CJ7 Wont Start

[jeepwolf]

Newbie here reaching out to the forum Gods to troubleshoot why my CJ7 won't start.

My battery had died so I replaced with a new yellow top optima with two front connectors for a winch. Connected the positive and when attempting to connect the negative it sparked.

Having researched I believed the starter solenoid was bad so I replaced the solenoid. After replacing the solenoid I started the jeep and the engine began to "run on" and the negative winch connector started to glow red hot. I believed the solenoid was bad out of the box so I replaced it again.

After replacing the solenoid the jeep did finally start properly no issues. During the troubleshooting phase of the battery/solenoid issues I pulled the starter and had it tested at advance auto and it worked.

Fast forward a couple weeks and jeep wont start. I pulled the starter and had it tested again and it worked. Used a multimeter and the battery and solenoid both have proper readings.

I did also have AA check the battery to make sure my multimeter wasn't betraying me and AA said battery was good.

One thing that was odd when I reconnected the battery I could hear a faint buzzing sound coming from the battery????

Apologies for the long post and thank you in advance for any troubleshooting tips.

JB

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Does the engine 'turn-over'?
Try another known good battery.
Mount the battery ground lead to the top bolt of the starter motor.
Also, it sounds like some of your wiring is not up to amp loads placed on the circuit.
Gary

 

[jeepwolf]

Thanks for the reply Gary. A couple things I did not mention before:

1) After re-installing the starter, I turned the key and the engine did begin to turn over and thought it was going to start but then suddenly stopped.
2) Engine does not "turn over" at all now, only a buzzing sound that I believe to be the relay switch activating in the solenoid?
3) I fully charged an industrial portable charger and tried to jump start and also nothing but the same buzz.
4) Wiring was replaced by the PO and is maybe 4yrs old and I haven't had any wiring issues since i've owned the CJ ~3 years now. ALl other lights, lams, signals etc work as they should(not saying it isn't a wiring issue just giving more details)
5) The worker at Advance Auto mentioned the starter may be weak. Is that such a thing? They said I could not return a starter if I bought one and it did not fix the problem so I am hesitant to spend $100 on a gamble.
6) The comment about hooking the negative battery lead to the top bolt of the starter. Is this to pin point the starter is the issue? I do not see how I could do that?

Thanks again for the help and sounding board it is most appreciated.

JB

 

[Belizean]

Low voltage ( weak battery) can be very bad on a stater. I think NAPA can still/ does test starters if you take it off an bring it in. Call first to see what they say

 

[FrankenJeep78]

In my experience batteries don’t usually make noises...

I’m also not sure of what noises a soleniod can make besides clicking. It’s basically just a distribution block for your electrical on one end and the switched output to the starter on the other like a hefty relay.

I’d say have someone else try to start it. Maybe we don’t have the same idea of what buzzing sounds like but if someone else turns the key you can try to see exactly where the noise is coming from. A dead starter or a dead battery powering a starter will cause the starter to do a rapid kind of clicking and the engine will not turn over. The starter could also only turn the engine over intermittently. If the solenoid is what’s making noise I still have no idea why. Also, I have an electric fuel pump that runs when the ignition is on, are you sure you’re not hearing something unrelated?

Glad you have a multimeter. That’s probably the tool I use the most and is a godsend for diagnostics.

 

[Basod]

The clicking sound on crank usually a low battery or poor connection either battery + or ground.

Check voltage from battery + and - then check battery + to the starter housing
Those should be near identical readings.

Next install multimeter on battery + and - and crank the starter if you see any more than 2-3Volt drop( i.e it goes from 13V to 10V) the battery has a bad cell that will read normal voltage until a load is placed on it.


The glowing negative of the winch cable sounds like it shorted which can be detrimental to the battery's life expectancy.

 

[jeepwolf]

Gary and all,

Thank you all for the tips, comments and suggestions.

I decided the easiest and least expensive solution was to install a new solenoid(again) third one in 6 months, and the jeep started. insert eye roll here.

I have been buying the only option at advanced auto, the BWD part# S63. I would be curious to know what other solenoids folks are using?? (Assuming fender mount solenoid).

Interestingly enough, when I replaced my bad battery with the yellow top optima, as I was walking our of the store a fellow jeepster I was speaking with commented "good luck with that". I laughed at the time thinking he was being funny about the difficulty installing a battery. I am now wondering if the battery is somehow ruining the solenoid??


Thanks again to all for the help in troubleshooting.


JB

 

[Basod]

The starter solenoid is just a coil of wire wrapped around an iron core it creates a magnet that moves the hot side of the battery contact to the starter - simple armature.
Use your ohmmeter to check the coil resistance ( the two small prongs that go to keyed ignition) should have some resistance value not sure on new one.

The output contacts (large posts on each side) should have microohm near zero resistance when the solenoid is energized.

You can test the contact resistance by disconnecting lead to the starter and testing across the terminals while turning the key or jumping voltage to the coil prongs from the battery.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Carry a spare.
The parts house can tell you who they source the part from.
Do you have a NAPA you can go to?
Gary

 

[jeepwolf]

I do have a local NAPA and see they have the same solenoid by a diff MFG. I will get a spare from NAPA(which means I will never have another solenoid issue) :-)

Thanks again everyone and Happy New Year!

JB

 

[mitchelllogic]

I do have a local NAPA and see they have the same solenoid by a diff MFG. I will get a spare from NAPA(which means I will never have another solenoid issue) :-)



Thanks again everyone and Happy New Year!



JB

Hey, quick comment, check your ground strap from your motor mount to motor and motor mount to battery. This is usually a suspect connection subject to high corrosion.



Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk