Cherokeegirl89

ok guys,

so now my XJ is sitting in a parking lot stuck. i dont know if its my battery or alternator. when i put my keys in im getting my normal beeps and my dash lights come on no problem. when i go to crank it it wont crank and im getting a click. a man tried to give me a jump but i still wouldnt crank for anything. so is my battery toast or do i need an alternator?

HEAP of JEEP

Might be as simple as a bad connection. Check and clean the connections at the battery, and check and clean the ground connections. If cleaning those up doesn't solve your problem, take your battery to an auto parts store that will test and charge it for free. Most of the big name stores will do that for you.

300EXC

Check your battery cables cleanliness and security. Check the battery ground on the truck side for corrosion.

Cherokeegirl89

its been cranking really weak as well. how do i clean the cables?

HEAP of JEEP

Take the connections off the battery and clean the posts with a wire brush, some super fine sand paper, or even a scotch bright pad. Do the same for the connectors themselves. Get everything down to clean bare metal and hook it all back up.

Same thing for the grounds. Unscrew or unbolt them, clean the metal on both the wire side and the vehicle side, and put it back together with clean bare metal making the contact.

The weak cranking might be the sign of a bad battery, but start with the connections, because even a good battery won't work correctly if the connections aren't clean.

Cherokeegirl89

ok, thank you. i hope its the battery. and i do have a little corrosion on the battery. but what im confused about it why would my lights and radio come on and still not crank after a jump?

HEAP of JEEP

The radio and lights take a lot less power to run than the starter. As for the jump, if the connections to the battery or the grounds are bad, a jump won't do anything. With poor and/or dirty connections a fully charged brand new battery might not even work

cruiser54

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/bat...or-test-78125/

'90Cherokee

It's also possible the starter has died. If cleaning the terminals doesn't cure it have the battery tested. If it's good then most likely a bad starter. Tho a jump start would logically rule out a battery issue, most jumper cables are pretty thin wire and many of them have crappy clamps so they won't carry much current. I have jump started many "unjumpable" vehicles using good cables, it's very common. Jump starts on vehicles with a good battery that has been drained are easy, not so easy on a truly dead battery where the jumper cables have to carry most of the starting current.

Cherokeegirl89

hey guys ive deduced its the starter

SeriousOffroad

tap the starter with a hammer while someone turns the key.

cruiser54

Is it coated in oil from an engine oil leak?

Cherokeegirl89

yea that thing is dirty

cruiser54

Need to get rid of the leak.

Cherokeegirl89

I have another question. I tried to crank it again and I noticed that my break light on my dash would come on when I cranked it but go off when I stopped attempting to crank is that normal?