first problem with jeep???advise??

[hugeorgan351]

so i drive to get my paycheck today and everything was ok at that point so i drop my stepdaughter off at her dads and notice the jep wont go into park but didnt think anything about it then i get home aqnd the same thing wouldnt go into park so i go all the way to 1-2 and then it goes to park i shut it off ran inside and got back into jeep tried to start it and it wouldnt turn over..so i check the fuses and they are ok and take a quick look underneath and looks ok so i check the starter and the coil pack where the wires are will spin a little and i grab a pry bar to check to see if it goes that way and it just spins...so now i dont know if the starter took at shit or the tranny can anyone give a little advise?

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Well, my first thought is that you need to check the condition of the neutral safety switch. The fact that you were having problems with the gear shift says to me that the "wiper" inside the NSS isn't making proper contact with the terminals inside.

I don't know what year your XJ is, but the NSS is a common problem with nearly all years of AW4 transmission production. They are assembled with a kind of grease inside that gets hard and sticky over time and keeps electrical contacts from being made properly. I suppose it's possible that you NSS is broken inside and that was what was keeping the gear shift from going into park easily.

You may also want to check the mounting brackets at both ends of your gear shift cable and ensure they're locked into them correctly - if not, the cable could have some play in it keeping it from going into park correctly, which would also keep the NSS from being placed into the proper position to close the starting circuit.

 

[Hypoid]

Try putting the shifter in "N" to start. It sounds like you'll be looking at the NSS anyway.

You could try jumping out the starter solonoid to see if it turns over, but you need to be sure the tranny is not in gear, and chock the wheels just because, and don't be in a bad spot if it rolls anyway, and....be damn carefull!

 

[scottmcneal]

I had a shocket fall in to the shifter hole, you know where the fuzzey stuff is worn out... it made it hard to shift till i got it out... My 2 cents..

89 auto

 

[DutchVDub]

I agree, NSS is a likely culprit.

 

[hugeorgan351]

tried to put in neutral and nothing and did the solenoid thing and the starter just spins like its not hittin the flywheel that is why i thought possibly the starter

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Well, there's a way to jump the starter where it'll just spin the motor, and there's a way to jump it to engage the solenoid.

If you're sure you're tripping the solenoid then it should also get the motor to turn as they're connected in series. A bad solenoid won't move the bendix drive forward.

I'm still thinking you've got a bad NSS issue.

Here's GoJeep's writeup on doing maintenance on the NSS:
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoNSSrebuild.htm

 

[hugeorgan351]

well i am tryin to do the nss now and cant get tha damn thing off....the starter was on its last leg so i did replace it and the fuses are ok buit this damn nss is kickin my ass...i got the nut off it and there was no adjusting nut on it its loose but will not come off:helpme:

 

[YELLAHEEP]

PM'd you my phone #, give me a call.

They are a PITA to get off - the older they are, the worse they are.

Soak it in penetrating oil for a while. Do what is listed in GoJeep's write up - leave the nut on the threads just enough to have all the threads on the nut covering the first threads on the NSS. Use a screw driver under the nut and against the trans pan for leverage. Keep working it - it'll come off. All that nut does is tighten the pinch threads of the NSS so that it is tight against the shifter input rod.

If yours was missing the adjuster bolt, that was most of the problem right there. If the NSS rotates enough one way or the other, the contacts on the wiper won't line up with the contacts in the switch - in park AND in neutral and you won't get it to start. If the inside of the switch is gooey/sticky, then when you move the gear shift in/out of gear, it just causes the NSS to move with it.

You'll need to find a bolt to put back in there once you get the NSS cleaned up. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE NUT ON THE SHIFTER INPUT SHAFT! It's not meant to me more than a few inch pounds tight. You'll crack the wiper arm and then have to get a new NSS.

 

[hugeorgan351]

hell would it be easier to run a bypass
not the safeset but i did everything it said and left the nut on there but then while pryin on it it broke the pinch threads

 

[hugeorgan351]

jeep is in business now couldnt get that nss off so i found the way to do the bypass...anyone wants to know its real easy...lot easier then doin the nss stuff but the nss would prolly be safer

 

[jimgrms]

Years ago we would just jump the neutral switch on our cars but this was way before the computers , why not do that

 

[Hypoid]

why not do that

Still the potential for someone to start the thing while it's in gear.

I don't know about your situation, but if my wife can't jump in anything we own and drive it without a second thought,I am wrong. :hang:

 

[hugeorgan351]

well its a good thing my wife really dont drive the jeep and i still have to oush the brake in to get it into gear so hopefully no one is stupid enogh(meanin me) to try that:twak: