Shorting out/ starting on its own.xj
07-02-2017, 03:03 PM
#1
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Model: Cherokee
Shorting out/ starting on its own.xj
Hello all, So here's the situation I'm in...kind of crazy. I did the normal changing of the oil pan and rear main seal. When I went to put the oil pan back on the starter was in the way. So I took the bolts out. Set it aside (no wires were crimped). After I installed the oil pan. I hooked the starter back up. Everything looked like it did before. Until l put the ground wire back on the battery. It sparked real bad. And seconds later my Jeep started to start. So I took the wires off of the starter and tried to hook the ground up again. Same thing is sparked real bad. While it's hooked up I have no power anywhere else. I went through the power wire to the starter to check for frays in the wire.. I didn't see any.
thanks for any help
thanks for any help
07-02-2017, 06:37 PM
#3
CF Veteran
Sounds to me like you mis-wired the starter when you put it back in. Sounds like you have the positive from the battery running directly to the starter positive post, then as soon as you provided ground by connecting the negative battery clamp, it had what it needed to spin. It would have sparked pretty good, because it was drawing about 60-90 amps when you touched the negative battery clamp to the battery.
If it is wired correctly, then either the solenoid is stuck in the "connected/closed" position, or it is getting voltage when it should not be. That can be tested with a multimeter, or test lamp.
If it is wired correctly, then either the solenoid is stuck in the "connected/closed" position, or it is getting voltage when it should not be. That can be tested with a multimeter, or test lamp.
07-02-2017, 07:06 PM
#5
CF Veteran
You would have to disconnect the main large red wire that comes from the battery to the starter (at the starter). So that you can hook the battery back up. Then you would test for voltage on the light green/black (I think that's the color) wire that runs to the solenoid. You would touch it with a test light, with the test light connected to a good ground location. Or you can touch the red probe to the solenoid wire connector, with the black probe touching a good ground (making sure that your voltmeter is in volts DC mode). You should NOT see voltage at the solenoid wire if the key is not in the "start" position.
If it does show voltage you will have to work up from the solenoid to the starter relay in the PDC.
If it does show voltage you will have to work up from the solenoid to the starter relay in the PDC.