# Engine will not stay cranked

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-will-not-stay-cranked/51350>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** cherokee, jeep\
**Created:** [July 6, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-will-not-stay-cranked/51350 "2010-07-06T00:16:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dealbreaker1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@dealbreaker1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dealbreaker1)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-will-not-stay-cranked/51350/1 "2010-07-06T00:16:34Z")

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My Jeep has been sitting idle for about three weeks without any use. I went to start the car and nothing happened. The battery was completely dead (power locks would not work, interior lights would not work, etc.) And I replaced the battery about 6 months ago. I tried to jump-start the car. It would attempt to crank and you could hear the engine turn, but once I let the key move from “start” to “on” the engine died. So, I did this again and gave it a little gas. The engine started again, but this time, as long as I continued to press the gas the engine would continue running. I pushed the gas enough to allow the car to run at about 2,000 RPMS for a few minutes. However, once I removed my foot from the gas the engine would stop. Clearly, I need a new battery (or at least have it charged), but what else is the problem? Fuel injector?  
  
 Any feedback is most appreciative.  
  
 Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-will-not-stay-cranked/51350/2 "2010-07-06T00:32:17Z")

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You have to check the basics.

If the battery is so deeply discharged, and the charging system can’t recharge the battery fast enough, which isn’t good for the alternator, and the battery voltage drops below 10.5 volts, computers and modules start to shut down. When this happens the engine shuts down.

So either recharge the battery you have, WITH A BATTERY CHARGER! or replace the battery. Just for the sake of the alternator.

Tester

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**Author:** ![dealbreaker1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@dealbreaker1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dealbreaker1)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-will-not-stay-cranked/51350/3 "2010-07-06T00:50:36Z")

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Thanks. My father had the exact same advise.

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-will-not-stay-cranked/51350/4 "2010-07-06T01:54:45Z")

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I have an idea to make this stuff aittle more interesting, we bet on who has already been told correctly what to do, some details to work out but thats the idea.