• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

Please help me put my Scrambler back together!

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Hi all,
I have been a long time lurker of this forum and I am doing a 1982 scrambler restoration. I have an automatic transmission and an inline 6cyl engine.
My problem is that I took off the dash and all the gauges to redo the dash and since then I cannot get my jeep started. I have put back all the gauges and wiring that I know of and I just have a few connectors that I am not sure what they go to, even though I have scoured the internet I just can't seem to find the answers. I'm leaving to go out of the country on an overland expedition on November 1st so I am getting to the desperate point, hence posting to the forum.

The jeep will crank and almost turn over but it seems like something is keeping it from doing so. I have the team rush upgrade so it has an upgraded coil and ford distributor cap and rotor, and it has an msd ignition. It was running fine before I parked it and took the dash off. Also I had to take the steering wheel off to get the dash off, so maybe I didn't connect something properly. I am thinking maybe it's a ground issue, but I'm not sure if something not being grounded in the dash would cause the engine not to start.

Basically I need to know where the neutral safety switch is exactly. I know where it comes off the transmission, but I cannot find it on my steering column anywhere. I thought maybe that could be preventing it from starting.

Also, please see these pics below:

Here is a connector with an yellow, violet and black wire that I'm not sure what it goes to:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Also near the light switch, there is another connector that looks important that is grey, orange, black and white, with the white cable cut:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Also there is a random orange connector near the light switch:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

And an orange and black connector coming right off the fuse panel:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

And this pink and red connector coming off another connector (maybe brake connector) :
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/


And if you need to see the full wiring harness, here is a link to the album I created that has some more pictures:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/t...otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Thanks so much for any help that anyone can provide. Also if you're near Nashville and know a lot about this, then I would pay for someone to come take a look at this and help me out. I think it is something pretty simple.
 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Also my headlights aren't working but my parking lights are, and my brake lights work but my reverse light don't. I have already replaced the headlight switch and the headlight dimmer switch. I think o am missing a plug somewhere.


 

gr8dain

Old and Slow
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Ashburn
State
VA
Also my headlights aren't working but my parking lights are, and my brake lights work but my reverse light don't. I have already replaced the headlight switch and the headlight dimmer switch. I think o am missing a plug somewhere.

Follow your grounds. I had the headlights not work on my similarly and it was a grounding issue.

As for the reverse lights, when mine acted up (twice), once it was a ground, the second time it was the little sensor on the transmission to get the signal that it was in reverse. I just had to clean it but it acted like it was not getting contact.

Good luck.
 

Dave The Sparky

Rebuilding my CJ8 very,very slowly...
Member
City
Halifax
State
UK
Hi all,
I have been a long time lurker of this forum and I am doing a 1982 scrambler restoration. I have an automatic transmission and an inline 6cyl engine.
My problem is that I took off the dash and all the gauges to redo the dash and since then I cannot get my jeep started. I have put back all the gauges and wiring that I know of and I just have a few connectors that I am not sure what they go to, even though I have scoured the internet I just can't seem to find the answers. I'm leaving to go out of the country on an overland expedition on November 1st so I am getting to the desperate point, hence posting to the forum.

The jeep will crank and almost turn over but it seems like something is keeping it from doing so. I have the team rush upgrade so it has an upgraded coil and ford distributor cap and rotor, and it has an msd ignition. It was running fine before I parked it and took the dash off. Also I had to take the steering wheel off to get the dash off, so maybe I didn't connect something properly. I am thinking maybe it's a ground issue, but I'm not sure if something not being grounded in the dash would cause the engine not to start.

Basically I need to know where the neutral safety switch is exactly. I know where it comes off the transmission, but I cannot find it on my steering column anywhere. I thought maybe that could be preventing it from starting.

Also, please see these pics below:

Here is a connector with an yellow, violet and black wire that I'm not sure what it goes to:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Tacho connection for a 4 cyl so spare to you

Also near the light switch, there is another connector that looks important that is grey, orange, black and white, with the white cable cut:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Looks like the Fog lamp harness connection? if you have fog lamps?

Also there is a random orange connector near the light switch:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Orange cables 9 time out of 10 are to do with lighting so its either your courtesy light or a panel light of some sort i would guess

And an orange and black connector coming right off the fuse panel:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
As above 90% sure it will be a lighting connector, Possibly your courtesy lights and if not then possibly a panel light of some sort

And this pink and red connector coming off another connector (maybe brake connector) :
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Brake light switch which is pink and red with tracer


And if you need to see the full wiring harness, here is a link to the album I created that has some more pictures:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/t...otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Thanks so much for any help that anyone can provide. Also if you're near Nashville and know a lot about this, then I would pay for someone to come take a look at this and help me out. I think it is something pretty simple.

Information above is from the wiring diagrams i have and is usually fairly accurate, there may be some spare connectors in your wiring loom anyway like the 4 cyl tacho one..
Neutral switch on the auto stops the engine from cranking, so its not that at fault and if its the TF999 then the switch is in the box and not the column.
There must be an issue elsewhere to stop it starting and much as i would love to come to Nashville i am sure you will be able to find someone nearer to help;)
 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Ok glad to know that it is not the neutral switch. I'll stop trying to find it. :)

That is fantastic info on the wires! Thanks so much for helping with that!!!

I know with the old ignition module, if you leave the switch turned on in the "on" position, it burns up the module. I had that happen and that's when I replaced it with the MSD ignition. It fired right up when I put that in and ran great afterwards. The engine is cranking in a similar way to when my original one burned up. Do you know if the same thing can happen on the MSD ignition if the key is left in the "on" position?


 

John N

Addicted....Ex-SOA VP
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Rockville
State
VA
Ok glad to know that it is not the neutral switch. I'll stop trying to find it. :)

That is fantastic info on the wires! Thanks so much for helping with that!!!

I know with the old ignition module, if you leave the switch turned on in the "on" position, it burns up the module. I had that happen and that's when I replaced it with the MSD ignition. It fired right up when I put that in and ran great afterwards. The engine is cranking in a similar way to when my original one burned up. Do you know if the same thing can happen on the MSD ignition if the key is left in the "on" position?

I've had an MSD box go bad on me when MED tech said it wasn't possible to do what it was doing. I pulled out all of the MSD stuff and put in a DUI and it's been great since.
 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Oh that is good to know. What did it do when it went bad? Was it cranking and not starting?


 

John N

Addicted....Ex-SOA VP
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Rockville
State
VA
Oh that is good to know. What did it do when it went bad? Was it cranking and not starting?
It would shut off on me going down the road, but was intermittent. Once it cooled down for a while, it would run a bit more and shut off again. MSD tech told me that it wouldn't do this, it would work or not, but not like it was doing. I tried fixing or replaced about everything else. I had their distributor, coil, and box. They ended up replacing the box under warranty with no comment, I've got the whole mess on the shelf in my shop. The box is brand new, in the box.
 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Ok thx for the info. I'm going to try the grounds and then swap out the ignition module. I would go dui but I already have an hei setup and don't have much time to get this working before I leave.


 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Ok so I have narrowed my starting problem down. When I try to start it, and turn the key to the start position it starts, but as soon as it springs back to the run position, it shuts off. I can't figure out if the issue is happening because I took off the steering wheel when taking the dash off, or if it's because of something not being connected properly in the wiring when I was re-doing that. Any thoughts? It is so close to getting started and I only have a week until I leave. I'm REALLY trying to avoid having it towed somewhere. :(


 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Omg this thread is perfect! Thank you!! I am going to try testing all of those connections to see where it's broken. This is the best thread I've seen describing the testing procedure. I'll report back here when I've figured it out. :)


 

cdvcj8

It's Not My Scrambler
Lifetime Member
City
West Friendship
State
MD
No worries. Team rush is also known as JeepHammer. Legendary (if sometimes polarizing) figure on the jeep forums I'm a disciple of his grounding thread :). good luck!
 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
It was the tach!!! I just had one of the red wires hooked up wrong. The moment I plugged it in it fired right up! :D
Now the only thing that isn't working are my headlights and reverse lights. The parking lights and interior courtesy lights work fine. I have replaced the headlight switch and dimmer switch on the floor with no luck. Any thoughts? They were working fine before I took my dash off. Also I have checked the grounds that I know of and they are fine too.
Thanks for everyone's help on this. :)


 

tower210

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Olathe
State
KS
Many owners convert the headlights to a relay system; it is much better because the major amp draw doesn't go through the light switch and 20 ft of wire. Are the headlights themselves wired to a relay off the battery or the switch?


 

jammer1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Maple Hts.
State
Oh
Do you have a volt/ohm meter? If so turn the headlights on and check the headlight (high/low beam switch). Should have power to it. If no power with light switch then pull headlight switch plug off switch and check for power. No power you will have to continue checking upstream. I don't have my wiring diagrams with me at home to tell you the next run.
 

Karin77777

Basic User
City
Nashville
State
TN
I will check to see how they are wired but I'm 99% sure it is all stock wiring.

I don't have a volt meter but I do have a test light. I'll try checking to see if it has power at those point and get back to you.
Thanks!!


 

zr10054

Car and Gun Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Gonzales
State
La
Test lights can be misleading. If you have a loose connection are something else causing low voltage a test light might still light up. Best to check with a volt meter under load.
 

mysunnshine

Legacy Registered User
City
Phoenix
State
AZ
I'd believe a test light before a meter for checking voltage. You can have all but 1 strand of wire broken and it will still show voltage. Now the same wire will not light a test light because it can not support the amperage required to light the test light.

Just a note to self-

Sent from my SM-G920V
 
Top