Hi,last week I was sitting at a red light getting ready to go when this guy comes up and hits me from the rear,well I shut the Jeep off long enough to see what this guys problem was,we next pull to the side of the road,keeping in mind that I had shut the jeep off and then restarted it to get it off the road,he gave me his insurance card and hopped back in his car and sped away,but besides all that when I turned the key over to drive the jeep home it was a no go,I called my wife to come jump start the jeep so when she came I hooked up the jumpers hoping that it would start but after a while it still wouldn't.Then I called a friend to come and help me get it home,when he came I ask him since I have a 5 speed if he would pull me get enough to pop the clutch and start it,well it started right up,but when I got it home I tried again to start it by the key switch I could hear the fuel pump kick in but the starter would not turn over the engine,does anybody know what could have happened to cause it to not start by the key anymore? And the Jeep is a 1988 Jeep Cherokee Loredo 2.5 5 speed

 

How hard where you hit? Check the starter, maybe the ground came loose etc.

 

On my K10 I would have hard problems starting it because of bad grounds. My guess is he knocked something loose.

 

I'am guessing he was traveling about 25 to 30 mph when he hit me at a dead stop.But what puzzles me is it starting right up to move it off the road,but I'am still trying to check the fuses and wiring that's about all I know to do right now.

 

That's what I'am thinking too,thanks for the input RamboXJ

 

"I tried again to start it by the key switch I could hear the fuel pump kick in but the starter was turning,"
What?

 

Sorry Turbo X_J but what I meant to say was when I finally got the Jeep home, after shutting it down I then tried to start it with the key and it still wouldn't turn over and the battery showed fully charged too.

 

[QUOTE=Dave_55;3223815]Sorry Turbo X_J but what I meant to say was when I finally got the Jeep home, after shutting it down I then tried to start it with the key and it still wouldn't turn over and the battery showed fully charged too.So i'am going to keep on checking everything and see if anything could have come loose,but right now it has me a little baffled,because before he rearended me it started up just fine,but if anyone has had this to happen to them after a collision,right now I can use all the input you folks have,and If it were a newer Jeep with all the safety sensors they have now days I could see it shutting down the Jeep but the 88 models were pretty simple compared to the ones out there now.

 

Start at the bottom...right at the starter.
If you short the two large terminals with a screwdriver, does the starter kick over? (wheels chocked, trans in N, key OFF, coil wire disconnected)
If not:
check: starter cable to battery, battery to engine block ground, starter, battery.
If it does kick over:
check the little green third wire on the starter. You should have +12V there with the key turned to "start".
Disconnect that wire from the starter, measure voltage between the wire and ground. (again in Neutral, Wheels chocked, coil disconnected)
If there isn't +12V at the wire with the key turned to start:
Check the circuit back to the ignition switch including any fuses and fusible links. I'm not familiar enough with your year to tell you exactly which parts that includes.
If there is +12V present at that wire:
the starter solenoid is bad. Change the starter.

 

No safety stuff to be concerned with.

Start with what Radi is showing you and forget that it's necessarily related to the collision.