aroundincircles

So I have a problem with starting. 89 cherokee, 4.0, with 170k miles.

The problem is this, if I start and run the car from cold, for a short amount of time, say under 3/4 miles - one mile, then do something like get out and get gas, or realize I parked poorly, and want to re park, the jeep won't start. Its not that it tries, it does nothing. no cranking, nothing. its like I'm not even turning the key past acc, except the lights dim slighly. Now if I wait 5-10 minutes it starts up just fine, no issues.

It does NOT do this if the engine is warmed up, or if I drive more than just a couple of minutes.

Does anybody have any suggestions on where to start, what to look at?

aroundincircles

Ok, so after reading a bit on different forums it seems like it could be the starter solenoid or the neutral safety switch. I had an open recall for the safety switch taken care of at the dealer a few months ago, and it has done it both before and after that so I'm leaning towards the starter solenoid.

cruiser54

The dimming of lights tells us something.

It means power is going somewhere. Power goes nowhere if the NSS is bad.
I'm guessing your starter is saturated with oil that is coming from leaking, or previously leaking, oil filter adapter seals.

aroundincircles

I did have a massive oil leak, and have since remedied it (mostly) so I could see that being the case easily.

cruiser54

So, do you wanna replace the starter or just clean it out?

Super easy to disassemble and clean BTW.

sv41878

Mine would do that completely baffled me for oh two weeks, started always tested good battery was good just every once in awhile it would just click and not turn over and lights would dim, I'd tap the starter with a hammer nothing helped. Then it did it when a buddy was with me. Same deal but now he turns the key for me and I hear a funny noise just before it clicked, I touched the ground wire and it fired right up. Turned out to be just minor corrosion in the spot the came sat, but was enough to kill the connection to the point it wouldn't turn over

cruiser54

Take it apart and clean it.

aroundincircles

I have no idea how old it is. Not even kinda sorta. I may just replace it so I know how old it is. its one of the few things I haven't replaced yet.

cruiser54

Oh, okay.

DFlintstone

Maybe...when you park it hot the nss get's it. When you just "re-park" it sticks. Try holding the key over on start and giggling the shifter around park and neutral and see what happens. Agreed with cruisers point, but just "Ign on" might dim the lights.

cruiser54

Lights don't dim when the NSS has no conductivity...................

DFlintstone

??? (the anti echo?) It's easy enough to try regardless.

cruiser54

A prudent man would assume the lights are dimming when turning the key to the Start position since the problem stated is that it doesn't START when the key is turned to start said vehicle, but the lights dim.
A rabbit trail could be started by insinuating the NSS is bad but is easily tested.

DFlintstone

OK Elmer.