The Jeep Wrangler is an icon when it comes to American trucks. Widely loved for its durability, high level of functionality and ruggedly simple lines, this is one of the most enduring vehicles ever conceived. Like any car or truck, though, the Wrangler needs regular and proper maintenance. The starters on Wranglers occasionally fail and need to be replaced, but fortunately, this is a job that is actually much easier than most people probably think.

Locate the Starter

Open up the Wrangler hood and disconnect the negative terminal on the battery. This is an important step when performing any work on the Wrangler that involves the electrical system and will prevent any electrical shorts. Locate the starter under the vehicle. It will be bolted to the outside of the gearbox near the oil pan and the exhaust system. Depending on the ride height of your Wrangler, you may or may not have to use a floor jack to raise it up. If you do raise it to gain access to the starter, place it securely on jack stands. Never work under a vehicle that is just supported by a floor jack.

Remove the Old Starter

Locate and unbolt the nuts that hold the wires and the battery cable to the solenoid with the appropriately sized socket or open-ended wrench. The solenoid is the small cylindrical part that is attached to the starter. Slide the eyelet that holds the wires to the solenoid off of the stud, noting which stud the wires and the battery cable fasten to so that they are not mixed up during installation of the new starter. Unbolt the two larger bolts that hold the starter in place. It may help to spray some type of penetrating fluid onto these bolts before attempting to loosen them. The bolts may be a star-shaped Torx bolt or a standard bolt. Use the appropriate socket to remove them. Remove the starter from the vehicle.

Installing the New Starter

Carefully slide the new starter into place. Thread on the bolts and tighten them with a torque wrench to the proper settings. On Wranglers with the 2.5-liter, tighten them to 33 ft-lbs, and on the 4.0-liter engine, tighten the rear bolt to 40 ft-lbs and the front bolt to 30 ft-lbs. Slide the wires and the battery cable onto the new starter solenoid and install the nuts, ensuring that the wires and cable are bolted to the proper studs. Tighten the battery cable nut to 90 ft-lbs and the wire nut to 55 ft-lbs. Reconnect the battery and start the vehicle to ensure that the starter is working properly.

Source:

"Jeep Horizons: Wrangler Starter Replacement"