Bad Battery - Optima Red Top

[Mudderoy]

So a couple of weeks ago I tried starting the 98 and it tried, but didn't start. Very slow engine turn, you know. So I jumped it and headed down to Sam's Club where I purchased the battery.

It's a red top, and I was able to find out it was only two years old!!!! They didn't have a battery/electrical system tester so since they couldn't test the battery they just replaced it.

My diagnosis of a bad battery seemed to be correct. I noticed yesterday that the engine was having a hard time starting, but on the second attempt it started right up. It did it this morning, so before leaving the house I cut it off and tried starting it a couple more times. I didn't sound perfect, but it was fast enough to turn the engine and start right up.

Suspecting a drawn on the battery while the engine was off, I went ahead and grabbed the jumper cables and through them in the back of the Jeep.

This evening at 5pm I went to leave, and a really slow starter. Then nothing! All the lights were find, the clock still had the correct time set.

After 3 people stopped in the parking garage to help and a call and some diagnosis with msmoorenburg on the phone I'm pretty sure it's the starter.

I'm a little puzzled how a replacement battery could halt the issue. Of course it could be that something just wasn't ready to let loose and now it has.

So stuck an hour from the house and my wife just left to visit her parents, which makes her about 30 minutes from the house, I'm sitting here in the office trying to cool down in front of my fan.

She's going to stop at Oreily's and get a starter/solenoid. Then stop by the house for some tools.

I need a nap!

[Mudderoy]

Ok so $69.99 and a few hours later, starter and solenoid have been changed and the old 4.0 starts right up.

I only got 170k and 13 years out of that starter! Bastards! :crazy:

[msmoorenburg]

That's all :) The best one so far is the 260k on a stock clutch and it wasn't slipping yet

[Mudderoy]

That's all :) The best one so far is the 260k on a stock clutch and it wasn't slipping yet

Hey when I started driving if you were at 60k miles you were worried about constant failures. I'm pretty happy with this Jeep.

[msmoorenburg]

Hey when I started driving if you were at 60k miles you were worried about constant failures. I'm pretty happy with this Jeep.

Well as a comparison it was a 98 neon (here comes the flaming :D)

[BlueXJ]

Hey when I started driving if you were at 60k miles you were worried about constant failures. I'm pretty happy with this Jeep.


Did you learn to drive in the same class as Fred Flintstone? If so I was your instructor. LOL

[Mudderoy]

Did you learn to drive in the same class as Fred Flintstone? If so I was your instructor. LOL

1973 Pontiac Ventura with a 250 straight 6 and a 3 speed manual transmission. I put 2000 miles on it the first two weeks I had it. Seriously.

Later I built and installed a 327. Unfortunately I rebuilt it with a 3/8" ratchet set and cared little for torque specifications. It wouldn't start, so a neighbor and I drug it around the neighbor hood trying to start it by tow and dumping the clutch. It ran briefly. Knowing what I know now I probably could have got it running, but I'm sure it would have died a catastrophic death relatively soon. :D

That failure taught me you have to follow some rules in engine rebuilding so I did and I had a good running 327 by the time I was 18, oh and a 4 speed Munci transmission. :D

[Mudderoy]

While under the 98 last night (in the office parking lot) I noticed that two of the spacers of the four that make up transfer case drop were missing! One side of the cross member wasn't attached to the bottom of the Jeep!

I moved one of the two from the other side to the the side missing them. I have a factory transfer case skid so that was helping to support that side of the cross member but even so there was a 2+ inch space between the uni-body and the cross member.

I have some spare spacers, if I can find them. More than likely I'll just make me some. Needless to say this was a weird sight. One of those double blink moments.

[Mudderoy]

http://xjtalk.com/images/special/98-4l-starter.jpg

Getting the power cables off was harder than removing the starter.

[4.3LXJ]

While under the 98 last night (in the office parking lot) I noticed that two of the spacers of the four that make up transfer case drop were missing! One side of the cross member wasn't attached to the bottom of the Jeep!

I moved one of the two from the other side to the the side missing them. I have a factory transfer case skid so that was helping to support that side of the cross member but even so there was a 2+ inch space between the uni-body and the cross member.

I have some spare spacers, if I can find them. More than likely I'll just make me some. Needless to say this was a weird sight. One of those double blink moments.


Yes, that will make you do a double take.

[jeepxj95]

where are the power cables? cant see mine to much mud lol. i have to replace the pos battery lead on mine.

[Mudderoy]

where are the power cables? cant see mine to much mud lol. i have to replace the pos battery lead on mine.

I'd need to get under there and follow them, but the one that goes to the starter, or solenoid actually, are on the front of the solenoid.