ignition switch dead?

Hey:

Well I parked my 88 XJ 2.5L 5spd a couple of days ago. Now it won't even try to start. Symptons are turn key and nothing. Usually turn the key on and two lights on the display and a warning buzzer, hear fuel pump kick in, then I turn to start. Now nothing. I cleaned the battery connections, even swapped with a brand new known working battery. Same thing. However the headlights do work.

Well OK. It is not the ignition switch.
I am going to check the starter/ solenoid/ relay also the all the grounds that I can find.

Neutral Safety Switch? Try shifting it in and aout of gear a few times. If it is the NSS, it might start one time after moving the shifter in and out of gear. You can test most everything else, other than the NSS, by jump starting the starter solenoid.

Ecomike said:

Neutral Safety Switch? Try shifting it in and aout of gear a few times. If it is the NSS, it might start one time after moving the shifter in and out of gear. You can test most everything else, other than the NSS, by jump starting the starter solenoid.

Click to expand...

Hi Ecomike,
I am going to be start by jumping the starter solenoid and then work back toward the ignition switch. As I have a manual tranny, I have no NSS.

Thanks,

Cheers,

wild_thing

Question for anyone:
would a dead starter relay keep the warning buzzer and seatbelt lights from
from activating in the key on position? I would think not but am certainly no RENIX guru so I thought that I would throw it out there...

The Hayne's manual drawing(s) I have does not show it one way or the other.

Have you tried turn signals, back up lights, head lights in the ignition switch on/off position, what are they doing?

How did you determine the ignition switch was OK? Keep in mind one or more, but not necessarily all parts of the igniton switch can bad!!! Some parts can short to each other, or open up leaving other parts of the igniton switch working normally!!!!

Ecomike said:

Have you tried turn signals, back up lights, head lights in the ignition switch on/off position, what are they doing?

Click to expand...

Headlights, interior dome light, dash lights all work ok. Turn signals, no

Ecomike said:

How did you determine the ignition switch was OK?

Click to expand...

I replaced the suspect one with a known working one. The problem seems to lie between the ignition switch and the starter. If I jump + from the battery to the starter solenoid, it turns over. Do you know of a way to a way to test the relay?

Thanks,

I am concerned that the turn signals do not work in the ignition-on position. My drawing (Haynes manual) shows it to be hot with the Ignition switch on, but it could be wrong.

Did you check the electrical contacts on the ignition switch harness connector when you swapped out the igniton switch?

"Do you know of a way to a way to test the relay?"

In a way you already have. Replace the relay, they are cheap (maybe $15.00 at autozone). If that does not work it has to be in the wiring itself, which I doubt. I am sure you can jump the relay too if you just follow the wires and figure out which ones to jump on it, but if the starter started when you jumped the starter solenoid with the ignition on, that says the starter relay or the wiring to it is bad. Much easier to replace the relay, clean the wire & contacts that attach to it and hope the wiring harness is still OK.