Starts Fine/ Won't Start

Bhill1600

New member
I recently bought my first Jeep (08' JKU), and am
having an issue. For the most part it's in pretty good shape. It's a project that I'm already 3K into about a 12K list of things to be added or replaced. And I thought Harley's were expensive!!

Anyways, first of all, it's definitely NOT the starter, battery, or terminals. I can drive it every day for two or three weeks with no issue. Then out of the blue, I'll turn the key to start it and when it hits the first position, I have power, but when I go ahead and continue turning to start, everything goes dead. No noise, no click, nothing. Most of the time I can pop the hood, and use the back of my pocketknife, wrench, coke can, lighter, etc and tap the negative or sometimes positive terminal, and power is restored allowing me to start it, no problem. A few times I have had to repeat this process 5 or 6 times before it worked.

I've tried disconnecting the battery and even though the terminals were clean, I cleaned them and hooked it back up. Putting it in neutral didn't work. This used to only happen once or twice in a blue moon but it has been an every day occurrence here the past week. Sometimes once or twice a day, others it's every time I go to start it.

If anyone might could share their two cents worth on this, I would greatly appreciate it!
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    167.4 KB · Views: 72
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    108.8 KB · Views: 75

MikesJeep

New member
Keep us updated if cleaning up the wiring works. Had a problem on an old ranger like that where wire and terminal didn't have a great connection. Tut the key, then nothing Racked my brain for weeks. Cut wire and put new terminal end on, worked fine.

Sent from my SM-J727V using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

jeeeep

Hooked
my 2010 started doing that with Sears Platinum battery I was running.

had the battery tested and it tested fine. Would run for awhile then nothing.

Took it by O'Reilly auto to have it tested and they also tested the cranking amps. Turns out the battery did not have enough cranking amps - rest of the battery tested fine.
 
J

JKDream

Guest
Anyways, first of all, it's definitely NOT the starter, battery, or terminals. !

Yes, yes it is. It's your battery terminals getting a poor connection.
No offence but the wiring on those terminals is jank as shit.

Most of the time I can pop the hood, and use the back of my pocketknife, wrench, coke can, lighter, etc and tap the negative or sometimes positive terminal, and power is restored allowing me to start it, no problem. A few times I have had to repeat this process 5 or 6 times before it worked.

Based on this alone I don't know how you couldn't see this as a terminal issue.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top Bottom