Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> <lsaugier@hilcorp.com> wrote in message
> news:1179519439.326218.307450@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>> Here's what happened: I started my jeep ('87 YJ 4.2L) and the starter
>> kept cranking, would not disengage. I didn't know what was happening
>> and drove off. It sucked all the juice out of my battery and burnt up
>> the starter.
>>
>> My first thought was that my solenoid (the part that sends juice from
>> the battery to the starter) was stuck. I replaced my solenoid,
>> starter motor, and battery. When everything was in place I connected
>> the leads on my battery and the jeep turned over (and would have
>> started) even though the ignition switch (the one on the steering
>> column) was set to 'off'. So I think the ignition switch on the
>> steering column is stuck in the 'start' position.
>>
>> How do you replace that thing? Where is it, is it right there where
>> you put the key in? Do I need to take the steering wheel off and get
>> to it that way? Chilton is pretty useless here, they really don't
>> show you where it is or how to get at it.
>>
>> Next question - which wire on my solenoid comes from the steering
>> column? I'm considering a simple 'on-off' switch and a starter button
>> simply because I can't find where the starter switch is on the
>> steering column. Any advice?
>>
>
>
> Let's back up a step of two and start over.
>

I think he should pull the switch at the 'bottom' which is easy first to
verify if that is the trouble or not before ripping the wheel apart...

Mike

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> <lsaugier@hilcorp.com> wrote in message
> news:1179519439.326218.307450@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>> Here's what happened: I started my jeep ('87 YJ 4.2L) and the starter
>> kept cranking, would not disengage. I didn't know what was happening
>> and drove off. It sucked all the juice out of my battery and burnt up
>> the starter.
>>
>> My first thought was that my solenoid (the part that sends juice from
>> the battery to the starter) was stuck. I replaced my solenoid,
>> starter motor, and battery. When everything was in place I connected
>> the leads on my battery and the jeep turned over (and would have
>> started) even though the ignition switch (the one on the steering
>> column) was set to 'off'. So I think the ignition switch on the
>> steering column is stuck in the 'start' position.
>>
>> How do you replace that thing? Where is it, is it right there where
>> you put the key in? Do I need to take the steering wheel off and get
>> to it that way? Chilton is pretty useless here, they really don't
>> show you where it is or how to get at it.
>>
>> Next question - which wire on my solenoid comes from the steering
>> column? I'm considering a simple 'on-off' switch and a starter button
>> simply because I can't find where the starter switch is on the
>> steering column. Any advice?
>>
>
>
> Let's back up a step of two and start over.
>

I think he should pull the switch at the 'bottom' which is easy first to
verify if that is the trouble or not before ripping the wheel apart...

Mike

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> <lsaugier@hilcorp.com> wrote in message
> news:1179519439.326218.307450@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>> Here's what happened: I started my jeep ('87 YJ 4.2L) and the starter
>> kept cranking, would not disengage. I didn't know what was happening
>> and drove off. It sucked all the juice out of my battery and burnt up
>> the starter.
>>
>> My first thought was that my solenoid (the part that sends juice from
>> the battery to the starter) was stuck. I replaced my solenoid,
>> starter motor, and battery. When everything was in place I connected
>> the leads on my battery and the jeep turned over (and would have
>> started) even though the ignition switch (the one on the steering
>> column) was set to 'off'. So I think the ignition switch on the
>> steering column is stuck in the 'start' position.
>>
>> How do you replace that thing? Where is it, is it right there where
>> you put the key in? Do I need to take the steering wheel off and get
>> to it that way? Chilton is pretty useless here, they really don't
>> show you where it is or how to get at it.
>>
>> Next question - which wire on my solenoid comes from the steering
>> column? I'm considering a simple 'on-off' switch and a starter button
>> simply because I can't find where the starter switch is on the
>> steering column. Any advice?
>>
>
>
> Let's back up a step of two and start over.
>

I think he should pull the switch at the 'bottom' which is easy first to
verify if that is the trouble or not before ripping the wheel apart...

Mike

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

Thanks for the discussion.

UPDATE: Just now I switched the two bright green wires going to the
firewall solenoid. When I connected the battery nothing happened
(that's good!) but when I tried to crank it nothing happened (that's
bad!). I did get lights on my dash, don't know what that means. I'm
fairly confident that I had them in the right place to begin with as
the copper fins they connect to are different - one is slotted and
one is not.

Just out of curiosity, what are the wires going to and coming out of
the solenoid? On the left we have current in from the battery and
three other dark green (?) wires. All those are mashed together by a
nut on the left hand bolt. On the right we have one big wire going
from the solenoid to the starter. There are two bolts on the front of
the solenoid. On the left-front bolt there is a copper fin with a
bright green wire coming off of it. On the right front bolt there is
another copper fin with another bright green wire coming off. Also on
the right front bolt is a wire with a rubber booted connector that
slides over the front of the bolt. I understand two wires - "battery
in" and "out to starter". What/where do all those other wires do/go?
How does the ignition switch talk to the solenoid? I'm an engineer
and I just don't feel right unless I understand what I'm working with!

Thanks for the help.

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

Thanks for the discussion.

UPDATE: Just now I switched the two bright green wires going to the
firewall solenoid. When I connected the battery nothing happened
(that's good!) but when I tried to crank it nothing happened (that's
bad!). I did get lights on my dash, don't know what that means. I'm
fairly confident that I had them in the right place to begin with as
the copper fins they connect to are different - one is slotted and
one is not.

Just out of curiosity, what are the wires going to and coming out of
the solenoid? On the left we have current in from the battery and
three other dark green (?) wires. All those are mashed together by a
nut on the left hand bolt. On the right we have one big wire going
from the solenoid to the starter. There are two bolts on the front of
the solenoid. On the left-front bolt there is a copper fin with a
bright green wire coming off of it. On the right front bolt there is
another copper fin with another bright green wire coming off. Also on
the right front bolt is a wire with a rubber booted connector that
slides over the front of the bolt. I understand two wires - "battery
in" and "out to starter". What/where do all those other wires do/go?
How does the ignition switch talk to the solenoid? I'm an engineer
and I just don't feel right unless I understand what I'm working with!

Thanks for the help.

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

Thanks for the discussion.

UPDATE: Just now I switched the two bright green wires going to the
firewall solenoid. When I connected the battery nothing happened
(that's good!) but when I tried to crank it nothing happened (that's
bad!). I did get lights on my dash, don't know what that means. I'm
fairly confident that I had them in the right place to begin with as
the copper fins they connect to are different - one is slotted and
one is not.

Just out of curiosity, what are the wires going to and coming out of
the solenoid? On the left we have current in from the battery and
three other dark green (?) wires. All those are mashed together by a
nut on the left hand bolt. On the right we have one big wire going
from the solenoid to the starter. There are two bolts on the front of
the solenoid. On the left-front bolt there is a copper fin with a
bright green wire coming off of it. On the right front bolt there is
another copper fin with another bright green wire coming off. Also on
the right front bolt is a wire with a rubber booted connector that
slides over the front of the bolt. I understand two wires - "battery
in" and "out to starter". What/where do all those other wires do/go?
How does the ignition switch talk to the solenoid? I'm an engineer
and I just don't feel right unless I understand what I'm working with!

Thanks for the help.

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

Thanks for the discussion.

UPDATE: Just now I switched the two bright green wires going to the
firewall solenoid. When I connected the battery nothing happened
(that's good!) but when I tried to crank it nothing happened (that's
bad!). I did get lights on my dash, don't know what that means. I'm
fairly confident that I had them in the right place to begin with as
the copper fins they connect to are different - one is slotted and
one is not.

Just out of curiosity, what are the wires going to and coming out of
the solenoid? On the left we have current in from the battery and
three other dark green (?) wires. All those are mashed together by a
nut on the left hand bolt. On the right we have one big wire going
from the solenoid to the starter. There are two bolts on the front of
the solenoid. On the left-front bolt there is a copper fin with a
bright green wire coming off of it. On the right front bolt there is
another copper fin with another bright green wire coming off. Also on
the right front bolt is a wire with a rubber booted connector that
slides over the front of the bolt. I understand two wires - "battery
in" and "out to starter". What/where do all those other wires do/go?
How does the ignition switch talk to the solenoid? I'm an engineer
and I just don't feel right unless I understand what I'm working with!

Thanks for the help.

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

<lsaugier@hilcorp.com> wrote in message
news:1179595850.935804.75970@y80g2000hsf.googlegro ups.com...
> Thanks for the discussion.
>
> UPDATE: Just now I switched the two bright green wires going to the
> firewall solenoid. When I connected the battery nothing happened
> (that's good!) but when I tried to crank it nothing happened (that's
> bad!). I did get lights on my dash, don't know what that means. I'm
> fairly confident that I had them in the right place to begin with as
> the copper fins they connect to are different - one is slotted and
> one is not.
>

This is a good test.

It tells us that the linkage is okay because the lights on the instrument
panel go ON and OFF with the key, which means the lock set and linkage are
probably not the problem -- which means you do not have to pull the steering
wheel, which is a good thing because pulling the wheel and the lock plate
can be a bitch, especially if there is nothing wrong behind them.

I would not have suspected the Ignition Switch itself, but that is the road
you have guided us to.

The switch is mounted to the steering column in the vicinity of the brake
pedal. It's kind of a bitch to get to. On my Jeep, there is a 3/16 or 5/16
sheetmetal screw holding the switch mounting plate to the steering column.
This job has a certain working-by-braille-while-twisted-like-a-pretzel
quality to it. Other than that, it isn't too difficult.






> Just out of curiosity, what are the wires going to and coming out of
> the solenoid? On the left we have current in from the battery and
> three other dark green (?) wires. All those are mashed together by a
> nut on the left hand bolt. On the right we have one big wire going
> from the solenoid to the starter. There are two bolts on the front of
> the solenoid. On the left-front bolt there is a copper fin with a
> bright green wire coming off of it. On the right front bolt there is
> another copper fin with another bright green wire coming off. Also on
> the right front bolt is a wire with a rubber booted connector that
> slides over the front of the bolt. I understand two wires - "battery
> in" and "out to starter". What/where do all those other wires do/go?
> How does the ignition switch talk to the solenoid? I'm an engineer
> and I just don't feel right unless I understand what I'm working with!
>
> Thanks for the help.
>

There are two huge wires, one goes to the battery and the other to the
starter, and two smaller wires that go to the ignition switch. When you
crank the key, you close contacts on the switch and pass current to the
relay (solenoid is a bit of a misnomer) which fires and closes some really
fat contacts that can handle the high current required by the starter
motor -- this high current is provided by the fat wires we just talked
about.

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

<lsaugier@hilcorp.com> wrote in message
news:1179595850.935804.75970@y80g2000hsf.googlegro ups.com...
> Thanks for the discussion.
>
> UPDATE: Just now I switched the two bright green wires going to the
> firewall solenoid. When I connected the battery nothing happened
> (that's good!) but when I tried to crank it nothing happened (that's
> bad!). I did get lights on my dash, don't know what that means. I'm
> fairly confident that I had them in the right place to begin with as
> the copper fins they connect to are different - one is slotted and
> one is not.
>

This is a good test.

It tells us that the linkage is okay because the lights on the instrument
panel go ON and OFF with the key, which means the lock set and linkage are
probably not the problem -- which means you do not have to pull the steering
wheel, which is a good thing because pulling the wheel and the lock plate
can be a bitch, especially if there is nothing wrong behind them.

I would not have suspected the Ignition Switch itself, but that is the road
you have guided us to.

The switch is mounted to the steering column in the vicinity of the brake
pedal. It's kind of a bitch to get to. On my Jeep, there is a 3/16 or 5/16
sheetmetal screw holding the switch mounting plate to the steering column.
This job has a certain working-by-braille-while-twisted-like-a-pretzel
quality to it. Other than that, it isn't too difficult.






> Just out of curiosity, what are the wires going to and coming out of
> the solenoid? On the left we have current in from the battery and
> three other dark green (?) wires. All those are mashed together by a
> nut on the left hand bolt. On the right we have one big wire going
> from the solenoid to the starter. There are two bolts on the front of
> the solenoid. On the left-front bolt there is a copper fin with a
> bright green wire coming off of it. On the right front bolt there is
> another copper fin with another bright green wire coming off. Also on
> the right front bolt is a wire with a rubber booted connector that
> slides over the front of the bolt. I understand two wires - "battery
> in" and "out to starter". What/where do all those other wires do/go?
> How does the ignition switch talk to the solenoid? I'm an engineer
> and I just don't feel right unless I understand what I'm working with!
>
> Thanks for the help.
>

There are two huge wires, one goes to the battery and the other to the
starter, and two smaller wires that go to the ignition switch. When you
crank the key, you close contacts on the switch and pass current to the
relay (solenoid is a bit of a misnomer) which fires and closes some really
fat contacts that can handle the high current required by the starter
motor -- this high current is provided by the fat wires we just talked
about.

Re: Wrangler YJ ignition switch problem
 

<lsaugier@hilcorp.com> wrote in message
news:1179595850.935804.75970@y80g2000hsf.googlegro ups.com...
> Thanks for the discussion.
>
> UPDATE: Just now I switched the two bright green wires going to the
> firewall solenoid. When I connected the battery nothing happened
> (that's good!) but when I tried to crank it nothing happened (that's
> bad!). I did get lights on my dash, don't know what that means. I'm
> fairly confident that I had them in the right place to begin with as
> the copper fins they connect to are different - one is slotted and
> one is not.
>

This is a good test.

It tells us that the linkage is okay because the lights on the instrument
panel go ON and OFF with the key, which means the lock set and linkage are
probably not the problem -- which means you do not have to pull the steering
wheel, which is a good thing because pulling the wheel and the lock plate
can be a bitch, especially if there is nothing wrong behind them.

I would not have suspected the Ignition Switch itself, but that is the road
you have guided us to.

The switch is mounted to the steering column in the vicinity of the brake
pedal. It's kind of a bitch to get to. On my Jeep, there is a 3/16 or 5/16
sheetmetal screw holding the switch mounting plate to the steering column.
This job has a certain working-by-braille-while-twisted-like-a-pretzel
quality to it. Other than that, it isn't too difficult.






> Just out of curiosity, what are the wires going to and coming out of
> the solenoid? On the left we have current in from the battery and
> three other dark green (?) wires. All those are mashed together by a
> nut on the left hand bolt. On the right we have one big wire going
> from the solenoid to the starter. There are two bolts on the front of
> the solenoid. On the left-front bolt there is a copper fin with a
> bright green wire coming off of it. On the right front bolt there is
> another copper fin with another bright green wire coming off. Also on
> the right front bolt is a wire with a rubber booted connector that
> slides over the front of the bolt. I understand two wires - "battery
> in" and "out to starter". What/where do all those other wires do/go?
> How does the ignition switch talk to the solenoid? I'm an engineer
> and I just don't feel right unless I understand what I'm working with!
>
> Thanks for the help.
>

There are two huge wires, one goes to the battery and the other to the
starter, and two smaller wires that go to the ignition switch. When you
crank the key, you close contacts on the switch and pass current to the
relay (solenoid is a bit of a misnomer) which fires and closes some really
fat contacts that can handle the high current required by the starter
motor -- this high current is provided by the fat wires we just talked
about.