???????

So I got in to the YJ this morning to move it before work. When I got in and tried to start it wouldn't. It would crank and turn over strong and did for a minute or so till I gave up and just went on with my morning. Now I just took a break from work and went to start it and still nothing. Once battery was drained down after 2 dozen or so cranks I got the jumper cables out. I hooked them up, gave it a minute and then it started up and ran with no issue. I have been driving it a lot the last two weeks and drove it down to the beach maybe 1000+ miles in the last month or so. It has had a little bit of a issue starting. Nothing crazy but I have never in the 11 years of owning it had to crank it more than 2-3 times to get it to start. Now for the last two weeks it seems that if the jeep is warm it starts up fine like normal, but if its cold it takes a bit longer maybe 6 or more cranks to get her to start. I'm trying to figure if the battery is the issue or should I be looking in deeper to other problems. Aside from that the jeep runs great with no issues other than the constant battle with the clutch.

Have you checked the plugs and distributer cap? Start simple. Usually a battery problem won't allow you to crank 20 times and not start, after the first couple it would click but not have power to start. Wonder if you have a sensor going bad. Unfortunately when this would happen to me I'd start throwing parts at it. CPS, O2 sensor. There was one time that the jeep would not start at all when I went to Fridays for lunch. I pulled in and it was running great, ate lunch, went out and it would crank strong but not start up. Tried 10 times with no luck. Then as a last ditch effort I disconnected the battery for 5 minutes, then hooked it back up and it started right away. go figure.

I will start with pulling the battery and putting it on the slow charger. While at it I will check the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Its been a about 4 years since the last tune up so it should be time to freshen. Or is it? 20K maybe since the last it got a full tune up.

Well this afternoon I jumped in and it started right up. WTF!!! It runs great no check engine light. Wouldn't the check engine light come on if it was one of the sensors?

So does that mean you're not going to do the tune up?

not sure I was working on the grand cherokee. The idler pulley seized up and burn up the belt tensioner pulley. It also ate the belt and left me on the side of the road for a hour. 60 bucks in parts and a ride on the trailer later its running but the alternator is on its way out. The lights started to come and go on the way home from the store after I did the repair. So once the grand cherokee is straight I will get back to the YJ. I'm going to try to give it a good one over before big dogs. Hopefully the starting issue is something simple.

Make sure the camshaft position sensor isn't cracked. thats what killed mine at big dogs once.

Rockn93YJ wrote:

Make sure the camshaft position sensor isn't cracked. thats what killed mine at big dogs once.

Yeah I remember that.