What the hell!

[HeepJr]

jeeps pissing me off if its not one problem its another just started yesterday Where when i go to start it, it wont crank or turn over just silence and GEN comes up next to my engine light (engine lights on due to o2 sensor) then after abit it will start then run fine. today it will start up no problem but once i turn it off it wont start or crank at all and GEN comes up and i have to wait like an hour then it'll start again.

I tested the battery its at 13volts tested alternator its fine the Gen has to be working or my battery would be dead so. the relay is working tested that to so i don't know any body got a clue?

[cantab27]

not starting when warm letting cool then start may be your cps ..crank position sensor ....

[HeepJr]

anyway to test the cps?

[4.3LXJ]

Sounds like it is time to clean those battery terminals. To check them, turn on headlights and watch what happens to them when you crank. If you try to crank and they dim or go out, that is what it is

[HeepJr]

battery terminals are clean did that when i tested battery.

[4.3LXJ]

I would still do the headlight test and see what happens. It costs nothing

[HeepJr]

the light test tested the cps? or the battery connection? i will go do it when i head out again

[4.3LXJ]

The headlight test is for the battery connection. CPS needs an ohm meter

[HeepJr]

okay i will and it doesnt crank its just silent... and where abouts is the cps driver or passenger kinda a newbie with engines

[4.3LXJ]

The CPS is on the driver side upper bell housing. Look for it under the back of the intake/exhaust manifold

[HeepJr]

The CPS is on the driver side upper bell housing. Look for it under the back of the intake/exhaust manifold

okay thanks ill check both and see

[Gravedigger]

just a shot in the dark but maybe the starter solenoid or dirty brushes.only test i know of(wile still in rig)is hit it with a hammer when it wont start.if it starts then replace your starter.

[HeepJr]

Just checked nothing happenes to the lights
Didnt have time to test the cps tho will do that in morning

[XJ Wheeler]

I'm going with either starter or a bad connection. Check and maybe freshen up your grounds and do the hammer "test".

[Firemanray]

okay i will and it doesnt crank its just silent... and where abouts is the cps driver or passenger kinda a newbie with engines

If I understand, you're saying you turn the key and NOTHING happens? If so push the gear selector hard into park WHILE trying to crank it, also try to crank it in "N". Mine does this all the time, neutral safety switch out of adjustment.

[Carves]

My 2 bobs worth ....

Wiring connection at the starter motor ??

Neutral start switch needs clean / adjustment ??

Both have been issues in the past for me.

[HeepJr]

If I understand, you're saying you turn the key and NOTHING happens? If so push the gear selector hard into park WHILE trying to crank it, also try to crank it in "N". Mine does this all the time, neutral safety switch out of adjustment.

Sorry not nothing all the electronics in the car turn on like the heater and radio but other then that no cranking no noise coming from it tryng to start just silence

[HeepJr]

My 2 bobs worth ....

Wiring connection at the starter motor ??

Neutral start switch needs clean / adjustment ??

Both have been issues in the past for me.

neutral start switch?

[Carves]

neutral start switch?


On the side of the gearbox ... AW4 auto ... there a multifunction switch that provides connections to various things depending on what position the gear lever is in.

When the lever is in park or neutral the starter circuit is connected.

If the switch is out of adjustment or gummed up inside ... No Starties,
... theres every chance that, that is what your issue is.

No Guarrantees of course .. ;);) .. :D

Do your reverse lights come on - with the selector in the R position ??


Heres a link to a how to for service / cleaning.

http://www.xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1747&highlight=neutral+safety+switch

[HeepJr]

On the side of the gearbox ... AW4 auto ... there a multifunction switch that provides connections to various things depending on what position the gear lever is in.

When the lever is in park or neutral the starter circuit is connected.

If the switch is out of adjustment or gummed up inside ... No Starties,
... theres every chance that, that is what your issue is.

No Guarrantees of course .. ;);) .. :D

Do your reverse lights come on - with the selector in the R position ??


Heres a link to a how to for service / cleaning.

http://www.xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1747&highlight=neutral+safety+switch

ooh great i got a valve cover leak at the back would that gunk it up i wounder

[4.3LXJ]

It won't help. A good thing to try for this is to start it in neutral instead of park. Most of the time that works

[Firemanray]

While holding the key in the "start" position shift through the gears and see if the starter "hits" at any during the shifting.

[HeepJr]

Tested the Crank sensor not that. ripped out the neutral saftey switch its clean and function right. and when it did it again i switched through the gears and nothing changed or happened so im completely lost right now. so i reset the computer hoping maybe that will help but im doubtful

[Gravedigger]

Tested the Crank sensor not that. ripped out the neutral saftey switch its clean and function right. and when it did it again i switched through the gears and nothing changed or happened so im completely lost right now. so i reset the computer hoping maybe that will help but im doubtful
Tap that starter with a hammer from under the jeep as someone turns the key.takes 30 seconds.wirth a shot.mine just did it 2 days ago

[Brasscatz]

Happened to me one time at work and it turned out the starter was just so gummed up that it wouldn't spin. New starter for $60-ish and I was on the road. Have you confirmed that the starter relay is good?

[HeepJr]

yes i checked the starter relay seems good i took out gave it power seems to click fine. well it hasnt happened at all today... today has been a warm ish day not as freezing cold as the last 3 days. would that maybe do it to something?

[Firemanray]

Well what do you know. Mine did this same thing today while wheeling. Had to beat the starter with a hammer to get it to start. We've got a new starter to put on in the morning.

[HeepJr]

Well what do you know. Mine did this same thing today while wheeling. Had to beat the starter with a hammer to get it to start. We've got a new starter to put on in the morning.

I know the starter is good did the hammer test on it when it acted up and it did nothing. i know the battery is good because its got 14v and the generator must be good because the battery is always charged. i know the neutral safety switch is clean and working. i know that the relay for the starter is function as it should. i know that csp is good. i know it hasn't done it since its warmed up tho. and i know it started to happen when it was bloody cold out for the last week. Thats all i know

[Brasscatz]

Another possibility is you may have a short somewhere in the pcm that acts up once in a while...

[HeepJr]

Another possibility is you may have a short somewhere in the pcm that acts up once in a while...

i dont know. if it was a short i dont think it would only happen after i drive it for a bit then turn it off. and try to start it again

[Brasscatz]

We had a guy on here with a grand cherokee and an intermittent start/run problem that turned out to be his pcm.

[HeepJr]

We had a guy on here with a grand cherokee and an intermittent start/run problem that turned out to be his pcm.

Do you happen to know what was wrong with his pcm ? or just all of it in general?

[Brasscatz]

There was some sort of a short, I believe. There's some screws in the pcm that he backed out slightly and it helped. Again, his was a grand, so might not be the same type issue for you

[HeepJr]

There was some sort of a short, I believe. There's some screws in the pcm that he backed out slightly and it helped. Again, his was a grand, so might not be the same type issue for you

true okay ill look i got nothing else to go off of

[4.3LXJ]

Do you happen to know what was wrong with his pcm ? or just all of it in general?

It was a factory defect involving a screw that was too long

[Gravedigger]

in 96 a recall was placed for the PCM.mine was changed out in 2010,a friend on mine had his changed out in 2009.

[HeepJr]

in 96 a recall was placed for the PCM.mine was changed out in 2010,a friend on mine had his changed out in 2009.
The only recall that was valid on my jeep was for E22 (reprogram PCM and inspect catalytic convertor). and i got it done and after i got it back my O2 sensor failed (downstream O2)

[HeepJr]

okay its doing it again its -18 right now bloody cold and its doing it again but now it wont start at all would the starter be affected by cold?

[HeepJr]

i jump started it and it started up first crank no problem

[4.3LXJ]

Since you jumped it right off first try, I am going to stick to my original suggestion on cleaning battery terminals and add to that all other connections such as the ground and to the starter as well

[autotech98]

Dead cell in battery maybe ???

[HeepJr]

Dead cell in battery maybe ???

any way of telling if theres a dead cell?

[4.3LXJ]

Test the voltage. If it is around 12V, no dead cell

[HeepJr]

Test the voltage. If it is around 12V, no dead cell

okay never mind then didnt start it at all last night tested batteryin morning when it was icce cold it had 12volts. started it up its -27 right now so it cranked a bit then fired up when it cranked it dropped to 10 volts then when fired up ran 14 volts. so battery is good

[autotech98]

I thought the batt should read around 13 volts??? Am i wring steve. I know i had a similar problem in my 95 teans am. Lights worked etc but sometimes she'd start and other times not. Boss (worked at the garage at the time) said check the battery 12 v said it needs 13.4 or so for computer to work. Could be wrong and that was a GM

[4.3LXJ]

I thought the batt should read around 13 volts??? Am i wring steve. I know i had a similar problem in my 95 teans am. Lights worked etc but sometimes she'd start and other times not. Boss (worked at the garage at the time) said check the battery 12 v said it needs 13.4 or so for computer to work. Could be wrong and that was a GM

Batteries should read 12.5V with a fill charge. In this instance, to see if there is something wrong with it, anything in that range would indicate it is OK. Giving the benefit of the doubt for a well used battery here.

[HeepJr]

Batteries should read 12.5V with a fill charge. In this instance, to see if there is something wrong with it, anything in that range would indicate it is OK. Giving the benefit of the doubt for a well used battery here.

So the battery is good i would assume.

[HeepJr]

This may be Stupid but could it be my downstream O2 sesor since i know it is failing if it dies completely could it stop it from starting up?

[4.3LXJ]

Uh, how many codes do you have?

[HeepJr]

Uh, how many codes do you have?

not sure i had one. but that was 2 weeks ago.it was showing the down stream not reading at all tho on the chart and the upstream works fine New one comes in on the 14th

[4.3LXJ]

Not sure on disabling the PCM through shutting down the ASD relay, but I do think you should get everything fixed and go from there

[HeepJr]

Not sure on disabling the PCM through shutting down the ASD relay, but I do think you should get everything fixed and go from there

Sorry what is the asd relay? and what does disabling the pcm do?

[4.3LXJ]

ASD means automatic shutdown. If it doesn't receive power from the engine computer, it will not allow the rest of it to function as well as the fuel pump. There is also another little thing on a 96. A temp sensor under the battery that will not allow it to work if it is too cold. Not sure on the reasoning for that, but it is officially a battery temp sensor

[HeepJr]

ASD means automatic shutdown. If it doesn't receive power from the engine computer, it will not allow the rest of it to function as well as the fuel pump. There is also another little thing on a 96. A temp sensor under the battery that will not allow it to work if it is too cold. Not sure on the reasoning for that, but it is officially a battery temp sensor

hmm i did not know that okay okay ill look into that tomorrow putting jeep in dads garage tomorrow morning to install my new blower motor and resistor so when i do that i will take a look but still have to wait till the 14th for my new o2 sensor.