dim means no draw.
Your symptoms are exactly like our 97s starter. It slow cranked like a bad battery for a while. I switched to a known good battery and the same thing. Then it finally died. The brushes were worn out.
Pop the starter off and have it checked, IIRC advance will test it for you, but then they will want to sell you one!
I just used a battery charger to spin mine over with it clamped in a vise.
It's actually a pretty simple starter to work on. The problem is getting GOOD parts :(
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I still bet the starter bendix is not engaging (seized up). Take a big ratchet and knock on the starter from below a half a dozen times firmly but not totally abusive, then see if it engages. That is what mine is doing. You will likely need to take the starter in for a test.
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when it does start does it seem like the starter is turning slower than normal as if there isn't enough current getting to it?
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Is the reverse lights working at all? Just that would point to the NSS.
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I will be checking the starter after work tomorrow.
Something I noticed yesterday, I can move the shifter from Park to 1-2 without the key in or foot on brake pedal, I can't do that in my wife's 1993 Cherokee.
Is this normal ?
Thank God, It just passed inspection 2 weeks ago, before this started to happen
Thanks to all the Jeep Guru's that gave me good suggestions to work with,
I'll keep ya'll updated.
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Should not be able to move the shifter without the key in at least on my 95. Don't need the foot on the brake here until the update model in 97.
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ah, yes, the 'ole whack-a-starter trick!!!
done that many times to old tractors n' things.
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no, not normal.
not sure what the cause of that could be, but it's sounding like a
mechanical problem with the switch mechanism and/or the transmission
lockout mechanism. that could be related to the no-start problem, but
not necessarily,... sounds like a bugger to have to work out!
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brake interlock was added automatically at the dealer to many XJs here
as part of a TSB whether it was asked for or not unless you specifically
noticed it on the Service Order and had it removed from the Service
Order. when you asked to have it removed the Service Writers would give
you some BS about how you might get away with it until it became an
issue at Registration time, but would remove it from the Order anyway...
DAMHIK.
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The brake interlock will not work if the brake light fuse is blown on my 91. It was added without my approval at the dealer when I had it checked for something else.
There is also a little connector by the brake pedal switch that will disable it. I normally keep mine unplugged. I put it back if someone else will be driving it for a while.
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Well yeesterday after work, I laid under my XJ, with a small hammer in hand, I lightly tapped the starter a few times, crawled out, put key in to start, and lo & behold she started right up.
Shut her off, then a re-start and she started right up again. The 3rd time was er...er...er...
varoom. Then I tapped it again, and she started right up.
I guess there will be a NEW starter in my future or maybe I'll try an clean it up first.
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From my own experience, you have a limited number of times you can tap it with the hammer. If you plan to try and clean it, do it now. Or if you plan to get a new one, do it now. If you wait, you do so at your own risk. Last time I had to deal with this, I think it lasted about a week and then it quit for good.
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GET ONE NOW!!!
GET ONE NOW!!!
It is great that it is allowing you to be able to drive it somewhere before
you can't anymore.
When mine starting acting like that I replaced it.
I guess I don't like getting stranded somewhere. When I want to
go.............I want to go! <g>
I bought a BOSCH reman at Murray's auto parts with a lifetime warranty.
Might have been $60 or so and much better than some of the BOSCH reman VW
starters ($125-$200 or so) that I have purchased in the past.
GET ONE NOW!!! ;-)
Check out my Jeep Cherokee
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OH OH I smell a new CB handle ;-) Still got to get to mine. School has be
busy
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Well gang,
I removed the starter and did a through cleaning, replaced starter,
and now she starts right up.
That saved me $70.00 on a re-maned starter.
Now I have to figure out why I can move the shifter without the key in.
I'm not sure if the guy I bought it from 2 years ago got the interlock thingy done.
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