So when I go to start my 95 I tuen the key and nothing happens! The radio and all comes on and my terminals are clean! If I get it jumped it starts right up! My alternator new! And my nss is byspassed. My battery is generic but its only a few monthes old! Its 15 degrees out here! Since my battery is generec could this be the problem! Or is it the starter! How do I test if the starter is bad! Please help I have work tommorow am

 

if your jeep starts with a jump i would say your battery has a bad cell take it to an auto parts store and have it tested or try another battery

 

U think so? But its a new battery! It is very generic tho! It was 50 Die then dropped to 15 over night

 

doesnt really matter how old the battery is it could still have a bad cell easiest thing is to have battery checked first

 

It might just be a weak cell. Cold weather can kill a battery. Under normal circumstances, in (relatively) warmer weather, it has enough power to start it, but in cold weather, which thickens up your oil and makes it much harder to turn over, the power in the battery is inadequate. So you have enough voltage (13.2 volts, more or less) but not enough amps. Put in different terms, like a water hose, you have enough pressure (p.s.i. = volts) but not enough volume (gallons per minute = amps.) Sort of.

Bottom line, go get the battery tested at an auto parts store, and stop buying cheap batteries if you live up North. It's too cold up there to run junkyard batteries. Leave that to us Southern boys.

Also, does your Cherokee have a block heater? I lived in Washington State for six years, and I never had a fail-to-start as long as I plugged in my block heater at night. They're not expensive. One type goes in a freeze-plug hole in the block, the other type goes into a lower radiator hose, you just cut the hose and use hose clamps to secure it. Run the wires up through the grill somewhere plug and secure it with wire ties so it doesn't get caught in the fan or a belt or something. Then plug it in to an extension cord whenever when you get home. The engine stays warm, the oil stays warm, and when you start it in the morning she fires right up.

I also had pretty good luck putting a spotlight in a drop light fixture and leaving it under the hood at night. I covered over the cracked-open hood with a tarp to keep the heat in a little. It wasn't nearly as good as a block heater, but in Washington State if you just leave your truck out with no heater, in the morning your oil is nearly as thick as Jello. Up in Alaska in the North Slope oil fields they never turn them off. They just leave them parked and running all night. Turn off a truck for a couple of hours up there and the motor oil nearly freezes solid.

 

I guess these things are picky that way. (Voltage). Last week I had a no start even though I was cranking pretty well. I knew my old (08) battery was near it's end so I had an new one waiting. Stuck the new one in and no problems. (I put the old one in a car here with points, sort of works there...for now).


But you say, "tuen the key and nothing happens!. You mean no click? If that's the case I'd check that NSS bypass first.

 

Battery got tested and its good

Guy thinks its starter at autozone

What ya think and now when I try to get a jump start it doesn't start at all anymore im stuck at autozone about to replace the starter here

 

I think you are not happy you need a starter but lucky you broke where you did at this point. Still keep an eye on battery in 15 degree weather perhaps a good trickle charger on it overnight.

 

Doubt its the starter try tapping on the starter with a hammer while a buddy tries to start it. If it starts then its the starter

 

This is how I would approach it if it were in my garage.

Get a multimeter. With the ignition key in the ON position, check for voltage directly at the starter. You should have approximately full battery voltage there.

If you DO have it, then the problem is most likely the starter itself. As mentioned try tapping on it with a rubber mallet. Sometimes that jars it loose temporarily and buys you a day to get it resolved. But don't trust it.

If you do NOT have full voltage at the starter, then you need to start working your way back into the engine bay to figure out why. Bad cable, ASD relay, ignition switch are possibilities.

 

Sounds like bad cable connection to me.

 

Nope it was the starter!

 

THANKS LOADS FOR GETTING BACK!! TO MANY POSTERS JUST WALK AWAY. HOW'S IT GONNA HELP IF NO ONE KNOWS WHAT DID OR DIDN'T WORK?

(I'm gonna guess you DID have a click)

 

Thats a similar problem I have, except something just drains the battery. When I put the key in, nothing happens, but when I jump her, starts right up. The wierd thing is, after i ley her run a bit to charge the battery, i look at what is being pulled off the battery with the jeep off, and it is 18 milli-amps (believe that's the right term) which is about half of the amount that is the standard in cars (i believe it is 34). Got to get my battery checked, but waiting til she passes inspection for that.

 

usually this is the starter or bad connection to the battery. i had this problem for a while and couldnt figure it out. cleaned the connections real good with a wire brush and it worked pefectly.

glad you could figure it out!!!