Ignition system assistance

SCMatt

SCMatt

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Supporting Member
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Aug 21, 2021
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24
Location
South Carolina
My woes here started several weeks ago, had to replace the Ignition Cylinder... After that the Ignition switch went, along with the Ignition pin actuator....

This week, the starter started acting up intermittently, till it failed all together... Testing it by jumping power to it, the Solenoid would engage, but not the starter. So I replaced the starter (With a new Solenoid) It started up just fine... Until I drove it - Once I drove it and stopped it, it would no longer start, not even giving the click of engaging the solenoid.

I was able to jump the starter motor to the battery and start the Jeep to drive it home. Now I cannot seem to find the source of the problem. I have replaced the starter relay, ignition switch, ignition pin and cylinder, starter, solenoid, etc. and I turn the key I get dash lights, but no start.

Is it possibly as simple as I knocked a connection out somewhere when working on it? I tried tracing the cables and I don't see any "Pluggable" connections, just the 2 bolt on connections at the starter. Any help would be appreciated!
 
Update - I removed all of the shielding and traced the wires all the way back. I found the connection which goes from the small terminal on the Starter, to the Relay in the PDC. If I seperate that and put a piece of wire on the lead to the starter, and jump that directly to the battery sit starts the jeep.

That says to me the issue is somewhere between the ignition switch and the relay right?
If I put a volt-meter on the end of that connection, it should get 12v when I turn the key and engage the starter switch right?
Is there a fuse somewhere that is before the relay that affects this? I don't see anything obvious?
I got this jeep with no clutch safety in it - so nothing has changed there. but it's just an additional point of reference that at some point that clutch safety was removed.
 
Ok, One more update - I'm really hoping and begging someone can point me in the right direction. I ruled out the wiring between the battery and the starter and all of the grounds. I can jump the car by connecting pin 30-87 on the starter motor relay, but the car will only RUN if the ignition switch is in the "On" position. So it's obviously engaging with the starter as well.

So to recap... With the ignition switch in the off position I can engage the starter by: J
1. Jumping from Starter motor to battery
2. Jumping from wire connector between starter motor relay, and battery
3, Jumping pin 30-87 on the starter motor relay

With all of that the starter will crank, but the car will not "Start". If I put the key to the "Run" position (or if I have the ignition switch separated from the ignition pin and just use a screw driver to activate that at the run position) and THEN jump the starter - the car starts right up and runs fine.

I cannot however get it to engage the starter from the ignition switch, either with the key or with the switch off the steering column using a screwdriver to activate it... This is a brand new switch.

I am thinking either my brand new switch is a brand new dud (not the first TJ part I have purchased which has presented this problem!!!!) or there is something else going on.

Before I return this ignition switch and order a new one, which will take a few days to get here, can anybody give me any ideas on ways to test the actual starter, or if there is a specific wire/harness which could cause this problem?

Thanks - I appreciate any assistance, because i'm a bit lost at this point... Especially because it was working FINE until i replaced the starter!!!!
 
JKP said:
How was the clutch switch bypassed?

Need to let everyone know the yr, engine.
Click to expand...
It was bypassed when I got it, so I can't say for sure that nothing wonky was done to it, but it's been working fine for over a year now...

1997 Wrangler 2.5 4Cyl...

I look at the clutch and it looks like the whole clutch sensor was removed entirely - IE, There is no sensor on the push rod, as I would expect to see.... Online I have found instructions that say it should be moved to a different connector, and/or have a fuse in position 20 as a clutch pedal bypass in the fuse panel behind the glove box.

Just in case I put a fuse in, but nothing changed with the clutch sensor at all, only change was a new starter.
 
Well, the clutch switch shouldn't be the problem if you put the fuse in.

I would pull up the FSM on this site under Resources and trace out the wiring.

I haven't dealt with the ignition switch, but there should be a way to test it with a multimeter to verify the Start contacts have continuity when you turn it to start.
 
Thanks for trying - I did grab the FSM and traced back all of the wires, with the exception of the wiring from the ignition switch back to the Starter relay. I traced that into the dash from the ignition switch, but lose it there, i'll have to tear the whole dash out to trace it further.... I wish I could figure out how to validate the switch.
 
Hey man, 2 years later did you ever find out the issue? Having the same exact issue with my 2003 TJ. Clutch bypassed and replaced the same components you did, everything but still no crank/no start with the key. Only able to start by jumping the 30-87 on the relay slot.
 
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