So went to leave a friends house tonight and jumped in the XJ and turned the key and got nothing. Lights and stereo came on but no starter. I think its just a dead starter. I'm taking tomorrow afternoon off work to fix it. Is there a chance it is the selinod, if so were is it located? It is a 90 XJ w/ 4.0L 5spd

 

Check the hot wire to the starter first could be a bad connection.

 

Try and start it in neutral. Might be the neutral safety switch

 

Did the 5 spd have an nss?

 

Hmm good point. I read that a little to quickly. Yeah, start with checking connections

 

That will happen.. If you can get a multimeter and test for signal at starter, or alt. If not, make sure all gounds and fuses are good.

 

Tap on the starter slightly while someone is turning it over. If it starts right up, its your starter. Thing is, a starter has so many varying symptoms that it can be super hard to diagnose. Mine started going this winter and I knew it was the starter. Then when it REALLY started going this summer, I thought maybe it was the battery. I posted about it here and 3 pages of guys said battery (and a few other things). I knew it was the starter from a few months earlier but doubted myself because of what it was doing. When it died completely I had someone help me tap on and when it was being turned over, and sure enough it fired up. $99 later Ive got a brand new starter with lifetime warranty and no issues.

 

Agree. Everyone is always about the NSS switch when replying to a post. The starter is mointed on the bottom of the block, passenger side, in front of the front axle. I think its just 3, 1/2" bolts, to remove. OBVIOUSLY disconect the battery. and disconect the starter relay and battery power cables from the starter. The starter is heavy and can rip off those wire connections if youre not paying attention. Take the time to insect the harness. fix connections where needed.

 

I was having the same issue with my jeep and it was the wire connected to the positive battery terminal wasn't getting a good connection

 

Crawled under it today, yea its the factory starter. 189k miles and legal drink age, had to fail at some point.