dufis_101

Ok, so last week I tried to start my 97 XJ 4.0 after it had sat at my job all day here in Dallas.

I turned the key and heard 1 click.

So, I went and bought a start (It was getting weak), the old failed at the part store. The new one started the jeep and I went home.

Now yesterday, it did the same thing. So what next? The relay, well I got a relay and it still didn't start. And now, there's no clicking noise at all.

Everything powers up, the dash lights come on, windows roll down, keyless entry works. But for some reason there's no power to the starter.

So, in an effort to try to start it, we hooked jumper cables to the starter and to a battery and, still nothing. No cranking or anything.

What gives?

Any help would be appreciated, or if you know someone in the Dallas/Ft Worth area that can help would be great!

A little about it. Its a 97 XJ 4 door, Automatic 2wd. Flowmaster exhaust, that's it.

dufis_101

No thoughts or ideas at all?

scott357

I am dealing with a similar issue with my 99. I had to replace the starter and battery last week. Both parts I got from a JY with a warranty. After replacement it fired right I up. I drove it around a bit and took it home. It sat the entire weekend. Yesterday I go to start it and nothing. But all the lights locks work and the volt meter reads 12 volts with the key on.

I replaced both battery cable ends and found that the little pig tail that goes from the negative cable to the passenger firewall was corroded pretty bad at the fire wall. I replaced and relocated that wire.

Still no luck. I decided to jump it and it fired right up. Started it several more times with no problem. Let it run about 20 minutes to charge up.

Started it this morning with no problem. I hope it is fixed but I just dont trust it right now.

Dont know if anything from my problem will help you out but I thought I would share my tentative solution.

k2keith

I would start basic before you spend too much money, start with the most basic first if you have not already -

Recheck to make sure you are in park (if the truck is an automatic)

Check to be sure the engine has oil

Clean and recheck your battery terminals. Make sure they are tight and getting good contact. Inspect your battery cables, make sure the are in good shape, not a lot of broken strands and still flexible and if you disconnected your battery already, just reverify that you connected it back up correctly.

Take your battery to a parts store and have them check to be sure it is good.

Make sure you put the new relay into the right slot (I stuck a replacement in the wrong slot once).

Check the fuses involved with the ignition circut.

Then start looking at perhaps the NSS

Hopefully that will help, if not, others will jump in with more ideas.

dufis_101

Still working on it.. It's getting frustrating. Battery cables "good", battery is good.

Now the original single "click" sound stopped.

Going to check the fuses in the kick panel on Pass side when it gets daylight out. There's a starter fuse in it (From the diagram in the Haynes Manual) as well as the relay I replaced under the hood. We'll see what happens...

Any other ideas?

I'm hoping it isn't a NSS, that's a pretty expensive part..

dufis_101

Ok, well I am not a mechanic, but the large (Huge) starter fuse under the hood was blown. Well, I have just put in another and now the clicking is back!

The clicking noise is comming from the starter. So maybe the starter sylinoid?

I just replaced the starter about a week and a half ago. What are the chances that it went bad agian that fast or was just a defective part from Oreilly? Any help?

Thanks guys!

ET JEEP

You need to check to see if you have voltage at the solenoid terminal on the starter. Get a helper and a volt meter. check your battery voltage first. It should be around 12V and this is the reading you are looking for.

Connect the meter to the solenoid terminal and have the helper turn the key to start. Do this a couple of time to eliminate any intermittent action. Each time the helper turns the key to start you should read battery voltage. If voltage is low you have resistance in the circuit somewhere.

If you do have voltage, the problem is in the starter/solenoid. If you do not have voltage, you have a problem in the start circuit. It could be a fuse, wiring, relay, NSS (automatic only), clutch switch (if you have one on standard tranny) or the ignition switch.

You should be able to jump the starter. Connect a thick wire to the red battery lead that connects at the starter. Then just touch the wire to the solenoid terminal. The starter should engage and turn the engine over.

Do all this with care as the engine may crank. Be clear of any moving parts.

For the basics, you need to have a fully charged and good battery. Good battery cables. Clean and tight connections at the battery, starter and ground.

Hope you solve the problem.

dufis_101

Ok, I have good power all the way to the starter. The wires look good and are corrosion free as well.

Anyone know how to diagnos the NSS? Or bypass it temporarily? (Those things are pretty expensive..)

ET JEEP

I read your PM. Are you getting voltage to the solenoid terminal? If yes, you do not have an NSS problem. When the NSS fails, no power goes to the solenoid terminal and you do not get a click.

If you have power at the solenoid, and have good voltage from battery to starter, I would suspect the starter is defective.

Try jumping the starter as I posted and see what you get. If it does not turn over, the starter is bad.

dufis_101

I tested power from the hot on the bat to the starter post. Power is there. I then tried this:

I turned the key on, put the shifter in reverse, neutral then back to reverse. (Saw that idea on jeepforum.

Then I put it between Park and Reverse (Like they described) and tried to start, nothing. I put it back into Park and it started (just like they said. I shut it off to try and replicate and now it won't crank agian.

dufis_101

NSS a hard part to change? The Haynes Manual kinda spells it out to be pretty complicated.

I am mechanically inclined as well, but have never tried to tackle anything like this before..

ET JEEP

Ok, it appears that you have an intermittent issue with the NSS. That is why you got it to start and then went dead again. All the NSS does is provide a path to ground when the transmission is in park or neutraL.

Here is a link to cleaning the NSS. NSS

There are 2 versions of the NSS but I think this is the one you have.




Good luck.

dufis_101

Awesome, thanks a lot man. I have a buddy that works for Marlow's Jeep and when he got wind of my issue, well, the tow trucks on its way and 150.00 and they're gonna rebuild it the NSS. I'll post when it is complete as well and back running normally!

Oh, off the subject of it but:

I swear my 97 is no a traffic sitter. I have a CSF 3 row all metal Rad (New anti/h2o), new Wtr Pmp, Thermo (180). But for some reason it still runs about 210 in 100 degree weather. And if I sit, and not drive, it will creep higher and the elec fan will come on but continue to go higher. And regular city driving doesn't cool it. Although if I get on the freeway, it'll cool some but never reall under 210.

In the mornings it'll never make it past about were 180 would be. So, maybe it's common on this Gen of XJ?

My 90 never had a cooling prob, it would never make it to 210. But for some reason this one does.

Any ideas?

dufis_101

Alright, well, NSS was bad, replaced it. It has started for a few days now and.... Well, it's back to its old trick. 1 click, no power.

I am about ready to give up.

dufis_101

OK, well not in a million years! The problem after all the electrical testing, 2 starters, a new NSS. The Hot post on the battery right, its a dual hot for the starter and Alt, right? Well, the bolts that hold on the 2 wires were loose!

Tightened them up and BAM! Starts!

400+ in parts and labor and I coulda just tightened 2 bolts. And who found it? Well, we have 980H and 992g Cat Loaders here at my work, and the mechanic was here working on them. He came over while I was looking at it and was like, I know what it is. You battery connections loose and damn, it worked.

Is that common? I checked voltage and everything else. I even checked the wires and it got by me....