89 cherokee laredo wont start

Okay, wierd problem....the 89 won't start, you will hear a click from the starter then the wierd thing....all power gets lost....to everything.....if I pop the hood and wiggle either pos or neg cable power is restored, but the cables are tight connected..... I'm positive the starter is gone, but I'm confused over the loss of power thing......any ideas?

Start with the battery and cables. Use a voltmeter...I wrote a post on this not long ago.

Edit: Just re-read you post...replace the bat cables...they go bad inside of the insulation.

It sounds like you may need new cables. I would clean them first, but they are cheap so you might want to replace them. If you are still concerned that it might be your starter, then you can buy a remote starter switch from the parts store which allows you to bypass the starter relay. It connects the starter directly to the battery ans then you hit the switch. If it starts then it is your relay, if it doesn't then it is the starter ( or something else is wrong).

okay, I'll get new cables, look like they are only about ten bucks each at autozone if they have them in stock.....I'll start there, but I think that is a secondary issue since before it started doing that wierd thing the daughter said it would only give the "clicking" noise all familiar with a blown selenoid on the starter......will see, have to get parts and hope for better weather then we have had lately

well got under the jeep today, finally had a sun break for once!!! got the starter out and ran to autozone.......as you suspected, it tested fine and dandy.....so I went ahead and got both cables there, got the starter back in and the cables replaced.....and bingo....that does seem to be what was going on.......

Good work...

Aloha..Brother...

new problem.....drove it last night and suddenly the volt meter went wacky bouncing back and forth between 9v to 14v and the lights (all of them) would dim in unison with the voltmeter......any ideas of what it driving that now?????

Well, that one sounds like the voltage regulator has givin out, Sounds like you need to take the Jeep to Autozone, and have them run an alternator test while on the vehicle. I'll bet you will need to replace the alternater. :shakehead