Jeep won't turn over

Steve Luokkala

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Dec 27, 2016
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Dayton, OH, United States
I have a 1998 jeep wrangler. It wont start...or turn over. I checked the starter. Jumped Sylenoid with a wire It fired right up. So starter and battery are good. I swappped relays..still nothing. I replaced the ignition actuator pin. It wasnt broke. I checked all fuses etc...anything I am missing? Please help
 
Automatic or manual transmission? If it's an automatic try moving the shift handle between Park and Neutral while holding the ignition switch in the Start position and see what happens.
 
That’s freaky...keep us posted man.
 
It sounds like you may have an electrical problem, Is everything else working? Specifically your horn and cruise control?

Check your starter wire at the pigtail at the bottom of your steering column and see if you have power there and keep going into the column till you get to your key switch. It sounds like you are missing something from your key to your starter solenoid.

TIP: If you remove the number 20 fuse in your glove box that will bypass your clutch switch. I learned that gem from @Jerry Bransford I threw mine in the garbage.
 
I have replaced the ignition switch...ignition actuator pin even though it wasnt broken...went to clutch saftey...have continuity...replaced starter relay...still nothing. Jumped from battery to sylenoid and it fires up...when I turn the key nothing...not a click...nada...dash bord works...radio works...checked all my fuses..etc
 
I have replaced the ignition switch...ignition actuator pin even though it wasnt broken...went to clutch saftey...have continuity...replaced starter relay...still nothing. Jumped from battery to sylenoid and it fires up...when I turn the key nothing...not a click...nada...dash bord works...radio works...checked all my fuses..etc
Has anyone installed a alarm system in the jeep? Trace the start wire from the switch to see if someone added a kill switch. Its a long shot but at this point you are going to have to find where you are losing the signal (power) to the solenoid.
 
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I have replaced the ignition switch...ignition actuator pin even though it wasnt broken...went to clutch saftey...have continuity...replaced starter relay...still nothing. Jumped from battery to sylenoid and it fires up...when I turn the key nothing...not a click...nada...dash bord works...radio works...checked all my fuses..etc

I got all of that, but from your ignition to your starter is an issue. You need to trace that. start from your starter and go backwards up to your key switch checking for power. Or start from your key switch to your starter. Whatever is easier for you.

If you would have tested for power at your solenoid, you would have known that wasn't the problem.

If your battery is not going dead, than it is probably an open and not a short.

You should have a constant power going to your key then a power that comes from your key when starting and then off when in the on position, so you need to probe wires to see if you are getting power on key start. It may be that you are not getting power up the pigtail. I would start at the pigtail at the column and probe wires.

I don't know if it is common on TJ's specifically, but on my Ram I had the same exact issue and it turned out that Ram's run the ac through the ignition switch with no relay and it has a 10 gauge wire, that melted the pigtail, I was able to cut those wires and introduce a relay for the AC and it solved my problem. Look at the pigtails for your ignition and column to see if you have an burned or melted wires.

Personally I would find the start wire and trace it with a volt meter or test light down to the starter.
 
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I got all of that, but from your ignition to your starter is an issue. You need to trace that. start from your starter and go backwards up to your key switch checking for power. Or start from your key switch to your starter. Whatever is easier for you.

If you would have tested for power at your solenoid, you would have known that wasn't the problem.

If your battery is not going dead, than it is probably an open and not a short.

You should have a constant power going to your key then a power that comes from your key when starting and then off when in the on position, so you need to probe wires to see if you are getting power on key start. It may be that you are not getting power up the pigtail. I would start at the pigtail at the column and probe wires.

I don't know if it is common on TJ's specifically, but on my Ram I had the same exact issue and it turned out that Ram's run the ac through the ignition switch with no relay and it has a 10 gauge wire, that melted the pigtail, I was able to cut those wires and introduce a relay for the AC and it solved my problem. Look at the pigtails for your ignition and column to see if you have an burned or melted wires.

Personally I would find the start wire and trace it with a volt meter or test light down to the starter.
The Zom has a very high mechanical aptitude ,he's worth listening too.

Also , if you get it on something reeeeallly off camber and turn the wheels uphill, it will turn over.
 
I got all of that, but from your ignition to your starter is an issue. You need to trace that. start from your starter and go backwards up to your key switch checking for power. Or start from your key switch to your starter. Whatever is easier for you.

If you would have tested for power at your solenoid, you would have known that wasn't the problem.

If your battery is not going dead, than it is probably an open and not a short.

You should have a constant power going to your key then a power that comes from your key when starting and then off when in the on position, so you need to probe wires to see if you are getting power on key start. It may be that you are not getting power up the pigtail. I would start at the pigtail at the column and probe wires.

I don't know if it is common on TJ's specifically, but on my Ram I had the same exact issue and it turned out that Ram's run the ac through the ignition switch with no relay and it has a 10 gauge wire, that melted the pigtail, I was able to cut those wires and introduce a relay for the AC and it solved my problem. Look at the pigtails for your ignition and column to see if you have an burned or melted wires.

Personally I would find the start wire and trace it with a volt meter or test light down to the starter.

So are you saying check the power going into my ignition switch for voltage?
 
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So are you saying check the power going into my ignition switch for voltage?

Out of the switch. Fine the wire that is going to the starter relay and find where it no longer provides power.

From your previous posts you changed everything in the column so you have to have a disconnect somewhere between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid.

You can test to see if you are getting power to the relay with a multimeter and a friend/wife/partner turning the key.
If you get power there then you have an issue on the other side of the relay.
If ypu do not have the power in the relay you have a disconnect from the relay to the switch.
 
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ac_ and Boinked seem to be right about what needs to be checked for, but I'm not sure which way Boinked is headed with corny.
It was in reference to andy comment about turning over.
I took that as rolling over the jeep.
I might have misunderstood his comment.
 
It was in reference to andy comment about turning over.
I took that as rolling over the jeep.
I might have misunderstood his comment.

Oops I guess I might have led everyone astray. After reading the thread title I was thinking similar to AndyG, Jeeps really don't turn over in a good way.

As for the corny part, you could have been on either side of that GIF regarding his comments and whichever side you're on I'm not looking to take the other.:Saeufer:
 
So are you saying check the power going into my ignition switch for voltage?
Going to but mostly coming from.

I am assuming when you turn your key on you are getting dash lights? If so I believe you are getting power to your key, but you may not be getting power from your key. I would start there and work your way to the starter and see where you don't have power anymore during key-start.

You should have a wire that only has power when you are in key-start mode. Once you let go then it goes into key on mode and that should have power all of the time if the key is on. But the key-start will only have power in key start.

If you go to the pig tail you should be able to see there. If you are not getting power at the pig tail in the column the problem is between the pigtail and the key switch. if you do have power at the pigtail, then the problem is from the pigtail to the starter and just keep following that one wire till you don't have power anymore and that is your issue.
 
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In the end I by passed everything and installed a starter button...rotate key to start position and press button. I am pulling the motor in the spring and I am sending it to get performance work done on it. I will replace the wiring then when I upgrade ignition etc. Thanks for everyones advice
 
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