Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.

 

Starter motor ? Check the bolts holding it on first.

Dave Milne, Scotland

"Matt" <screwymatt@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191782486.559836.278460@22g2000hsm.googlegro ups.com...
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.
>

 

Starter motor ? Check the bolts holding it on first.

Dave Milne, Scotland

"Matt" <screwymatt@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191782486.559836.278460@22g2000hsm.googlegro ups.com...
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.
>

 

Starter motor ? Check the bolts holding it on first.

Dave Milne, Scotland

"Matt" <screwymatt@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191782486.559836.278460@22g2000hsm.googlegro ups.com...
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.
>

 

Starter motor ? Check the bolts holding it on first.

Dave Milne, Scotland

"Matt" <screwymatt@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191782486.559836.278460@22g2000hsm.googlegro ups.com...
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.
>

 

Matt wrote:
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.

Starter would be the first place I'd check. Also check the teeth
on the flywheel and starter to make sure nothing got broken.

--
DougW

 

Matt wrote:
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.

Starter would be the first place I'd check. Also check the teeth
on the flywheel and starter to make sure nothing got broken.

--
DougW

 

Matt wrote:
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.

Starter would be the first place I'd check. Also check the teeth
on the flywheel and starter to make sure nothing got broken.

--
DougW

 

Matt wrote:
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.

Starter would be the first place I'd check. Also check the teeth
on the flywheel and starter to make sure nothing got broken.

--
DougW

 

Matt wrote:
> Howdy! I'm new to the group, i've had my YJ for about 5 years now and
> it's the first time i've ran into anything that has had me stumped.
> about 4 weeks ago my battery finally crapped out and died. I had
> driven it with a super low battery for about 2 weeks (i know bad idea)
> until i came up with the money to replace the bad battery. So i
> replaced it and everything was fine and dandy until about 3 weeks ago
> when i went to start my jeep and i got this weird loose grinding
> noise. Not like something was being torn apart, i guess it would be
> more of a free spinning chain noise. I was just wondering if anyone
> had any suggestions about what it might be? The jeep will catch every
> third of fourth try and start right up but it has me mystified.
>

Sounds like your starter drive has gone bad, time for a new starter.

If I remember right these have the kind of Bendix that when the starter
spins the centrifugal force causes the gear to extend out into the ring
gear on the flywheel or torque converter. When the Bendix starts going
bad the gear won't extend properly and it does what you are describing.

Although it wouldn't hurt if you make sure all the electrical
connections are clean and tight, if the starter is spinning more slowly
than it should the same thing can happen.

Another possibility is that the ring gear is bad, if you have a habit of
trying to start an already running engine that can tear up the ring
gear... but that's unlikely.

Jeff DeWitt