Starter or Ground Problem
 

I have a 91 4x4 Cherokee that won't turn over. I just pulled the starter and tested it with a separate battery hooked up. The gear seemed to pop out and spin fine under no load. Is it possible for the starter to be bad and just really weak because when it's installed it just clicks and then makes a straining noise and doesn't turn the engine over.

Yes, you need to have a load on a starter to really tell you anything. The test you performed is not conclusive in any way.

I usually do this. Turn the key to the on position. Use a meter to check for voltage directly at the starter itself. If you have approximately full battery voltage at the starter, the problem is in the starter itself.

However, if you don't have full battery voltage, start working your way back into the engine bay to find out why (voltage drop due to a bad cable, bad NSS, etc).

But if it's clicking and sounds like it is straining, the problem is most likely the starter itself here.

Yeah i guess i should put the starter back in and do some more tests with it in. I initially tried jumping the starter with it in with an external battery hooked up and with all the car connections still on but i might not of had a good ground from the external battery. maybe if I put the starter back and try jumping it with a separate battery and the car connections off?

Follow my instructions with a meter and it WILL tell you the story. Takes all of 5 minutes.

And if you don't have a meter, BUY ONE. They can be purchased now for prices ranging from $10 and up. Everybody needs one of these in their tool box. Beats guessing!

If you slide the starter gear (bendix) out it should only spin one way if you can spin it both ways it is bad.

thanks for the quick responses!!!

i put the starter back in and left any original connections unconnected. i connected a separate battery and battery jump box to the starter to keep things isolated. it still wouldn't turn over and sounded like it was straining like before so from what i hear it's probably the starter itself. do you think it's still worth testing with a meter and the original connections if it doesn't work with a separate battery hooked up isolating the starter to the external battery?

i put the starter back in before reading the post about turning the starter gear both ways. Damn... pretty sure it's a bad starter at this point or jammed fly wheel. is a jammed fly wheel possible? it starts if i roll it and pop the clutch.

It sounds like a bad starter.

no a jamed flywheel means a seazed motor and use the original conections if you think its seazed motor get a socket that fits the bolt on the balincer and try to turn the motor over by hand with a if it turns over your motor is not seazed

starter if you can start it with the clutch and dissregard wat i just said

i haven't tried looking it up but what starters from year-year would be compatible? it's a 91 cherokee 4x4 5 speed manual.

straight 6 engine

i just put in a different starter and it turned over and started up nice. thanks fr the quick help!! and the gear on the old one turned both ways.....