Jeep won't start

guard503

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Location
Gamewell, NC
Hello, I have a 1979 CJ7 with the 258 straight 6 and a 3 speed manual transmission in it. It has all of a sudden stopped starting on me. When I turn the key, I get just a "thud" sound and then nothing else. It will start at complete random times though. If I keep turning the key off and then on a bunch of times, it will eventually start. I am not extremely mechanical as far as diagnosing problems. I do know that it is not the starter, battery or starter solenoid. Any additional help would be greatly appreciated. It just started one day, I drove it to work and then came home without any problems, mowed the yard and did some other things, came back to move it about 3-4 hours later and it would not longer start...
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Thanks in advance!
 
How do you know it's not the starter? I've got a new (reman) O'Reillys in my 4runner and it occasionally just clicks numerous times before it starts.
 
sounds an awful lot like a solenoid to me.
if not ive had a loose wire or dirty ground point cause similar frustrations.
Its a real simple circuit.

Battery -> Cable ->Solenoid -> cable -> starter
Key switch pulls the solenoid in and current flows.

Key swicth could be bad and not sending signal voltage to solenoid.
wire could be loose and not letting sufficient curent flow.
solenoid could be bad and not closing circuit.

you can do a ton of shade tree trouble shooting with a set of jumper cables and just bypassing components when it fails to crank.
 
I have just replaced the solenoid today, that did not fix the problem. The cable from the battery to the solenoid is tight and from the solenoid to the starter is tight, both ends.... I have tested when I turn the key, there is actually power flowing from the solenoid to the starter, but I do not know why the starter doesn't turn, maybe not getting enough power??

How could I tell troubleshoot to see if it is actually the key switch?
 
pull your starter out and take it your favorite auto parts store and have them test it. that will eliminate the starter from your issues than you can trouble shoot from there. do you have a multi-meter?
 
The heavy cables from the battery could be corroded where they're crimped. Happens often and causes this sort of problem. Try replacing it. Also, the ignition switch itself could be the problem. You can bypass it by using a jumper wire to go between the positive terminal on the battery and the small terminal on the solenoid. MAKE SURE IT IS OUT OF GEAR, WHEELS CHOCKED, AND KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN YOU DO THIS!!!!!!!!! If it turns over, then your switch is going bad. You can either replace it or wire a relay in line with the ignition circuit to the starter solenoid.
 
catfishblues said:
The heavy cables from the battery could be corroded where they're crimped. Happens often and causes this sort of problem. Try replacing it. Also, the ignition switch itself could be the problem. You can bypass it by using a jumper wire to go between the positive terminal on the battery and the small terminal on the solenoid. MAKE SURE IT IS OUT OF GEAR, WHEELS CHOCKED, AND KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN YOU DO THIS!!!!!!!!! If it turns over, then your switch is going bad. You can either replace it or wire a relay in line with the ignition circuit to the starter solenoid.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks. I will try testing the switch today.

Thanks for all of the advice guys.
 
have your battery tested too dude. if you have less than 12.8v in the battery then the new starter will not engage. not sure about the amperage but be sure it is at least in spec.
 
Thanks for all of the help guys. Turned out to be as simple as the wire going from the starter solenoid to the starter, thanks to catfishblues for the test he told me to do.... that was how i figured it out.
 
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