My '96 cherokee classic's starter has been acting up. Twice when I went to start it, it wouldn't start but if I tapped the starter with a hammer it freed-up the starter and cranked. Is there any maintenance that can be done to a starter or should I go ahead and put in my order?

 

Put in your order. Hammer only works so long...

 

put the order in, only takes about 30 minutes to yank it and put one back in

 

Is your starter covered in oil?

 

I'd say to pick up the starter. Like mentioned, banging on it will probably only work for so long.

Not to thread hijack, but i also have a '96 Classic with intermittent starting issues.

Sometimes when i turn they key, it does nothing. All the electrics work fine so the battery isnt dead, but it just wont crank or anything. Then on the next try or two, it starts right up no problem.

My batt. terminals are tight, but im wondering if the battery itself might need replaced? i had it tested when i first got the jeep, and AutoZone said it was bad. but it isnt dead.
That, or i too need a new starter.

 

Here's a test. When it doesn't start when turned to Start, what does the volt meter read compared to the On position?

 

Doesn't hurt to clean it out. Mine was caked inside with oil and cleaning it out did the trick.

 

[QUOTE=

Sometimes when i turn they key, it does nothing. All the electrics work fine so the battery isnt dead, but it just wont crank or anything. Then on the next try or two, it starts right up no problem.

My batt. terminals are tight, but im wondering if the battery itself might need replaced? i had it tested when i first got the jeep, and AutoZone said it was bad. but it isnt dead.
That, or i too need a new starter.[/QUOTE]

Could be key switch
But stick a battery in it you know is good and see what happens.

 

I hadnt thought of that. I hope not, it was hard enough to get a key that fit the thing. Im vain and wanted a key that said 'Jeep' on it, when the two keys it came with were plain keys with no rubber head. I ended up having to order one offline, and then cut the head off and fix it to ine when the guy at Home Depot cut the key wrong...

Sadly i dont just have another battery laying around to try that with, but ill see what i can do. As for what Cruiser said, i'll check later today, i let somebody else use the XJ to get to work because their LeSabre needs a new intake manifold.

 

Yes it has oil on it. I recently fixed the oil filter adapter leak but not before it leaked on my starter for a couple of years. The starter itself is only about 4 years old.

 

It's the starter solenoid. That little thing on the starter that the terminals attach to.
If it won't start and you hit it with a hammer and it works, there is no other trouble shooting you need to do. You found it.
The solenoid is the part that pushes the starter gear on to the flywheel before the starter turns.
If it doesn't engage, the starter won't turn.
Most places wont sell solenoids on their own, so you'll have to get the whole starter.
But for $120 after the core charge and two bolts and a couple of wires, it's an easy fix.
Get'er done and sit back with a cold beer.

 

dumb question, as ive never had an ignition switch problem before
my accessory position and everything else work every time, so would a faulty ignition switch only sometimes mess up what at the actual start position?

Also, ive had this thing a little over a month and a half now and its done it a total of maybe 4 times to me, so its not a constant thing. but intermittent things become constant become inoperable...

 

Yes.

 

If you hold the key over, and jiggle the shifter in park or neutral and it starts, it's your NSS. http://bc4x4.com/tech/2010/jeep-neut...ty-switch-nss/

OP, if the starter is drenched with oil you might try taking it apart and cleaning it. (I'm guessing is what Cruiser was getting at.) Might not help if it's the sealed solonoid, but they are a bit spendy, I myself might gamble an hr or two. IIRC one can order a solonoid from Napa, but at some point, it gets pointless...(nobody tests armatures anymore) Then the core charge makes it impractical to fix your old one for next time.

 

yeah, im somewhat familiar with the NSS sort of problem, Flintstone. At work we have a Case backhoe that has a problem with that. More amusing is when its parked down by the shore and the water is rising rapidly, when it outright refuses to start...

I'll give that a check next time it happens, but im actually thinking more that it is indeed the ignition switch. the person borrowing it told me that "the key needs to be in the right way" and such.
guess we will find out

OP, did you ever make more headway in your issue?