Update: Strange XJ Behavior
 

Ok got some more info, that may help diagnose the problem with my XJ.

It had it's "problem" twice to day, both times the wife said that the door
buzzer was working but nothing else was, she then moved the gear shifter
(just wiggled it in park) and the J**P started right up. I tried it when I
got home and managed to duplicate it once, when I managed to do it I noticed
that the only gauge that seemed to function or even move was the temp gauge
and it almost instantly went to the red line, Once the XJ started
everything was normal including all gauges.

Right now I am ruling out a problem with the ignition switch and some
problem in the column as I duplicated it by wiggling the shifter, so now its
a toss up between a ground problem or neutral/park switch, unless some may
know other wise.

Snow...93 XJ, 4.0, 95% stock and 80% new.

Original post below:
Problem...
Wifey went out to start the XJ and go to an appointment she had, first she
had to play musical cars as I had parked my baby LTD behind the XJ. she
moved my car started the XJ moved it onto the road and parked it, turned it
off and drove my car back into the drive. When she went to restart the XJ
(less then 5 minutes after turning it off) it wouldn't start, she said she
had nothing, no radio, no buzzers and most of all not even a click click
sound from under the hood. After she came back in and got me, I went out
and turned the key... BINGO!! it started first try and everything was normal
(rpm, volt, etc.). I shut of the XJ and tried again, Once more it started
no problems.

Wondering if anyone might have any ideas as to the cause of it not wanting
to less then 5 minutes after the wife had turned it off?

Re: Update: Strange XJ Behavior
 

That is a strange one.

Is the park interlock a ground signal? If so maybe it is all that is
making the body ground connection to fire up the ignition? Then when
the alternator kicks in, the amps jump up enough to cross a ratty
braided ground strap from the engine head to the firewall.

Just a wild guess.

Or maybe your linkage just needs a bit of adjustment. Automatics have
major linkage issues if you have a broken engine or tranny mount, it
takes very little shifting around of the engine to mess up the park
position.

My old tenant had those kind of issues, but he had dead body mounts. If
he parked it say up on a rock to get a photo, he was stuck. It wouldn't
come out of park, period and he had to be towed or better said dragged
off to level ground before he could drive it again.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Snow wrote:
>
> Ok got some more info, that may help diagnose the problem with my XJ.
>
> It had it's "problem" twice to day, both times the wife said that the door
> buzzer was working but nothing else was, she then moved the gear shifter
> (just wiggled it in park) and the J**P started right up. I tried it when I
> got home and managed to duplicate it once, when I managed to do it I noticed
> that the only gauge that seemed to function or even move was the temp gauge
> and it almost instantly went to the red line, Once the XJ started
> everything was normal including all gauges.
>
> Right now I am ruling out a problem with the ignition switch and some
> problem in the column as I duplicated it by wiggling the shifter, so now its
> a toss up between a ground problem or neutral/park switch, unless some may
> know other wise.
>
> Snow...93 XJ, 4.0, 95% stock and 80% new.
>
> Original post below:
> Problem...
> Wifey went out to start the XJ and go to an appointment she had, first she
> had to play musical cars as I had parked my baby LTD behind the XJ. she
> moved my car started the XJ moved it onto the road and parked it, turned it
> off and drove my car back into the drive. When she went to restart the XJ
> (less then 5 minutes after turning it off) it wouldn't start, she said she
> had nothing, no radio, no buzzers and most of all not even a click click
> sound from under the hood. After she came back in and got me, I went out
> and turned the key... BINGO!! it started first try and everything was normal
> (rpm, volt, etc.). I shut of the XJ and tried again, Once more it started
> no problems.
>
> Wondering if anyone might have any ideas as to the cause of it not wanting
> to less then 5 minutes after the wife had turned it off?

Re: Update: Strange XJ Behavior
 

That is a strange one.

Is the park interlock a ground signal? If so maybe it is all that is
making the body ground connection to fire up the ignition? Then when
the alternator kicks in, the amps jump up enough to cross a ratty
braided ground strap from the engine head to the firewall.

Just a wild guess.

Or maybe your linkage just needs a bit of adjustment. Automatics have
major linkage issues if you have a broken engine or tranny mount, it
takes very little shifting around of the engine to mess up the park
position.

My old tenant had those kind of issues, but he had dead body mounts. If
he parked it say up on a rock to get a photo, he was stuck. It wouldn't
come out of park, period and he had to be towed or better said dragged
off to level ground before he could drive it again.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Snow wrote:
>
> Ok got some more info, that may help diagnose the problem with my XJ.
>
> It had it's "problem" twice to day, both times the wife said that the door
> buzzer was working but nothing else was, she then moved the gear shifter
> (just wiggled it in park) and the J**P started right up. I tried it when I
> got home and managed to duplicate it once, when I managed to do it I noticed
> that the only gauge that seemed to function or even move was the temp gauge
> and it almost instantly went to the red line, Once the XJ started
> everything was normal including all gauges.
>
> Right now I am ruling out a problem with the ignition switch and some
> problem in the column as I duplicated it by wiggling the shifter, so now its
> a toss up between a ground problem or neutral/park switch, unless some may
> know other wise.
>
> Snow...93 XJ, 4.0, 95% stock and 80% new.
>
> Original post below:
> Problem...
> Wifey went out to start the XJ and go to an appointment she had, first she
> had to play musical cars as I had parked my baby LTD behind the XJ. she
> moved my car started the XJ moved it onto the road and parked it, turned it
> off and drove my car back into the drive. When she went to restart the XJ
> (less then 5 minutes after turning it off) it wouldn't start, she said she
> had nothing, no radio, no buzzers and most of all not even a click click
> sound from under the hood. After she came back in and got me, I went out
> and turned the key... BINGO!! it started first try and everything was normal
> (rpm, volt, etc.). I shut of the XJ and tried again, Once more it started
> no problems.
>
> Wondering if anyone might have any ideas as to the cause of it not wanting
> to less then 5 minutes after the wife had turned it off?

Re: Update: Strange XJ Behavior
 

That is a strange one.

Is the park interlock a ground signal? If so maybe it is all that is
making the body ground connection to fire up the ignition? Then when
the alternator kicks in, the amps jump up enough to cross a ratty
braided ground strap from the engine head to the firewall.

Just a wild guess.

Or maybe your linkage just needs a bit of adjustment. Automatics have
major linkage issues if you have a broken engine or tranny mount, it
takes very little shifting around of the engine to mess up the park
position.

My old tenant had those kind of issues, but he had dead body mounts. If
he parked it say up on a rock to get a photo, he was stuck. It wouldn't
come out of park, period and he had to be towed or better said dragged
off to level ground before he could drive it again.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Snow wrote:
>
> Ok got some more info, that may help diagnose the problem with my XJ.
>
> It had it's "problem" twice to day, both times the wife said that the door
> buzzer was working but nothing else was, she then moved the gear shifter
> (just wiggled it in park) and the J**P started right up. I tried it when I
> got home and managed to duplicate it once, when I managed to do it I noticed
> that the only gauge that seemed to function or even move was the temp gauge
> and it almost instantly went to the red line, Once the XJ started
> everything was normal including all gauges.
>
> Right now I am ruling out a problem with the ignition switch and some
> problem in the column as I duplicated it by wiggling the shifter, so now its
> a toss up between a ground problem or neutral/park switch, unless some may
> know other wise.
>
> Snow...93 XJ, 4.0, 95% stock and 80% new.
>
> Original post below:
> Problem...
> Wifey went out to start the XJ and go to an appointment she had, first she
> had to play musical cars as I had parked my baby LTD behind the XJ. she
> moved my car started the XJ moved it onto the road and parked it, turned it
> off and drove my car back into the drive. When she went to restart the XJ
> (less then 5 minutes after turning it off) it wouldn't start, she said she
> had nothing, no radio, no buzzers and most of all not even a click click
> sound from under the hood. After she came back in and got me, I went out
> and turned the key... BINGO!! it started first try and everything was normal
> (rpm, volt, etc.). I shut of the XJ and tried again, Once more it started
> no problems.
>
> Wondering if anyone might have any ideas as to the cause of it not wanting
> to less then 5 minutes after the wife had turned it off?