98 Cherokee Starting Problems

My 98 Cherokee Sport 4.0L with 91,000 miles has plugs & wires with less than 3,000 miles on new ones. Suddenly this week it won't start. I turn the key all lights and radio works fine but it doesn't even attenpt to crank. No clicking, no sound, nothing. Have checked battery that was replaced this past summer and it's fine along with battery connections. Thought it was the starter so replaced that. Nothing changed after new starter sometimes it would start right up then sometimes it would take a few tries and then it would crank and start. A neighbor had the idea it might be the flywheel with teeth worn or misssing and told be to put it in N and let it roll back a few inches. That worked. Last night the wife went to start the Jeep and it would not start so instead of letting it roll back she put her foot on the brake and shifted to N. Turned the key and it started. Drove to pick up the kids, got back home shut off the engine and tried to start again in P. Nothing...put in N with no roll back...again nothing. Doesn't seen to be any pattern for if it will start or not. Have not taken it to see if any codes come up yet from the computer. No check engine lights and no other warning lights have come on. Any ideas?

Neutral Safety Switch would be my thought.

I'm moving this to the proper area; the FYI/How To section is for how common problems are fixed...this needs to be in the regular Cherokee section. However, there is an FYI thread on cleaning the NSS, which is much cheaper and just as effective as installing a new one.

My second thought is the Crankshaft Position Sensor. Your NSS would stop you from starting in Park (as would linkage alignment, which is less likely) but the CPS going bad would have symptoms that you said, where it starts one time and doesn't the next. Also with the CPS you might get odd shifting (if it's an automatic, you didn't say), an occasional stumble and in some cases it will quit on you while on the road, then start right back up.

Since it's 12 years old, and 90k miles is about right for the CPS, I'd say that might be an issue. But I'd clean the NSS first and see how it goes.

there is an FYI thread on cleaning the NSS,

I'm either blind or don't know what I'm doing..probably both but, I can't seem to find the thread on cleaning the NSS.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=694611

Here you go...you're not going crazy, moved it just now from the Cherokee section...hmmm...thought there was one in there....now there is!