My son in-law has an 89 cherokee and for some reason sometimes it will not start or crank over. The battery is good and the starter and solenoid are good but it just clicks but it will not crank over. It acts like its the battery but we tried 2 BRAND new ones plus a new starter, it just makes a click like the solenoid is engaging so does anyone have an idea's? Thanks...Tj

 

^bump?

 

wires... one of them is corroded... mine did this and it made me so mad... turned out even though i replaced the ends my battery had a real light gray color and that crap was letting it get a bad connection... would just sit and click... sometimes it would work but not always... wire wheel the start end of the wire and both ends at the batt and the ground to the motor... also make sure the inside of your ends are clean before you stick them back on the *cleaned* batt post...

 

its gotta be the wires buy new ones

 

Ok thanks I will relay the message to him...Tj

 

I had the problem before and mine was the starter relay!

 

Possible causes:
1) Intermittent fault in the mains wiring, caused by corrosion. Check the two leads off of the positive post, and check the connection at the engine block for the ground. Pay particular attention to the smaller lead from the positive post - it's primary distribution for damned near everything. I've lost a couple that corroded out right as the lead exits the terminal clamp (and caused all sorts of intermittent trouble.)

2) Starter motor relay going out. OEMR only if you want an original part, but I really need to figure out (one of these days) how I wired in a DIN relay instead. I went through a whole batch of them one summer a few years back, and got tired of coming up with forty bucks a pop. I use DIN relays everywhere else, so this made sense.

3) Ignition keyswitch. Had this happen on one - the START contacts were starting to burn.

4) What transmission? More common on automatics that the NSS wants to be serviced. Typically, a cleaning will suffice - but it takes some doing to get the wretched thing off. This can be checked by seeing if it will NOT crank in Park, but WILL crank in Neutral (of if you wiggle the shifter about in Park while you're turning the key.)

 

Mines doing the same thing, If I jump it across the starter it starts every time. The other day I was 30 mins late cause it did nothing but click before I tired jumping it. Last 3 days its started with the key. I might just add a push button and a hot wire from the battery for now