It seems to be that time of year. I decided to get the CJ home to check it before taking it offroad next weekend. The car would not start at all. It was clear the current found some obstacle in the cable running from the battery to the starter. How I know? Well there was a lot of smoke...
I couldn't get the cable off the starter. The nut was fused to the stud, so I took the whole starter out with the cable and took the assembly home. I had to use my old nutsplitter to get the nut off. I tried the starter on the bench to make sure it worked. Well it didn't. I found sand in the starter
and solenoid, cleaned it and all seemed well. After refitting the starter and new cable the car started first time. I also fitted a new temperature gauge and sender. I had to work outside. It was a bit nippy at freezing temperatures.
The test run was interesting. I was asked to use the Jeep to pull a dead cow from a trailer by the local vet. Now that was a tow I never did before! Not a problem for the Jeep, but I was sorry for the poor cow.
The old and the new cable
A look inside the solenoid.
The starter reassembled and ready for fitting.