Ignition? Starter Relay? Starter?

[RebelXJ]

HI All ! I got an 87 4.0 auto, it will not start. It previously screwed up on me about a month ago, it wouldnt start anymore with the key, i would have to go under and jump it off the relay. Now it wont do anything even tryin to jump it/ neutral /park. The battery has 13v, i can hear the fuel pump purge. I I beat the starter. I dont have any voltage reading on the dash with key "on" ? It did say 8v with key "on" during the month i was jumpin the relay but would go to 13 once truck was started. Now nothing!!! What im wondering about this is if this is a whole big short in my ignition since im reading no voltage on the dash, but the pump purges, radio was good till screwing with it. Now it just constantly clicks under the hood in the ""ON" position. What shall i do???

[Ecomike]

Sounds like the starter solenoid on the top of the starter is bad now, and was going bad, but sounds like you may have had an earlier, still unsolved problem too.

What year is it? Older jeeps had a small relay near the battery with fuse links in the wires, problem may be there two. You may have 2 bad parts now!!!!

The starter solenoid on top of the starter is easy to replace. But make sure you install it the same way as the original (mark the old one before you remove it with magic marker). If you put it in backwards, 180 degrees off, it will not crank, and will just heat up, HOT!!!

Other option is just replace the entire starter, in case the windings or brushes are bad!!! Yours could be a bad starter and bad solenoid.

[RebelXJ]

Its an 87 4.0 . If theres a problem with the solenoid will it affect the voltage gauge on my dash???? Now not even the radio works, and hear clicking when the key is on the "ON" position.

[Ecomike]

Sounds like a bad ignition switch down under the dash on top of the steering column (operated by a long rod from the key lock ignition mechanism) and or the small starter relay near the battery, with the fuse link wires and the one big red wire, about 8 gauge red wire running to the battery, is dead.

Also check the wires to the ignition switch itself, they were not too great in 87. The wires, connector and switch are often all burned and melted.

The clicking may just be the fuel pump relay. I have yet to loose a fuse link, but the wires at the ignition switch and the switch, and the relay by the battery are all pretty new on my 85,87 and 89, and are the usual suspects.
If you really dig there are some pictorial how to threads scattered out here over the years.

[RebelXJ]

Im gonna check out up under the dash cause i have changed i switch once and i remember it was all melted. I have changed the whole column out once about 5 years ago and for some reason that rod u r talking about isn't in the steering casing. I don't recall why i didnt put it in there. Tom i will give it a look. Thks.

[Ecomike]

As I recall the melted mess is due to too much load on a brown 12 gauge wire through the ignition / run switch, that feeds the WSwipers, door locks, E-windows, AC/Heat blower fan, radio, and maybe even the blinker lights!!!

I had to run a new 10 gauge wire from the back of the fuse block, to a 30 amp inline fused dash switch on mine and by pass the ignition switch on that brown wire, to stop burning up ignition switches on my 85 and 87.

[Shorty]

if it turns out to be a cooked wire/plug at the ignition switch, the best prevention you can do is to ensure the heater is turned off before you try to start the vehicle. A tired blower motor can draw excessive current and accelerate the burning of the wire/plug.

[Ecomike]

Originally Posted by Shorty

if it turns out to be a cooked wire/plug at the ignition switch, the best prevention you can do is to ensure the heater is turned off before you try to start the vehicle. A tired blower motor can draw excessive current and accelerate the burning of the wire/plug.

Not to mention running an old tired fan switch, blower resistor pack and the dozen connections in between, then turn on the defroster on HIGH, and run the windshield wipers and radio at full power, and then turn on the turn signal!!!

[RebelXJ]

You boys have just killed me!!! I've been banging the dash under the fan to make it run everytime i fire her up, changed a light switch this summer cause she melted, flasher light constantly stay on "in the dash". Ever since the whole issue of not startin with the key, the fan is always on without banging!! Try tom to climb up in the dash and see whats going on with her. thanks guys

[RebelXJ]

Ok guys here's what i found. Red to Orange 11.8 v, Red to Brown 12.3v, Red to Green 2.3 v, there's continuity between Brown and black and gray/strip red wires which are together in harness. There isnt any continuity in between the big brown and big Orange.? The wires arent too bad of shape and the connector is melted a little. Now what?

[djgrayxj]

Note from DJ
You can do what Ecomike suggested or what is suggested in tis post below
The latest issue is - my radio, cig lighter, and blower all cut out at the same time.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1065531
OP by jmeti000 on an 87XJ

[ParadiseXJ]

Originally Posted by RebelXJ

You boys have just killed me!!! I've been banging the dash under the fan to make it run...

Do you mean to say that all of that head scratching, troubleshooting, diagnosing and repair I've done is for nothing...I could have just banged on s##t and it would have made everything work?? Dang!!!