[Fox Fader]

good, glad you found the problem.

[bhorocks]

i am having very similar problems with my auto. occasionally it starts everytime and that once in awhile start it up and the starter bendix stays engaged to the flywheel or it sputters and dies. sometimes the check engine light comes on, sometimes not.. I thought it could be the throttle position sensor but then the starter would do that. i better check my wiring tommorow...

[BradG]

Originally Posted by K1dS3ns4t10n

ok well thanks for all the input guys but I found the problem.. the hard way.

I was at the quarter car wash with the engine running and all of a sudden the horn started blaring so I popped the hood and disconnected the horns. I thought that was odd but figured something must have gotten wet, and went about washing the car. Then the motor stalled.. hmm oh well no time to mess with that because time is running out on the car wash timer. Then the next thing I know the starter is cranking and the engine starts on its own. The keys were still in the ignition from when it stalled but I wasnt near them and I don't have a remote start. After the motor started the starter just kept cranking and of course its grinding away. I gave up on the car wash and jumped inside to shut her down, but when I take the keys out nothing happens... the motor is still running and the starter is still cranking. I stalled the motor by holding my foot on the brakes and putting it in gear.

At this point the engine is stopped but the starter is still cranking and by this time I'm sure the starter is toast. I pop the hood again and pulled the starter relay which finally made the starter quit. Then I notice sparks shootin out from underneath the relay box where the starter relay was so I pull all the relays in there and desparately search my jeep for some tools to disconnect the battery.

No luck on the tool search.. and there was nobody else around at the car wash so I call my dad whos not too far away and told him to bring me some tools and (fearing the worst) a fire extinguisher. He thought I was joking so after convincing him that I wasn't he was on his way.. At about that time someone else finally pulls into the car wash and I ask him if he has any tools but all he could offer me was a bottle opener. Horrid images of Macguyver flash through my head, but I told him thanks but no thanks on the bottle opener. After 10-15 minutes of me watching sparks fly my dad finally shows up with some tools and I was able to disconnect my battery.

I had it towed back to my friends shop and what had happened was the wires in the wire harness feeding into the relay box that sits over the front passenger wheel had worn through the tape down to bare metal and were all melted together. In that box along with the starter relay, there is a horn relay, ASD relay and O2 sensor relay. This explains the ASD and O2 sensor codes I had the week before. One rebuilt starter and some delicate surgery on the wire harness and I was back on the road.

Luckily nothing else seems to have been fried in the ordeal. It could have been much worse. I'm lucky it wasn't in gear when the starter was continously cranking, or I probably would have had to chase it down.

Sounds like a nightmare!!

[Rule303]

Wow! Any idea why the harness wore through? I've noticed that harness before and don't really like the way Jeep routed some of the TJs wiring.

Good lesson to others why you should always keep at least a few tools on board. Even a cheap multitool is better than nothing.

I'm just amazed it went on so long and you were able to repair it. A lot of those end up auto flambe.