95 XJ starting problem.
 

95 XJ I6 automatic.
New battery, plugs, wires, cap and rotor 2 weeks ago.
Jeep drove to Mississippi and back (Wisconsin) - no problems.
Wife moved jeep out of drive on turkey day, no start that evening - tried
puttin transmission in neutral and park, no click.
Jumped and nothing - no click.
This morning while verifying good connections to the starter, I crossed 2
terminals and sparked at the solenoid, starter 'whirred'.
Tried starting and nothing, put transmission in neutral and it started.
Drove around a little got back home turned it off and now it starts without
any hesitation........

I'm glad that it starts but am puzzled by what was wrong, Is there a
transmission 'safety switch' that my have poor contacts? Where would the
switch be found/ serviced?

thanks
paul

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

paul proclaimed:

> 95 XJ I6 automatic.
> New battery, plugs, wires, cap and rotor 2 weeks ago.
> Jeep drove to Mississippi and back (Wisconsin) - no problems.
> Wife moved jeep out of drive on turkey day, no start that evening - tried
> puttin transmission in neutral and park, no click.
> Jumped and nothing - no click.

I just went thru this same thing on a 95 ZJ with the I6 auto. Began a
bit intermittent, and tended to happen when the battery may have been a
bit low due to a hospital stay. Plus the genius that last "checked" the
battery left the !!@#$! terminals loose.

Fixed the cables, pulled the ground from the body and cables at the
starter and solenoid and cleaned thoroughly with a Dremel. Put back and
painted with conformal coating.

Swapped the transmission switch and the starter relay, and at the same
time found a crack in the fuel pump relay top. Swapped both relays.
Battery is brand new DieHard, checked for surface charge, plus I cheat
and have a spare new DieHard as a result of a warranty confusion.
Jumping with the two fully charged batteries in parallel, not a click
other than the very quiet one of the starter relay [which eliminates the
transmission switch and the starter relay].

Gave up and asked the service manager at local dealer. He loaned me a
steel bar with instructions to whack the solenoid a good one. That
worked. Three times. Bummer, can't get a new starter, had to settle
for remanufactured.


> This morning while verifying good connections to the starter, I crossed 2
> terminals and sparked at the solenoid, starter 'whirred'.
> Tried starting and nothing, put transmission in neutral and it started.
> Drove around a little got back home turned it off and now it starts without
> any hesitation........

This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts,
no idea how cheap elsewhere.

>
> I'm glad that it starts but am puzzled by what was wrong, Is there a
> transmission 'safety switch' that my have poor contacts? Where would the
> switch be found/ serviced?

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

paul proclaimed:

> 95 XJ I6 automatic.
> New battery, plugs, wires, cap and rotor 2 weeks ago.
> Jeep drove to Mississippi and back (Wisconsin) - no problems.
> Wife moved jeep out of drive on turkey day, no start that evening - tried
> puttin transmission in neutral and park, no click.
> Jumped and nothing - no click.

I just went thru this same thing on a 95 ZJ with the I6 auto. Began a
bit intermittent, and tended to happen when the battery may have been a
bit low due to a hospital stay. Plus the genius that last "checked" the
battery left the !!@#$! terminals loose.

Fixed the cables, pulled the ground from the body and cables at the
starter and solenoid and cleaned thoroughly with a Dremel. Put back and
painted with conformal coating.

Swapped the transmission switch and the starter relay, and at the same
time found a crack in the fuel pump relay top. Swapped both relays.
Battery is brand new DieHard, checked for surface charge, plus I cheat
and have a spare new DieHard as a result of a warranty confusion.
Jumping with the two fully charged batteries in parallel, not a click
other than the very quiet one of the starter relay [which eliminates the
transmission switch and the starter relay].

Gave up and asked the service manager at local dealer. He loaned me a
steel bar with instructions to whack the solenoid a good one. That
worked. Three times. Bummer, can't get a new starter, had to settle
for remanufactured.


> This morning while verifying good connections to the starter, I crossed 2
> terminals and sparked at the solenoid, starter 'whirred'.
> Tried starting and nothing, put transmission in neutral and it started.
> Drove around a little got back home turned it off and now it starts without
> any hesitation........

This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts,
no idea how cheap elsewhere.

>
> I'm glad that it starts but am puzzled by what was wrong, Is there a
> transmission 'safety switch' that my have poor contacts? Where would the
> switch be found/ serviced?

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

paul proclaimed:

> 95 XJ I6 automatic.
> New battery, plugs, wires, cap and rotor 2 weeks ago.
> Jeep drove to Mississippi and back (Wisconsin) - no problems.
> Wife moved jeep out of drive on turkey day, no start that evening - tried
> puttin transmission in neutral and park, no click.
> Jumped and nothing - no click.

I just went thru this same thing on a 95 ZJ with the I6 auto. Began a
bit intermittent, and tended to happen when the battery may have been a
bit low due to a hospital stay. Plus the genius that last "checked" the
battery left the !!@#$! terminals loose.

Fixed the cables, pulled the ground from the body and cables at the
starter and solenoid and cleaned thoroughly with a Dremel. Put back and
painted with conformal coating.

Swapped the transmission switch and the starter relay, and at the same
time found a crack in the fuel pump relay top. Swapped both relays.
Battery is brand new DieHard, checked for surface charge, plus I cheat
and have a spare new DieHard as a result of a warranty confusion.
Jumping with the two fully charged batteries in parallel, not a click
other than the very quiet one of the starter relay [which eliminates the
transmission switch and the starter relay].

Gave up and asked the service manager at local dealer. He loaned me a
steel bar with instructions to whack the solenoid a good one. That
worked. Three times. Bummer, can't get a new starter, had to settle
for remanufactured.


> This morning while verifying good connections to the starter, I crossed 2
> terminals and sparked at the solenoid, starter 'whirred'.
> Tried starting and nothing, put transmission in neutral and it started.
> Drove around a little got back home turned it off and now it starts without
> any hesitation........

This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts,
no idea how cheap elsewhere.

>
> I'm glad that it starts but am puzzled by what was wrong, Is there a
> transmission 'safety switch' that my have poor contacts? Where would the
> switch be found/ serviced?

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:xeGdnc9xUcPxzxreRVn-oA@comcast.com...
> paul proclaimed:
>
[snip]
>
> This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts, no
> idea how cheap elsewhere.

Lon.

The Neutral Safty Switch for a XJ with the 4.0L and ASIN AW4 is VERY
expensive. But they can be cleaned and regreased and then are good as new.

JoBo

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:xeGdnc9xUcPxzxreRVn-oA@comcast.com...
> paul proclaimed:
>
[snip]
>
> This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts, no
> idea how cheap elsewhere.

Lon.

The Neutral Safty Switch for a XJ with the 4.0L and ASIN AW4 is VERY
expensive. But they can be cleaned and regreased and then are good as new.

JoBo

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:xeGdnc9xUcPxzxreRVn-oA@comcast.com...
> paul proclaimed:
>
[snip]
>
> This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts, no
> idea how cheap elsewhere.

Lon.

The Neutral Safty Switch for a XJ with the 4.0L and ASIN AW4 is VERY
expensive. But they can be cleaned and regreased and then are good as new.

JoBo

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

> This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts,
> no idea how cheap elsewhere.

Last year when I went to buy a new switch I was quoted over $350 cdn (about
$300 usd). Thats a long way from 8 bucks.

You can do one of three things, buy it new from a stealership. If you have
the money and have no technical know how what so ever.

Bypass your safety switch and allow your XJ to start in any gear, this is
best done if you bypass the connector on the switch side of the harness (a
new switch comes with the harness) so you don't have to chop and repair the
vehicle side harness. A quick look at a schematic for the safety switch
will allow you see what you need to jumper (THIS WORKS EVEN FOR TROUBLE
SHOOTING THE CIRCUIT).

Remove and repair your current switch
http://www.dirtdevils.org/briantechtippage.htm

I would suggest getting a schematic for the circuit first and try umpiring
the connector to see if this will solve your problem.

Snow...

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

> This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts,
> no idea how cheap elsewhere.

Last year when I went to buy a new switch I was quoted over $350 cdn (about
$300 usd). Thats a long way from 8 bucks.

You can do one of three things, buy it new from a stealership. If you have
the money and have no technical know how what so ever.

Bypass your safety switch and allow your XJ to start in any gear, this is
best done if you bypass the connector on the switch side of the harness (a
new switch comes with the harness) so you don't have to chop and repair the
vehicle side harness. A quick look at a schematic for the safety switch
will allow you see what you need to jumper (THIS WORKS EVEN FOR TROUBLE
SHOOTING THE CIRCUIT).

Remove and repair your current switch
http://www.dirtdevils.org/briantechtippage.htm

I would suggest getting a schematic for the circuit first and try umpiring
the connector to see if this will solve your problem.

Snow...

Re: 95 XJ starting problem.
 

> This could be the park neutral switch, about 8 bucks at a dealer parts,
> no idea how cheap elsewhere.

Last year when I went to buy a new switch I was quoted over $350 cdn (about
$300 usd). Thats a long way from 8 bucks.

You can do one of three things, buy it new from a stealership. If you have
the money and have no technical know how what so ever.

Bypass your safety switch and allow your XJ to start in any gear, this is
best done if you bypass the connector on the switch side of the harness (a
new switch comes with the harness) so you don't have to chop and repair the
vehicle side harness. A quick look at a schematic for the safety switch
will allow you see what you need to jumper (THIS WORKS EVEN FOR TROUBLE
SHOOTING THE CIRCUIT).

Remove and repair your current switch
http://www.dirtdevils.org/briantechtippage.htm

I would suggest getting a schematic for the circuit first and try umpiring
the connector to see if this will solve your problem.

Snow...