96 Cherokee wont start - weird cause

[prb42]

K so this is weird. Coming home from work the other night it seemed my engine might have been missing. So I got home and parked and decided to look at it in the morning. The next morning I got in my jeep, started it, and it started fine. I decided to open the hood and listen to the engine to see if it sounded stumbly at all. I noticed a plug wire that looked loose, so I pulled it off to see if the engine changed pace (to see if it was contacting). The engine died, so I figured it was contacting fine, I plugged the wire back on, made sure the others were on firmly and got back in my jeep and tried to to start it. It would turn over but wouldn't start. So now I was left trying to figure out how pulling that plug wire may have caused something to go out. A few hours later I go back out to my jeep and try to turn it over again. It still won't start. I waited for my roomate to get home so I could have him crank while I checked for spark. I pulled a plug and had him get in and turn it over, now nothing happens. I could here a small click coming form the area of my starter relay, but thats it. No starter click, no turning over, nothing.

Does anybody have any idea what may have gone wrong, or what I should check? I put my tranny in reverse and the reverse lights come on, so I'm assuming its not the neutral saftey switch. I don't see how pulling a plug wire has caused this chain of events, but any ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

[85 22rYota]

Coming from experience it could the starter coil or the (pick up coil or stater) inside the distributor or what it ended up being on my jeep the crank shaft positioning sensor

and if its your stater just go a head and buy a new distributor

[prb42]

Wouldn't the engine still turn over if the crankshaft positioning sensor was bad?

[wwwildman]

Originally Posted by prb42

Wouldn't the engine still turn over if the crankshaft positioning sensor was bad?

The engine would still turn over if the Crank sensor or stator were bad, but it would not start.

I would start with starter, then relay. To test if it is the starter/solenoid, you can go to the parts store and get a remote starter. It connects to the battery and directly to the starter. When you hit the button the starter should crank and the car should start (if the key is turned to run). If the starter clicks or does nothing then it is the starter solenoid. If it starts this way but will not when the remote starter is disconnected then it is the starter relay.

[brainyass]

If all you get is clicking check the wires to your stater and have the battery tested. A dead battery makes the starter click without turning over the engine. My vote is bad starter or dead battery.

[1996Chreokee]

Just one click = starter problems if the battery seems to have a good charge.. check all of your connections

[jeeper186]

Check to see if you had bumped any wires at the starter relay. It is behind the battery.