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dont know where this cable goes

N

nu2jeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Oxnard, CA
My 1987 4.0L cherokee wont start, im not sure why, this cable doesnt seem to be connected and that might be why it wont start, but i cant find anywhere i could plug it into, can anyone check to see if they have that red cable around there and help me out as to where it goes, thanks



 
Maybe starter relay or solenoid? not sure about the set up on that year. Is it a factory wire? Where does the wire start? Does it start at the battery or come off of the loom somewhere?
 
does the hood light work? i have an 88 and it looks like the connecter that goes to the hood light. but about the no start, what is it doing and not doing? maybe i can help since i had the same problem when i got mine.
 
it actually doesnt even have a hood light, and yeah it was doing it and not doing it, the radio and everything inside works, lights...etc. only thing is it wont crank and turn on at all
 
try bypassing the solenoid on the starter with the key in the run mode and the Jeep in park. By this, I mean that you touch the two terminals on the back of the starter with something metal. If the jeep starts up than you've got a problem somewhere between your ignition and the starter, and that cable that you don't know where it plugs into would probably lead into your starter. Other than that, try to follow the loom and look for the wire on the other side. Also try to have a friend turn your ignition to start while you test the voltage at the cable in question. That would be a diffinitive test. Good luck, Dan.
 
Fourxfour79 said:
try bypassing the solenoid on the starter with the key in the run mode and the Jeep in park. By this, I mean that you touch the two terminals on the back of the starter with something metal. If the jeep starts up than you've got a problem somewhere between your ignition and the starter, and that cable that you don't know where it plugs into would probably lead into your starter. Other than that, try to follow the loom and look for the wire on the other side. Also try to have a friend turn your ignition to start while you test the voltage at the cable in question. That would be a diffinitive test. Good luck, Dan.
Click to expand...

the jeep does start up when i do that, so then it probably is something between ignition and starter, i tried following the loom and it goes all around the front of the jeep and then it looks like it goes into the cab, ill try testing the voltage tomorrow, thanks
 
Well, it's a single lead wire...therefore it's not for the hood light.

COULD be for an under bumper temp sensor (remember, all XJ's had the same wire harness regardless of options....) for an overhead console.

It could be for the A/C compressor, although the female end doesn't look like what the A/C compressor uses.

However, the horns do use the same type of connector. The horns are grounded through the body so all they have is a power lead.

I'd say check it with a volt meter.
 
Blaine B. said:
Well, it's a single lead wire...therefore it's not for the hood light.

COULD be for an under bumper temp sensor (remember, all XJ's had the same wire harness regardless of options....) for an overhead console.

It could be for the A/C compressor, although the female end doesn't look like what the A/C compressor uses.

However, the horns do use the same type of connector. The horns are grounded through the body so all they have is a power lead.

I'd say check it with a volt meter.
Click to expand...

im almost sure its not a temp sensor since the over head console doesnt have the temp. so id check it with a volt meter and then what?
 
Neutral safety switch - a device that only allows the Jeep to start in park or neutral. Also senses when you are in reverse to turn on the reverse lights.

Most times it gets crudded up inside and needs cleaning because the contacts aren't touching the grid as they should. Sometimes they only need to be realigned.

It's on the. transmission on the passenger side. Held on with a 12mm nut on top as well as a larger nut on the shaft. You have to slide the neutral safety switch straight off, you can't wiggle it either.
 
nu2jeep said:
im almost sure its not a temp sensor since the over head console doesnt have the temp. so id check it with a volt meter and then what?
Click to expand...

Regardless of options, the harness remains the same. Based on what you don't have, the plugs will still be there.
 
Blaine B. said:
Regardless of options, the harness remains the same. Based on what you don't have, the plugs will still be there.
Click to expand...

just that year? or all of them? can someone check and see if they have that wire hanging around or if they have it plugged in somewhere
 
nu2jeep said:
Click to expand...
Fallow your finger. First in line is connector in question. Next is a red wire with blue heat shrink on it. Just under it in pic is 2 green wires on one connection. http://my.opera.com/xjcountry93/albums/show.dml?id=441643 Scan to bottom. Sorry the pic quility aint that great. And there aint much else on the site. Your red wire in question goes to a splitter, 3 red wires in (one is your question) and comes out as 1 green wire which is one of the 2 green on connector in your pic. No I don't know what it does. I have always liked the '91-'95 jeeps, and I bought this one in a pinch. All I know is it is a pos pre HO motor.
 
mikeNtucson said:
All I know is it is a pos pre HO motor.
Click to expand...

You are very incorrect there. The HO is the pos. 87-90 motors were built better and the fuel injection system is superior.

as for the wire, look on the starter relay (the grey box with the red wire + blue heatshrink going into it)

there should be a few connectors that are similar going into it.

thick green: +12v feed to starter solenoid
small green: +12v feed from ignition switch
small black/white stripe: ground feed from NSS

you need a multimeter or power probe.

check that the small green wire gets +12v when turning key to start

the small black/white should go to ground when you're in park or neutral. if it doesn't ground you need to rebuild your neutral safety switch...

or, the simple quick fix is to just ground the black/white wire. (note: this bypasses the neutral safety switch and your Jeep WILL start in ANY gear.)

or, you can just give up and I'll take that "pos" off your hands.
 
you feel the renix is better. Others feel the early vw bus is better than on 08 caravan. It is what you want out of it that makes it the best. What I want to do with mine, makes '91-'95 best for me.
 
CheapXJ said:
You are very incorrect there. The HO is the pos. 87-90 motors were built better and the fuel injection system is superior.

as for the wire, look on the starter relay (the grey box with the red wire + blue heatshrink going into it)

there should be a few connectors that are similar going into it.

thick green: +12v feed to starter solenoid
small green: +12v feed from ignition switch
small black/white stripe: ground feed from NSS

you need a multimeter or power probe.

check that the small green wire gets +12v when turning key to start

the small black/white should go to ground when you're in park or neutral. if it doesn't ground you need to rebuild your neutral safety switch...

or, the simple quick fix is to just ground the black/white wire. (note: this bypasses the neutral safety switch and your Jeep WILL start in ANY gear.)

or, you can just give up and I'll take that "pos" off your hands.
Click to expand...

hey i just tried bypassing the neutral safety switch like you said and it started right up. how do i go about rebuilding the NSS? thanks for your help !

oh and the engine sounded a little weird, maybe im just used to my truck or maybe not, ill try to get a sound clip tomorrow and you guys be the judges

thanks again!
 
mikeNtucson said:
you feel the renix is better. Others feel the early vw bus is better than on 08 caravan. It is what you want out of it that makes it the best. What I want to do with mine, makes '91-'95 best for me.
Click to expand...

um, as an engine management solution, the renix is superior in both power and efficiency.

91-95 don't use EGR or a knock sensor.

EGR keeps cylinder temperatures DOWN while cruising.

a knock sensor allows for maximum timing advance which gives more power and more efficiency.

the 87-90 blocks are stronger, hell they weigh 3.8 pounds more than the 91-95.

the ONLY thing the HO has going for it is the head. the head flows better.

don't even get me started on that stupid internal voltage regulator on the 91-95 jeeps. if the alternator cannot be regulated by the Jeep, the fix is to replace the ECU.

and even though it's only a $1.27 diode that shorts out, you can't take the ECU apart to fix it.
 
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