So I'm stranded on the side of the road at the moment. The Jeep just shut off. I have flashers, headlights and the stereo and the dash clock that work but nothing else. When I turn the key nothing. The gauges don't even flare up. Having it towed to my house. Any suggestions on the problem?
No-Start Issue
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check all the fuses, relays, etc? auto or manual? does the starter click or literally nothing?
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pm'd you my number
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may be the ignition module or a fuseable link off the starter seliniod
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89 YJ would have the GM style ignition switch mounted near the base of the steering column (on the column) under the dash. I would go buy a new one ($12), don't dismount your old one, just unplug it, plug the new one in and use a small screwdriver in the little hole to operate the switch. If everything works, replace your switch. If Im wrong you can put it back in the box and return it.
Ive see alot of vehicles do very similar things that all had that GM style ignition switch. It's quick and cheap to check.
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/1124954/374/ -
that sucks hope it something simple
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that sucks hope it something simple
Yeah when I was leaving out of K. Square after meeting up with you it hesitated/stumbled a bit going up the hill by the highschool. Thought maybe it was just the incline being that it's a carbed engine and all. Had no other issue all the way home. Glad it was only 6 miles from my house and not in K. Square! Looks like we've both been pretty lucky the last couple of days in that regard. I knew I shouldn't have said anything about being ready to start hitting the trails.
Thanks for the info Aaron and Scramblejim. I hope it's the switch and not the ICM as it's brand new. I had to replace the ICM when I did the Nutter bypass about 3 months ago and the old one crapped out. I'll pick up an ign switch on the way home after work and give it a try.
Last night, I was at the intersection of Churchmans and 273... I pulled thru the light making a left and it stumbled once then died. Like I said, it had headlights/flashers, the stereo and amp worked but when I turned the key fwd the gauges didn't move and the engine/starter did nothing. Optima red top is less than 2 years old and as I had acc I don't think that's the issue. I wiggled and tugged on most of the electrical components and nothing seemed loose.
MAN I LOVE OWNING A JEEP!!
Thanks also to Jerry and Geoff for the offer to rescue me! 
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thats good it only happed down the road from home, hopefully it is the switch
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Black slot at bottom I can slide back n forth it nothing happens -
Anyone know what these 2 relays are for?
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Sounds like your a cell in your battery is shot. You can get power to operate everything but not enough cold cranking amps to turn the starter.
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Sorry, I dont know what the relays are off the top of my head. I really thought that the ignition switch was going to be a solid. Im assuming that when you say "nothing happened" you moved the ignition switch to the accessory and run detents(Accessory, lock, off, run, start), and none of the circuits that should have gotten power did. (blower motor, gauges in 'run' position) Did you force it into the crank position? That part is spring loaded and takes a little bit of effort when your doing this with a screwdriver in your hand.
If none of that works and you now have a known good igniton switch, this should be relatively easy. I couldnt find the wiring diagrams easily tonight, but one wire on that ignition switch should be hot at all times supplied from the battery. My guess is that it is the big red one. You should have battery voltage there. In "crank" you should have battery voltage to the big yellow wire if I remember correctly. I hope that helps get you going in the right direction. A test light, or even better, a Volt-meter, is going to be your best friend on this.
It doesnt sound like a battery problem if your headlights work, your heater blower should work too. The headlights are not powered through the ignition switch, the blower motor is. The blower motor helps when troubleshooting this because its noisy enough that you will hear it from wherever you are working on the power supply circuit-under the hood or under the dash. -
I am pretty sure you a a starter selinoid on the fire wall. If that went or the trip wire that activates it went bad it will cause your symptoms. Take a meter or a 12v light tester and trace the cuircut.
Aaron
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If i remember right....your symptoms are that nothing inside the jeep works unless it is directly wired to the battery. Working off a foggy memory here since it's been a while since i messed with a yj, but if memory serves, there is a point where the harness goes through the firewall that meets a large junction block. They greased the hell out of the connections in this junction block to stop corrosion but it didn't always work, if the connections in the block are corroded it can cause the issue your having.
My next guess would be to look for loose or corroded grounds.
Just talked to the 'old-timer' here in the shop that was wrenching on those when they were new and has the memory of an elephant. The yj did have a problem at the bulkhead connector, 1 was corrosion of the terminals and 2 was the starter wire getting hot and melting in the connector and shorting to other wires. The bulkhead connector is on the drivers side of the firewall, very easily accessible. You can fairly easily seperate it and check the connections. -
Aaron is this pc you we're talking about? It's on the firewall just below the battery. The main pos cable runs down and splits to this and the starter...
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