ignition switch broke?

[djmac]

hey guys what do you think:
i went to start my j-10 this morning and when i turned the key .......no starter. there is no clicking like when the battery is but the ignition switch feels funny when i turn it. when i turn the switch it does not seem like it quite turns as far as it did. also when i turn it to start the lights and radio dim like they should when you turn the key to start but nothing happens. as long as i had the truck the ignition would not turn back to the accessory position. if it is the ignition is it hard to replace?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Tilt Wheel? The actual ignition switch is at the bottom of the column. It is actuated by a rod from the key switch, tilt columns with slop cause a lot of problems with the rod getting hung up. Most of the time will start only when tilted up, or centered.

[djmac]

yes tilt wheel. i will check that out. thanks!

[djmac]

well i checked it out but no matter what position i tilt the wheel it does not work. before i call the ignition bad i need to check the solenoid. if i remember right i need to jump form the pos large terminal of the sol to one of the small post on the sol. does anyone no which small post?

[kyjman]

Sounds like the accuator rod inside the steering column has broke. When you turn the key the rod is suposed to slide and contact the ignition switch, and start the motor. Mine broke last year, but I was able to do a steering column swap from my donor truck. One way to check it would be to bypass the ignition switch by jump wiring the solenoid. That will enable you to drive it, but with a little loss of power. I'll look and try to find the diagram I have for jump wiring the solenoid.

Good luck

[djmac]

i just went out and tried jumping the solenoid. it started right up. i think iam down to the ignition or a wire to the ignition. does anyone know what wire i should check in this situation. how hard is it to purchase and install an actuator rod?

[kyjman]

I dont thinks its a wire. As for the actuator rod I think it would be a pain to change them out. Thats why I just swapped the columns out. Of course me having a donor truck with tilt the same as my truck helped make that decision for me. I dont know where you would find the rod for a replacement. I'd go boneyarding and get one. To swap the coulmns is quick and easy.

Good luck. I'm still trying to find the diagram that will let you drive it.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Can still be the solenoid, depending on how you jumped it. If you Jumped the two big terminals all you did was bypass the solenoid, not test it. Pull the small wire off the terminal S and jump a hot wire there, also your Neutral safety switch on the trans could be malfunctioning. Though you feel the key does not turn as it should, I would check it out further before buying anything. If that rod is broke, it is easier to swap out columns

[kyjman]

Heres the way I wired my truck to get it home when the rod broke.

http://fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Technical/solenoiddiagram.JPG

[djmac]

thanks alan,
the way i jumped it was to take a jumper wire from the large terminal on the battery side and touched one of the small terminals until it started. Do you know what color wire goes back to the ignition to start it? The wiring in this truck is pretty lame and i want to make sure it is not wiring instead of hardware. When i turn the key to start the radio and lights dim as they should when you turn the key to start. that may mean something or maybe it doesn't.

[djmac]

bump

[tkiller13]

im having the same problem. Everything works lights, heater,etc but no start when I put ign in start. The brake dummy light comes on. I jumped the pos-to s terminal and it will start fine, except the starter keeps cranking. It would do this with the original solenoid,one from a parts rig and a brand new one. Ive got a new solenoid, batt/cables,swapped ign switch from another fsj that worked, and got a new starter. The wag had no motor when I got it, but the P.O. said the ign worked fine when he had it. The new starter could be bad how do I test it? What about the tumbler/rod? How would I test those?

[tkiller13]

With the blower motor on an turn the key to start the blower motor quits but still no start. With the key in run if I take a screwdriver an touch positive terminal on solenoid to the S terminal the starts starts cranking. It will still crank once I pull of the screwdriver but will shut off If I turn the key off.

[tkiller13]

Problem fixed. After putting in a donor motor from a 76 cherokee I hooked up the red wire that went to the S terminal on the solenoid and then to the +coil. I took off the yellow wire and the red wire on the S terminal to see if the starter stayed cranking. No, but the jeep fired up. It surprised me since I didn't think the coil would be hooked up then. I unhooked the red wire on the +coil so the motor couldn't fire. After trying the yellow wire on the S terminal the starter was fine. Hooked the red wire up to the +coil and motor fired and starter shut off. Since I was running the prestolite instead of points Im guessing I dont need the red wire on the S terminal. It still wont crank over from the key but I can at least hookup a remote starter switch for now in the cab.

[tkiller13]

After that hijack does anybody know if Djmac ever got his problem fixed?

[Gramps Old Jeep]

This happened to me. I had two problems. A busted ignition switch and a dirty neutral safety switch.

My gramps never figured it out. He simply wired in a starter button.

To check the neutral safety put the truck in neutral and hit it. If it starts then the start position is dirty as was the case in mine.

To test the ignition switch, pull the wires and test it for current when you hit start. You can also see if the rod coming out of the steering column and going into the switch is deflecting when you hit start. If it is, hold it straight when you turn to start and see if it will go forward. If not, you probably have something broken inside the switch like I did.

It's easy to take the switches out. There are two bolts holding the column to the dash. Drop those and the column will drop about 3". Then it's two small screws each holding the switches in.

Once off, you can bend the tabs open and see if any thing is broken causing an obstruction.

BE CAREFUL OPENING THINGS UP. Mine spilled springs and brass all over the garage!

Once you see them you will realize how simple they are. Scrape the black gunk away, spray with wd-40, make sure the springs move up and down, make sure the start spring moves freely and put back together. You can test the switches before you put them back together.

Good luck.