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Jim311
05-27-2005, 11:09 PM
The battery is charged, the lights come on, headlights work.. everything seems to be working properly. But when I turn the key to turn it over, I've got nothing. No click, nothing. I checked all my fuses and from what I can tell none are blown. So what I'm thinking is that when I was cranking the motor over with the starter after the hydrolock and the motor suddenly seized, the starter was still cranking hard and broke the solenoid and therefore I need a new starter. Tomorrow I guess I'll take it down to the parts store and have it tested, but is there anything obvious I could be missing before I do so? I was hoping to have the Jeep running tonight so I could take it down to the springs and party tonight with some friends, but it doesn't look like that's happening tonight. Any suggestions?

Kraqa
05-27-2005, 11:12 PM
remove the starter and see if you can pop the solenoid manually. if you can then see if you can spin the rotor. if so then get out a multimeter and test the ignition wires to the solenoid. i bet you its a ground somwhere.


off to the repair shop.

TrojanMan
05-27-2005, 11:35 PM
..have you tried starting it off of a jump?

Yet again, dead batteries do some crazy shit. I had a similar problem once and started from a jump. But then again its more than likely a fawked starter.

Jim311
05-27-2005, 11:39 PM
I'm going to trickle charge the battery all night. If it doesn't crank then, I'll know for sure it's not the battery. It was reading right at half a charge.

dasVettemeister
05-28-2005, 12:11 AM
How about something obvious like the neutral safety switch or the ignition mechanism itself? You never know.

Jim311
05-28-2005, 12:30 AM
That's my next route if the starter is good. I'm not exactly sure how to go about diagnosing those problems, though. I've read/heard that if you leave the ignition in the "on" position for too long it can damage the switch. I've got no idea what the towtruck driver did to the Jeep while it was being towed home, so that's always a possibility. I'm hoping it's the starter though.. that's an easy fix!

Steigs
05-28-2005, 04:12 AM
Had a similar problem when the neutral safety switch went out.

Easy check to make sure your starter is good is to turn the key to 'on' and jump from your + post to the starter with a length of battery cable.

I had to start mine this way for a few weeks before I got around to replacing the switch.

OverkillZJ
05-28-2005, 10:12 AM
Make sure the starters getting power when you turn that key to the start position (will take some help.) That'll help you decide what to try first.

Jim311
05-28-2005, 11:11 AM
Bad solenoid. When I pulled the starter out the gear would flop up and down on the shaft. I went to Advance and bought a reman with a lifetime warranty. I think they'll be regretting that whole lifetime warranty thing in the near future :snakeman:



*hopefully* there won't be any more issues and the motor will just start and run well. But I have my doubts about that :mrgreen:

Jim311
05-28-2005, 12:11 PM
Well, now I've got a new starter, it engages and turns the motor but it won't start. Not sure what route to go at this point!

dasVettemeister
05-28-2005, 12:20 PM
Well, now I've got a new starter, it engages and turns the motor but it won't start. Not sure what route to go at this point!

I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but make sure you are getting fuel and a strong spark. You're not getting one or the other........ or both.

Jim311
05-28-2005, 12:22 PM
Well, now I've got a new starter, it engages and turns the motor but it won't start. Not sure what route to go at this point!

I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but make sure you are getting fuel and a strong spark. You're not getting one or the other........ or both.


I'm thinking spark. Perhaps I have the distributor wired improperly or something. Which kinda pisses me off considering how much I fought with the wires to route them and shit a few days ago. My arms are still bloody!

TrojanMan
05-28-2005, 12:35 PM
battery :finga:

Jim311
05-28-2005, 12:36 PM
battery :finga:

Battery charged ALL night foo!

Jim311
05-28-2005, 02:52 PM
Turns out the CPS got damaged when mating the engine to the tranny. I think that will explain it...

Jim311
05-28-2005, 05:55 PM
Well, I finally got it started, 200 dollar later. Now it has no oil pressure. The oil pressure sending unit is okay. The filter had oil in it. I'm having it towed up to the shop later tonight to have the pressure mechanically tested. I'm tired of fucking with this thing.

OverkillZJ
05-29-2005, 12:15 AM
Sounds like you'r making progress atleast :rolleyes:

Jim311
05-29-2005, 01:27 AM
Yeah, maybe. Hopefully the engine isn't FUBAR'd or something. If that's the case I'm out 1200 bucks.

OverkillZJ
05-29-2005, 08:42 AM
Stick with it, frustrations all part of the project :partyman:

Jim311
05-29-2005, 12:58 PM
Well, the oil pressure sending unit is okay, and the oil pump is new. If the distributor shaft isn't broken, then this engine is junk and I've wasted the last month of my time and over 2 grand for the motor and parts. The engine had a 6 month warranty, but that won't reimburse me for my time to put a new one in. I hope it turns out that the distributor shaft is broken, but honestly I really doubt it. The shop should be calling me sometime soon to let me know. I guess I need to decide WTF I wanna do with this thing. I'm not really sure I want to put ANOTHER fucking motor in this thing. I'm almost thinking I should just cut my losses and part this god damn thing out.

ELLLLLIOTTTTT
05-29-2005, 01:53 PM
damn dude, if they reimburse you for selling a bum engine then just put off this project until you have the time and energy to put into it. During the middle of my 8.8 install I got frustrated as hell with the damn thing and left it sitting axle-less for like a week. I take it you have a DD? good luck.

Jim311
05-29-2005, 02:02 PM
Nope, no DD. Thinking about buying one, and wishing I'd done it weeks ago now.

TrojanMan
05-30-2005, 02:58 AM
Nope, no DD. Thinking about buying one, and wishing I'd done it weeks ago now.

I'm the same way now being in the middle of a stroker project. Back in december my english teacher GAVE me his 91 explorer.. it was rough, needed work, like a head gaskets and probably needed to have the whole thing overhauled. Recovering from surgery on my thumb I didn't feel like messing with it, that and it was the biggest POS explorer they made with a V6, like a D30 TTB front, and some pos ford axle in the rear.. so I sold it to the junkyard.

Now that I think about it.. if i'd put a little money into getting it running smooth, i'd have a DD right now :axe:

Jim311
05-30-2005, 11:16 AM
Yeah, I'm thinking about picking up a truck or something.. like a Dodge Dakota maybe for DD duty.

TrojanMan
05-30-2005, 12:29 PM
Get a mid 90's powerstroke diesel :supz: Cheap, good looking, and powerful.

Jim311
05-30-2005, 02:30 PM
Get a mid 90's powerstroke diesel :supz: Cheap, good looking, and powerful.



Dunno if I can afford diesel. I'd like a shortbed diesel, but most of them in the 10-15k price range have high mileage. Just because the motor will run 500k miles doesn't mean the rest of the truck will, which is what scares me. I do *NOT* need another money pit.

Jim311
05-30-2005, 02:33 PM
Word is back from the mechanic. Oil pressure sending unit is good, distributor shaft is not broken, and the oil pump is good. Sooooooo.. something internal is seriously wrong. The motor has a 6 month warranty on it, but I'm still out weeks of my spare time, and I have to pull the engine out again to get my money back I suppose. Which totally fucking sucks. I'm REALLY pissed off at the salvage company. I'd recommend against doing business with LKQ after this.

TrojanMan
05-30-2005, 08:13 PM
that sucks man :toimonst:

OverkillZJ
05-30-2005, 11:59 PM
You need to go kick some salvage company ass. hard.