The battery is fully charged and tested at autozone.

The starter relay gives a loud click, you can feel it too if you hold it, then all the lights, fuel pump odometer etc resets as if I just turned it on. Every time I press the start button: loud click, everything flickers and resets.

Is this a bad relay?

I got this SAME click sound from my cj7 when I changed the starter. It ended up needing its own dedicated ground like everyone mentioned on the jeep forum, but I dont think this is the problem, is it?

****While taking off the tank, I spilled some gas, and I believe some may have kit the harnesses in the vicinity.

 

i had this same problem with my 01. thought it was the relay because i had charged the battery. come to find out the battery was bad. it did the exact same thing you are talking about. everything resetting when you hit the button. when i hooked a charger up to mine it started right up. so i went out and bought a new battery for mine and it took care of the problem. so i am not sure what to tell you or where to look. good luck keep us posted.

 

you know, I had 2 people tell me it was the battery and I was dead certain after describing to them the electronics was going haywire; alarm every 5 seconds, speedo goes up to 15 when I have fuel pump on, down to 5 when I press the start button, etc.

But I picked up the battery today from autozone, trickled charged for the night, and they IMMEDIATELY loaded tested off from the charger. It came out fine, but it still read 12.43 which sketches me out. And I believe the best way was to let the battery sit for 1 day and see if the voltage drops itself. havent did that yet.

I also tried to with 2,40, and 200amp boost from the charger but it still just clicks, sometimes with a little eletric buzzz sound. I tried popping the clutch, got it up to 6mph and nothing, tire would just drag. HYdrolocked??

 

I read around and they say it could be hydrolock so I took off the spark plugs, pushed a rod in there and everything was dry. I tried pushing it in gear and turning the tire but I had no luck. normal?

 

if not your battery, look at your starter. Try bump starting it in 2nd.

 

I do work on cars as much as bike, and as soon as I hear, lights turn on, but I just hear a click, I IMMEDIATELY go to the starter.

I'd say check the starter. Unfortunately it's a pricey part.

 

Sounds like an earthing problem, based on the fluctuations in readings etc. That's where I'd start.
Starter solenoid may also have gone bad.
It also wouldn't be the first time I've had a brand new battery fail in a day - have it checked under load. I had problems with a gate motor battery that showed 13.5 V, but died as soon as we loaded it......Bought a new one - prob solved.
FWIW

 

I got the plugs out, still can turn the motor over easy as stated. Or maybe Im not using enough muscle. but am pretty strong...

I just unplugged the battery today. went on a 2amp trickle charge from 8PM to 12:30PM. Immediately taking off the charger, the multimeter read 13.2 or so, and slowly dropped to 12.62. The drop happened within 5 minutes, more or less. I will check the battery tomorrow and see if it moves.


I believe my brother got the starter replaced a few years back, but will confirm.

Again, I want to rule out the hydrolock first so I can get those PITA spark plugs back in.

EDIT


about 15 min past and the reading is at 12.52.

 

bump

I tried running the starter cable on the relay to the live 12v right besides it and it did not turn, even with spark plugs out. Please someone confirm that it may very well be the starter, since direct power to the starter did nothing, except 1 noise that sounded like it tried catching on.

Removing the starter is the last I want to do!

 

i know in cars if the starter goes bad just pop start it i know you tryed but just like jap said try it in 2nd or 3rd and tap on the starter just like you would if it was a car and see if she fires up if it does then bad starter and if it dont move on to something else