PUSH BUTTON START ON 98

Ok so two weeks ago I started the xj to move it started ok but when I went to shut her down turned the key off but she kept running. Luckily she is a stick so I just dumped the clutch while holding the brake down to kill it.

Yesterday I went to move it and she wont start just cranks and cranks no start. No fuel pump and no spark. I installed a new cps nd still no pump or spark.

Through reading it looks as if no signal is getting to the ASD relay which inturn turns on a couple more things including the fuel pump ( I ran a wire straight to the pump from the battery and know it works).

I think my ignition switch is shot.

Its a 98.

My question is, what wires from the column do I wire together for ON (through a switch of course)?

And which ones do I wire to a push button to trip the starter relay?

Why don't you replace the switch. They're cheap and easy to replace...

That way you don't hack up your dash...

I don't have the wires off the top of my head but you're going to need a voltmeter anyways. You can test to figure it out.

Dash has already been removed. I want something that won't go bad again is why I don't want to just put in a new switch.

Ah, wel that makes sense.


This help? That's off some 50 year old vehicle but it shouldn't be a whole lot different. Same basic colors.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=98+C...bnw=176&start=10&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:10

Last time I had the problem you had it turned out to be a fubared computer... Everthing was fine and then one day I turned the Jeep off and it kept running.

Ended up replacing the computer with a spare I had laying around and all was well.

Lowrange2 said:

Last time I had the problem you had it turned out to be a fubared computer... Everthing was fine and then one day I turned the Jeep off and it kept running.

Ended up replacing the computer with a spare I had laying around and all was well.

Click to expand...

Well I hope that is not it, anyone got a "spare" computer for a manual 98?

the way I did it in mine was basically to unplug the switch and jumper the hot wire to all the other wires to see what they were for and then just group them together. Now my current set up is two toggle switches and a push button: one switch opperates the fuel pump, and engine controls, the other opperates all my accessories (wipers, radio, turn signals, etc.), and the button runs the starter only. I like it that way, and it was pretty easy. now, if I'm leaving it in the city somewhere for a while I have a hidden switch that kills it all, or I open up the hood and take the fuel pump relay with me.

granted, mine's a '91, but the same process should apply.

I can open up my dash tonight and look if you want. But when I had a similar problem it was the junction block in the kick panel had been submerged too many times, had a lot of corrosion and two burn holes through the layers.

Fidget360 said:

the way I did it in mine was basically to unplug the switch and jumper the hot wire to all the other wires to see what they were for and then just group them together.

Click to expand...

I did mine basically the same way, but if he really does have a bad module than he'll get the wrong wires.

Yeah, and jumpering wires to see what they do is a good way to have to rewire the whole Jeep and replace the computer even it it's was good.

A cheap voltmeter costs 12 bucks.

I guess I got away with it because it's a '91? a little more simple, perhaps...

Meh, still touchy. It all depends on which wires you touched together.

ok sorry it took me a while to get back to this. Now this is on a '99, but I don't think there's any differences.

First of all, I do have a homemade dash center panel, very nice for mounting switches.


Close up of the engine switches.


Behind the engine switches. It's hard to see, but the run switch has solid black wire and solid white wire to it. The acc switch has black w/ red tape, and white w/ black tape.


Here's the other end under the steering wheel where it's spliced in. you can see the white and black wires, w/ and w/o tape.


The wire section spliced in are 12 gauge I think. Here's the specifics for the connections.
RED ----- acc switch --- BLACK (white stripe)

PINK (black stripe) --- run switch --- Dark BLUE, and BLACK (orange stripe)

Not Connected (I honestly have no idea what these wires are for and have never missed them): BLACK (small wire), YELLOW, and GRAY (Blk stripe, small wire)

The starter I've wired completely seperate, 10 gauge wire, it goes
Batt - inline fuse (30A I think?) - push button - starter solonoid

The run and acc switches are 35 amp switches I bought at autozone, the toggles were kind of long so I trimmed them down. Now the stock "run" fuse is 50 amp, and I think the acc is 35 or 40. Replace them both with 30A, you don't want to burn up your switches. I've never had a problem with the smaller fuses.

I hope that works, if any of that doesn't make sense I can try and explain it a little better.

But I would still take a real close look at the juntion block in the kick panel, chances are that's where your problem actually is and this won't do you anything other than let you throw away the key.

This is a great start, thanks, it will allow me to eliminate the ignition "switch" which is where I think the problem is. after that I will go to relays and fuse blocks........then ecu.

Got it all wired up and still nothing (starter does turn over w pushbutton). checked ALL fuses and none are blown. Pretty sure its the computer now.

So before it wouldn't shut off now it won't turn on?

Last time it ran it wouldn't shut off. Last time I tried starting it it wouldn't come on, making me think it was the ignition switch. Now I am pretty sure its the ecu.