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Need throttle to start - Not battery/alternator

875 views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  jkp 
#1 ·
POS doesn't want to start. Last 5 or so times starting it up I have to get on the throttle as I hear it start to tick in order for it to run. Today after work was the worst so far. Had to stomp on the gas and rev it as soon as I turned the key to get it going. When it does get started it runs 100% normal. Except was again today. After I got it running I kept it in neutral and revved it a couple times. Seemed like it was dropping off rather quickly and almost in two steps. Was fine after I took it around the corner and headed home.

This wasn't a problem on days it was warmer out this week. Would start right up. Ran the old gas till it was almost empty and topped it off with new stuff from a different station + a bottle of dry gas, so not a frozen line like suspected before. Brand new Optima Yellow top, alternator is good. Starts up fine when I park in our insulated garage overnight.

Here's what happened from my previous thread.

More confused now than when I started.

Yesterday around 7 in the morning when it was about 5 degrees here the jeep started up fine. Drove in literally 1 or 2 minutes down a city street at 15 mph to get gas before I hit the road. When I tried to start it back up after that, it wouldn't turn over. I did manage to get it running by getting on the gas at the right time while it tried to crank. Drove home the 45 minutes on I-95 with no problems. Got home, parked it, went to sleep. Hour or so later (~10 am?) my parents told me they ran to the store with it. If there was any sort of problem or hiccup, they would've told me.

Fast forward to this morning. A crisp 0 degrees out at 7:45 before I leave for work. Turn the key and nada. No cranking, no ticking, no lights whatsoever. Totally dead. Got home today and pushed it into the garage and put in on the charger. Battery was at ~8 volts and over the course of 90 minutes or so it got up to 13.5 volts using the 2 amp setting. Tried to start it and I now have lights and you can hear it ticking, but no crank. Put on the plug in jumper pack we have, more of the same. Tried to give it a little gas and no change. So, pushed it out in the drive way and hooked up the jumper cables. Did not crank on its own. While it was getting jumped I was able to get it run while I stayed on the throttle. It died immediately when I let up. Pushed it back in the garage, put back on the charger. Also cranked on my propane heater.

And here I am. What gives? Still kind of green with the stuff under the hood lol. Haven't had enough problems to get good at it.
 
#3 ·
First, in my personal opinion, modern Optima batteries are known for having problems which started when Johnson Controls bought them and moved their entire manufacturing operation to Mexico. I had three Optima batteries in a row, two Yellow Tops and one Blue Top, fail prematurely.

That your battery voltage dropped down to 8v indicates it's not holding a charge which is a fairly clear sign of a battery that is toast. That could also be caused by a bad alternator but my bet is on the battery.

When the engine dies when you let off on the gas, that's a sign of either the battery is too weak to power the alternator which is what powers the ignition system. That the lights didn't work either ("no cranking, no ticking, no lights" certainly indicates it's an electrical issue.

I believe it's either a bad battery (likely a dead cell) or less likely a bad battery connection. I no longer trust Optima batteries at all, not since JCI bought them and started making them in Mexico.

The one battery I really trust now is the Sears Diehard Platinum which is made for them by Odyssey. The standard Diehard is made by Johnson Controls, so I'd only go with the Diehard Platinum made by Odyssey. I switched from Optima to the Diehard Platinum 7 years ago and have not had any more battery problems.
 
#4 ·
That your battery voltage dropped down to 8v indicates it's not holding a charge which is a fairly clear sign of a battery that is toast. That could also be caused by a bad alternator but my bet is on the battery.

When the engine dies when you let off on the gas, that's a sign of either the battery is too weak to power the alternator which is what powers the ignition system. That the lights didn't work either ("no cranking, no ticking, no lights" certainly indicates it's an electrical issue.

I believe it's either a bad battery (likely a dead cell) or less likely a bad battery connection. I no longer trust Optima batteries at all, not since JCI bought them and started making them in Mexico.
Ah, should have clarified more. I haven't had it fail to start due to the battery since I dropped in the new one. Looks like I left out a lot of information since my last post. I probably could have done without posting all the quoted stuff.

All of the 'unquoted' stuff I wrote in the OP has occurred after the new battery. Haven't had any battery related issues since. Can always turn on electronics and whatnot. We had a 40 degree day Sunday, cranked right over. OK starting in the garage. I think the threshold for the problems temperature wise is ~20 degrees. Anything below that I'm having trouble. Battery terminals are OK. I haven't taken a look at the ground yet. I'm pretty much only home to sleep and shower on week days.
 
#5 ·
I'll give it a bump. Really don't wanna leave it to the shop. Even though I do know half the guys there.
 
#6 ·
Go to the hardware store and buy a big big ole hammer. Attach to the valve cover and I promise it will never skip burp stall or do anything wrong again. I have heard of jeeps having cold weather problems and it be the pressure reg/fuel filter. Probably got some water in filter and its freezing. Take hammer and beat the do do out of it. Then drink a beer, and put a new one on tank and go riding. If not drink another beer. Or better yet have a big ole glass of corn liquir.
 
#7 ·
I have heard of jeeps having cold weather problems and it be the pressure reg/fuel filter. Probably got some water in filter and its freezing. Take hammer and beat the do do out of it. Then drink a beer, and put a new one on tank and go riding. If not drink another beer. Or better yet have a big ole glass of corn liquir.
Filter is what I've been leaning towards. Just googlin' around it looked like it could be a sensor somewhere by the throttle body? But my idle isn't weird or anything. I'll go ahead and clean it anyway since it's cheap and easy.

Reminds me, I do Johnny Walker black label that's been calling my name. To fit your recommendation though it looks like I have another date with Jim Beam.
 
#8 ·
I know you said you have a new battery now, but please check the voltage while cranking. One thing about chrysler products, if the battery voltage drops to 9v or below the ecm forgets what it's learned about idle settings. You'll have to hold the throttle til it finds the right IAC setting. I fought and fought this on a dakota at work until I found someone else with the same issue. Tried a different battery and it worked fine after that. Then had to convince the customer that a battery can make his truck not idle. lol

Anyway, easy check so you can rule it out.
 
#9 ·
Glad you mentioned the idle thing. I wasn't paying attention to it much since I was just happy to get it running. Last 3 or 4 times I started it would be searching for the idle. 1k rmp, surge up to 1100-1200, flip between the two, then eventually get down to 7-800 after I put it in gear. I'll have to grab a tester. Haven't had the problems like this yet so haven't had to get the proper tools :facepalm:
 
#10 ·
25 degrees out and snowing. Turned the key and felt like it was about to go, then it back fired. Didn't want to start with just the key after that. Managed to get it running by having the throttle floored as I kept the key turned for a couple seconds. Idle was bouncing around a lot just above 1k.
 
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