2001 4.0 automatic starting issues- electrical

[CaseyD]

What's up everyone, new member here. I bought my daughter a 2001 TJ. 60th anniversary edition, cool little jeep. Already put a 2" lift on it for her and yes have already dealt with my first case of death wobble. Didn't get the track bar tight enough and it was fugly.

My problem is this, every now and then at random times her jeep won't start. It acts as if the battery is dead. Lights flicker, gauges go crazy, turn the key to start and it gives us one click and nothin. Battery is good, cables have been removed and reattached and tightened multiple times. One thing I have noticed is that sometimes there's like a spark sound over by the battery, almost like if you touch jumper cables together. But there's no spark in the area so I don't think it's arcing to anything. Also tonight it almost seemed like there was a clicking sound coming from the fuse box where the starter relay is. I thought maybe that could be it but with the flickering interior and underhood light I kind of scratched that one off the list. Any ideas would be fantastic. Thanks everyone and looking forward to being part of this forum.

Casey

 

[JPNinPA]

First with the DW. I hope you found and all bad steering components including the track bar. Also get the larger track bar bolt for the axel size. Loose will cause it but the stock bolt and nut will too.

This sounds like s battery issue. How do you know the battery is good? What tests have you done to determine the battery is good?
Besides tight be sure the contacts are clean and shinny on both the battery and opposite end.



JPNinPA
Using Jeepz.com app

 

[CaseyD]

The front end wasn't bad, tie rod ends still look good, control arm bushings still look nice and centered. I bought the rough country heavy duty track bar, welded the back hole of the bottom track bar mount and re drilled to the same size as the upper track bar bolt that came with the track bar. Opened up the the track bar eye and installed a bigger bolt on the bottom. Torqued it with a torque wrench backed it off and retorqued. She also got new front shocks and a new front stabilizer shock. Jeep feels great up front.

Ive checked the battery when everything is fine and it sits at 12.5 when it's sat over night and 14.1 when running. When it won't start it still sits at 12.5. The terminals are clean, every time I take the cables of I hit them with a terminal cleaner just to elimate that factor. The first time this happened I thought it was the battery and hooked my truck up to the jeep to jump it. My truck was only hooked up long enough to walk from my driver seat to the jeep and the jeep started up quick, like there was no need for a jump.

I guess im just going to buy a battery and new cables to elimate the battery and connections from the equation.

 

[JPNinPA]

To check TRE and control arms you could do a dry steer test. If they stand out as looking bad, it's really bad. Any play on the dry steer test is bad and the parts should be replaced.


JPNinPA
Using Jeepz.com app

 

[JPNinPA]

The best test for the battery, is a load test. Auto stores will test for free. This test measures the cold cranking amps CCA 550-600 min. A battery should read 12.6V engine off and 14.4v running. The CCA is what provides the current to turn the starter and engine. With things going crazy that is either a dip in voltage from the current load exceeding the CCA or a bad connection somewhere.

Get the battery load tested.

The click click click is the starter chattering from not enough power to turn.



JPNinPA
Using Jeepz.com app

 

[JPNinPA]

As far as jumping, the truck battery can supply the needed (additional) current without running the truck or giving time to charge.

The cable clip may be providing the needed connections. Like the ground. Or the power.

Cables can be corroded inside the plastic coating. There should be a ground to both the engine and the body.

JPNinPA
Using Jeepz.com app

 

[RestorationRides]

OK, here are my observations on the no start issue.

"Ive checked the battery when everything is fine and it sits at 12.5 when it's sat over night and 14.1 when running. When it won't start it still sits at 12.5. The terminals are clean, every time I take the cables of I hit them with a terminal cleaner just to elimate that factor. The first time this happened I thought it was the battery and hooked my truck up to the jeep to jump it. My truck was only hooked up long enough to walk from my driver seat to the jeep and the jeep started up quick, like there was no need for a jump. I guess im just going to buy a battery and new cables to elimate the battery and connections from the equation."

Retained voltage at 12.5 volts overnight is a good sign for the battery's health. Did you monitor voltage at moment of trying to crank (without jump assist)? Did it stay at approx. 12.5 volts while all of the crazy gauge and clicking stuff was going on...? If yes, the PRIMARY problem is definitely NOT the battery. Take advice of others here and check your battery cables again (including BATTERY NEG. to FRAME GROUND / FRAME GROUND to ENGINE GROUND / BATTERY POS. to STARTER SOLENOID / BATTERY POS. to POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER.

Regarding the fact that it starts fine with a JUMPER to a running vehicle...

Are you jumping POST to POST for both POS and NEG. or running NEG. to ENGINE BLOCK / FRAME...? Trying both ways could give you insight to GROUND issue. Also, using a running engine on the JUMPER vehicle puts voltage much higher than 12+ volts on JUMPED vehicle. This higher voltage can mask a number of symptoms on the JUMPED vehicle sufficient to get the JUMPED vehicle to start...:-(

RR

Sent from my ST13 using Tapatalk