Dropped an oil filter wrench while changing the filter on a Cherokee sport
it fell hit the starter or wires of some sort then sparked and smoke
now the turns but wont start and if you give it gas it will fully turn and
stay running but when you let off the gas it shuts off. the electrical stuff is acting really weird.



this is on a 98 cherokee sport

 

Can you explain that a little more in detail?

 

Sounds like you need to go down to where you dropped the wrench and start splicing,

just do it one wire at a time so you know where they all go,

 

its the starter that it hit its directly under the oil filter i pulled back the wrench and as i did it hit a coolant line and jerked out of my hand and fell directly on the starter and sparked really bad now nothing works on the jeep everything is hay wire and crazy

is the computer fried? look at the pic attached

 

Do you get the engine to start? Check all the fuses.

 

i checked the fuses...........
its weird because when it first happened i tried to start
it would try to turn over and it onlywould if you hit the gas and kept the RPM's up but if you let off the gas it dies but the starter wasn't clicking as if it were bad. yesterday after i messed around with the fuses i got back in it to
try and start it again and the gauges and lights were flickering on and off like as if it was a bad horror movie or something and it wouldnt even turn over like it did when it first happened now theres nothing but fluctuating electric equipment

 

is that your oil filter fried?

IMO, computer is fried, if you have find one,, try it to see if anything is different

theres a code on the Computer, im pretty sure only a computer from a 98 auto/manual (which ever one you have) will work

 

Lock and unlock the passenger side door with the key several times... with door closed.

Sounds like you tripped the security system, it needs to be reset.

 

Could be he fried the ground wire on the engine. It's on the back of the head to the firewall. Check the wires on the battery as well.

 

can i look at the wires and tell if theyre fried?

 

Yes, if you see melted metal/plastic it's fried...

 

Hind site is 20/20, but now you know why every maintenance procedure lists "disconnect negative battery cable" as it's first task. Your problem could be anything from a fuse to the computer and everything in between. The only way to verify is to start tracing wires and checking for power.

 

Before you do anything, reset your computer and try again. Symptoms sound exactly like what happened to me after letting my battery run low (but still had enough to start). Unhook both battery cables and touch them together for about 15 sec to clear everything. Once I did that everything went back to normal. Short might have done something similar.

 

I would try resetting the computer before you go wasting time checking wires...

 

change the fram oil filter........problem solved...