Sporadic no start issue.

(1989 Renix 4.0,Aw4,NP231) Long story short my XJ was being borrowed by someone for a few months, they said the key got stuck in the colum and would come back out. No big deal, the bought a new ignition switch and replaced it. Well ever since I got it back I have had a no crank issue. It's really random which has me stumped and I'm not sure if its related to the ignition switch or not. It was really really bad at first, every other start it would happen. Turn the key and nothing, no crank, no noise. I assumed it was the starter, got a new one from Napa and installed it. Seem to cure the issue for about a month, now it's doing it again but it's maybe once a week, same symptoms... Turn the key and nothing, no crank, no noise. I try playing with the shifter (putting it in Nuetral) and it doesn't help. I turn the key on and of a couple of times, wait a minute or so and then all of a sudden everything is fixed and working fine..... WTF? Any ideas?

Auto trans? Try wiggling the shifter between P and N as your Neutral Safety switch may be bad.

I've tried that.... Does nothing

There is also a small relay, old style near the battery that can be bad and cause this. The ignition switch may not be bolted down in the sweet spot to get good switch contact on the ignswitch. If the starter was rebuilt, it may be bad already. Rebuilts are asking for trouble!!! And of course the NSS can be dirty....or even the battery may be dying, sudden death syndrome, LOL

Yea I was looking at that relay by the battery the other day. Anyway to test it some how with a multimeter?

I am sure there is, but I don't recall the details. I think 8Mud posted some info on it here once or twice the last 6 years.
Have you tried a jump wire from the battery + to the starter solenoid + to see if the starter will engage and run? That would confirm it is or is not the starter, leaving the relay and ignition switch and their wires left.

I had a similar no-crank issue a few days ago, I added a ground wire to the relay bracket behind the battery and now it cranks up everytime.

Ecomike said:

I am sure there is, but I don't recall the details. I think 8Mud posted some info on it here once or twice the last 6 years.
Have you tried a jump wire from the battery + to the starter solenoid + to see if the starter will engage and run? That would confirm it is or is not the starter, leaving the relay and ignition switch and their wires left.

Click to expand...

I did that before I replaced the starter, and I replaced it because of that. I haven't tried it with the new starter but will the next time it happens. I've been driving it daily for a week now and no issues. It's really random when it happens.

Here is one of the 8MUD posts, #2:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1073495&page=2