YJ starting problem help!!!

[Branjmb]

ok, just finished putting a new 4banger in my jeep, and a new starter.

When I turn the ignition the battery/accessories come on, the engine turns over, and you hear this clicking noise- mechanical not electronic. the first time it happened we thought the starter was not properly engaged, but then we got it to start, and it ran for 15 minutes.

It's doing it again today, after letting it run those 15 minutes we called it a night, so I thought it might be the battery (wasn't thinking clearly this morning).... so i jumped the car with my dad's TJ.... same problem

any ideas??

just a bad starter maybe??

 

[Branjmb]

Update!! I just went to an autoparts store and they tested the brand new starter.... and it works fine.

what else could it be??

 

[TLCJ5]

Recheck your conections at the battery,the starter relay(on the fender near the battery) & the starter...also check your ground wire to the frame. Hope that helps...let us know what you find.

 

[Branjmb]

well i'm confused, but still diagnosing. I discovered of all things that my negative battery ground was not grounded-- just hanging there... but then i realized I HAD gotten the engine to start during that time it wasn't grounded.... So obviously I grounded it to the engine block.

Now this starting problem happens intermittently. Fortunately only happened once today.

What throws me off is I got it to run by jumping it by my friend's car, but i bought a new battery yesterday, so it's NOT the battery....