esoteridactyl

Hey guys, so I finally got around to working on my 91 XJ today. Was planning on flushing/refilling my coolant loop and eventually after that doing what I really needed which was replacing the wiring harness thing in my steering column that connects to the turn signal arm. The car has been sitting for almost a year now since I haven't had time to get this done and it hasn't been a huge priority.

I have this Prestone Flush n Fill thing that you install this cap thing in one of the hoses to connect a hose to. My buddy and I charged the battery and started flushing the coolant. We did 1 flush, and the method with this kit has you run the car at idle for a bit. After getting the battery charged up it didn't have issues starting/running while doing it. Probably ran it three times but not very long.

We took a little break and went back to do it all over again one last time, but the car wouldn't start! The battery seemed fine, it was making the clicking noise that I remember happening the last time my starter died. I have had the first starter in it from 91-2001, a second starter in it from 2001-2011ish. And just had this newest starter in there for 3 or 4 years now.

I tapped it with a hammer a few times which I have used in the past to get faulty starters working temporarily, but it didn't help. I plan on taking it in to where I got it in the next few days to get it tested. I got it as a warranty replacement from the last one because they have lifetime warranties. I think they just refurbish old ones and replace the motor or whatever. I'm not a techy guy so I'm not sure how the insides of a starter work lol.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting the starter to have issues since it's relatively new! I came here to ask if the car sitting for a long period of time may affect the starter working? Was wondering if maybe the starter is fine, just having issues temporarily from sitting too long? I have had this car sitting before for a long period of time with the last starter, but that one never had any issues from sitting.

Thanks for your time guys. Don't want to have to take it all off to bring it in to get tested, but I think I'm going to have to!

1994

ive replaced my starter once in 300k miles and it died a loooooooooong slow death. I thought for months it was just the battery getting weaker, dead cell or whatever. But it's never sat up for long periods.

If your battery is charged then most likely it's the starter - or your battery terminals are in need of a really good cleaning with a brush. Sounds too simple ... but mine has "clicked" on me many times and all it was was a light layer of glaze on the posts

esoteridactyl

The thing that makes me think it isn't the battery is that it doesn't feel like it's slowing down, like losing power. If that makes sense. Also, when the battery was low (when we were jumping it), and I tried to start it, it would try to turn over it just didn't have the power. So it may be the battery but I'm skeptical that it is. Thanks for your reply though, I appreciate it!

Bustedback

It's the battery.

esoteridactyl

Why do you say that?

Bustedback

A battery that sits dead for a year is junk. You can charge it all you want and it may start the jeep a few times, but it's not going to last very long at all. So, you can replace the battery and be confident that the battery is not the problem, or you can chase your tail and replace a bunch of unnecessary parts.

esoteridactyl

Hmm, had no idea they could go bad from sitting. Thanks for the help!

Bustedback

Static discharge kills the battery. The humidity in the air causes static discharge. If you had the battery cables connected the draw of the PCM memory will kill the battery in as little as a month.

esoteridactyl

First of all, I want to say thank you. I took the battery in to get it tested and it was indeed bad. I was only skeptical because of my past experience with my starter going out and it giving the exact same symptom. I got a new battery and it started up just fine. Except my serpentine belt snapped :\ That'll be for another day.

As far as what you said. Is what you meant that a battery connected to the terminals in a car will go bad faster, but no matter what it will still eventually go bad from sitting even if it's not connected?

Thanks again for the help!