richamc01

ive got a 91 xj that has been sitting for six years. ive pretty much tuned everything up. ive changed the valve cover gasket, spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, and changed the oil. ive added some seafoam to the fuel and ive got my fingers crossed that by some miracle the gas tank isnt rusted.

Anyways, i installed a new battery and tried starting it. all the lights come on so i know that it is getting power. im going to check all of my fuses tomorrow and possibly take my starter off and take it to auto zone to have it tested. other than doing those things does anyone have any other ideas of what it could be? i was hoping to get it started this weekend so i can move on the the rust on the drivers side floor.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. thank you

richamc01

its a 91 4x4 4.0L Inline 6 with automatic tranny...

AnotherBoss

Check your fuel lines and fuel injectors.

45shutr

Lets start with exatally what issues you are having. Is the starter not turning, or is it turning but the engine isn't firing up?

richamc01

the starter isnt turning. i turn the key on and there is power to everything but when i try to turn it over i lose all power and it does nothing.

45shutr

So as I understand, the starter in not working at all when you turn the key to the start position and you also loose most of the power to the rest of the car, like dimming interior lights, right?

richamc01

i have not noticed the interior lights dimming but thats just because i didnt look. the only reason i noticed the power go out is because when i turn the key to the on position the digital clock on the dash lights up and the voltage meter on the dash moves up to about 9 or 10 and when i try to turn the engine over the clock goes out and the guage drops to 0. im going to check all of my fuses in the morning and see if i cant find anything there. i was also doing some searching and found that it might be the Crank Position Sensor (CPS)? also when i turn the key to the on position the check engine light comes on but goes away and the full time light comes on.

thanks for any help

richamc01

keep in mind its been sittin for 6 years lol...

freegdr

battery cablec or terminals light should not dim

45shutr

It sounds like a bad starter or a bad ground at the starter. I have had my lights dim from my battery cables being shot before and another time, before I even remotely had an idea of what I was doing, I put dielectric grease between my terminals and posts, also made the car run a little funny, stupid me . Anyhow, I was going to suggest cables or terminals, I mean even if it isn't the cables or terminals, if they are shot, then they need to be replaced anyhow. I wouldn't think this would be a fuse issue because if a fuse blew then there would be nothing at all, but just the same the car has been sitting and it couldn't hurt to check them. Just take a quick look at the battery cables and make sure they are in good shape. If they are corroded don't try to clean them up, just replace them as the corrosion can work its way down the cable to where you can't get at it. Also, get a cheap multi meter and test the voltage on your battery and make sure it is at least 12.5 volts. I have in my travels had the misfortune of receiving a dead battery from the parts store on more than one occasion, you should have a little multi meter in the car anyhow it will come in handy, you can get one at the parts store for about 5 or 10 bucks. So again, try the cables first, if not then battery and then the starter. That's what I would do in my opinion.

45shutr

Also, don't forget to tighten your terminals, if you leave them loose you will not conduct as much current as the car might be needing.

freegdr

yep it does but remember he states it been sitting 6 years so maybe starter is kicking in but maybe motor is locked up that also would make all light dim from the load on starter

notop46

X2 ^

See if the engine will turn over. Pull all the spark plugs and spray wd-40, PB Blaster, or your favorite oil in the cylinders. Leave them out until it turns over. If you have the skills, it would be good to pull the distributor and spin the oil pump over to circulate oil through the engine. Note the rotor position when you pull it out and put it back the same way before you turn the crank to avoid any timing issues. You can bet that some of the lifters have collapsed under load for that long. It would also be good to remove the valve cover and verify that none of the valves are stuck.

Once you are sure that things are lubed up, put a wrench on the crankshaft and try to turn it over. If it takes more than 50 ft-lbs it is still stuck.

Also, before you try starting, I would drain and purge the fuel system. Empty tank, add new fuel, disconnect the fuel line at engine and run to a catch bottle, and run fuel pump (ignition on it will run for 2 seconds).

45shutr

Good point, it sounds like an excesive draw from somewhere.

richamc01

well i got it started today but now i have a new problem. it over heats pretty quickly. im gona change the thermostat and water pump as i already have them on hand. im not sure what i did to get it started. i put it in neutral and it turned over forever and finally started. i put it back in park and tried it and it turned over and started again. one other thing...the dash light in the attached picture come one when the key is in the "on" position and the annoying buzzer comes on. when i turn the key to start the jeep it just cranks and cranks and cranks until those light come on again and then it finally starts. im thinking a relay or something might be lose or blown or something. anyone know what it could be?