How to diagnose 1997 Jeep Wrangler enginelockup

Tiny
CARRIEAGIC
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 JEEP WRANGLER
  • 160,000 MILES
Shimmying, knocking. Smell of fuel.
wont stay cranked
Thursday, December 1st, 2011 AT 2:32 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON?

CODE IT---IF YOU CAN GET IT THERE, MOST POPULAR AUTO PARTS STORES WILL DO IT FOR FREE!

THE MEDIC
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Thursday, December 1st, 2011 AT 3:09 PM
Tiny
CARRIEAGIC
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
No warning. Now it wont even try to turn. Completely dead.
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 2:22 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
Have the battery charged and tested first.
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 2:43 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
YOUR EXPLANATIONS ARE VAGUE EXTREME DETAIL (HISTORY AND NOW, ALONG WITH ANY AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE TO ATTEMPT TO FIX) IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED

IF THIS THING WILL DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING---AND SAYING YOU DO NOT THINK THERE IS PHYSICAL DAMAGE (THROWN ROD, ETC)

SEE WHAT THIS DOES FOR YOU

xnostart

THIS IS SORTA GENERIC, SOME MAY NOT APPLY

YOU COULD HAVE FAULTY RELAYS OR FUSES. SAVE RELAYS FOR LAST! (IF ANY)

CHECK YOUR FUSES!---YOUR OWNERS MANUAL MAY SHOW YOU LOCATIONS THAT YOU KNEW NOTHING ABOUT!

REMOVE AND REPLACE "SUSPECT" FUSES SEVERAL TIMES--THIS MAY SCRAPE OFF CORROSION AND GIVE THEM BETTER CONTACT!

THIS WILL WORK FOR YOU, PROVIDED THAT YOUR BATTERY IS GOOD---OR YOU CAN BE JUMPED OFF!

REMEMBER "NEW STUFF" CAN BE BAD TOO!

YOUR STARTER MAY BE BAD!

YOUR SOLENOID MAY BE BAD!

Try the stuff below (actions),

IN MOST CASES THIS IS THE PROBLEM!

PEOPLE GET LAZY!----THEY DO NOT ACTUALLY DO THIS STUFF

IT BITES 'EM IN THE BUTT. THEY COULDA BEEN RIDING LONG AGO!

TAKE STUFF LOOSECLEAN"SCOOCH" THE CONNECTORS AROUND----TIGHTEN THE NUTS OR BOLTS WELL! DO NOT JUST PASS OFF ANY BIG CABLE CONNECTION AS, "IT LOOKS GOOD".

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE BATTERY POSTS---CLAMPS---CABLE CONNECTIONS TO THE CLAMP (I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OLD STYLE "SQUEEZER" DEALEES, CLAMP TO CABLE)

IF YOU HAVE SIDE POST TERMINALS---TURN THE RUBBER INSIDE OUT/ REMOVE THE BOLT/ SCRUB THE FLAT CONNECTOR WITH A WIRE BRUSH OR SCRAPE IT WITH A KNIFE, TILL IT'S CLEAN---SAME FOR ITS MATING SURFACE ON THE BATTERY!

MANY TIMES THERE AIN'T MUCH SLACK IN THE CABLE----NO WHINING!---YOU GOTTA GET IT CLEAN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAN SEE "GREEN CRAP" CAKED ON 'EM!

YEAH, IT'S NOT EZ TO GET IN THERE, BUT LOOK AT WHAT YOU WILL GO THRU IF YOU DON'T!

THIS IS WAR--YOU GOTTA CHECK IT ALL--ANY CONNECTION---POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE THAT A BIG CABLE BOLTS TO. GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY!

IF A CABLE GOES TO A BOX--IT GOES ON THRU IT---CLEAN CONNECTIONS COMING AND GOING---TO WHERE EVER THEY GO!

EVENTUALLY YOU WILL REACH THE STARTER CONNECTION (POS)AND THE ENGINE/ BODY (NEG)

DON'T TELL THE SHOP, AS YOU GIVE 'EM YOUR $$$---WHILE WHINING---"I WAS TOLD TO CLEAN THAT CONNECTION, AND I DIDN'T!"

AS YOU PROGRESS, TRY TO CRANK HIM UP---YOU MAY FIND EXACTLY WHICH CONNECTION WAS THE PROBLEM!

I'VE SEEN THIS SAME CATASTROPHE, MANY MANY TIMES (I SAW IT NOT LONG AGO, AS I WAS ABOUT TO "CAR DOLLY" A FRIEND, THEN I DID THE CHECKS, IT WAS THE SIDE POSTS ON THE BATTERY CONNECTIONS). AND IT'S SO SIMPLE TO FIX. SAD THING, WHEN I GOT THERE, NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE 'CEPT AN ATTEMPTED JUMP START.I WAS GONNA HAVE TO PULL HIM 40 MILES, HE WASTED 3 HOURS OF MY TIME. LAZY, LAZY, LAZY

YOU COULD BE RUNNING BEFORE YOUR "CALVARY" ARRIVES!

RETURN WITH GOOD NEWS!

LETS ALSO TRY THIS IN BELOW PIC

KEY COMPLETELY OUT OF JEEP

IF YOU SUSPECT PHYSICAL DAMAGE

SEE IF WITH A WRENCH OR RATCHET YOU CAN DO A FULL REVOLUTION WITH THE CRANK

IF IT WILL NOT MOVEREMOVE THE STARTER AND TRY AGAIN (SOMETIMES A STARTER'S TEETH CAN GET HUNG UP ON THE FLYWHEEL)

RETURN WITH YOUR FINDINGS FOR THESE SITUATIONS. WE LIKE EXTREME DETAIL!

THE MEDIC
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 2:55 PM

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