Ok, I took it in, and they said it wouldn't hold a charge, so I bought a new battery and new terminals.

All of my lights are a little brighter, but still nothing. However, I didn't charge the battery when I got home, they said it was good to go.

My reverse lights do work, and it won't turn on in park or neutral, even if I jiggle it.

 

try manually arcing the starter like stated before

 

Its worth a try...

Heres a picture I found

 

Just remember, get a big thick screwdriver with a good plastic handle. You don't want to be touching anything metal anywhere when you do this, haha. Please wear glasses too, it'll probably spark...

 

I'll try that when I get home today, I just have to find someone to help me out. Nobody here is as thrilled to work on an xj as I am.

edit: anybody have a wiring diagram that I could use?

 

If only you had a 97-01, I would send you the FSM chapters on electrical...

Oh well, try google and google image...

 

check all of your fuses

 

All fuses check out fine. Tried arcing the starter, no luck. I'm going to test the voltage going to the starter, I think the battery cables are corroded. Is there a ground strap on the starter, cause I don't have one.

 

Most likely bad Battery Cables!!!

You should also try testing your Ignition Switch..
Turn your heater fan on and then turn your ignition switch to start, the fan should turn off when the vehicle tries to crank. If it does not that would be a bad ignition switch.

Just some suggestions.

 

My first thought is the battery as well. I left my key in for a while with the accessories on, and everything was still lit, but the car wouldn't turn over.

Low battery.

 

Try this....It has to crank if your battery is good, and you said you got a new one, so I assume it is. If not it's gotta be your starter. Try cranking with the key on and in park and neutral.

Your taking everything out of the equation, just power to starter, and I don;t care what the auto part store says.

 

this is the 1st thing you do... ALWAYS ...its direct if it dont work then starter or battery or cables bad... cables dont go bad 99% of time... so... please try this instead... jumper cables....take battery run jumper cables to starter... pos to the big term on starter on top... and ground to anyplace near starter... jump the starter... the little post on starter... if it dont spin then...your starter fryed......

 

It sounds like your starter is bad to me. This is a pretty good write up on how to confirm or rule out starter issues: http://www.misterfixit.com/starttst.htm

 

Yeah I replaced the battery cable going to the starter for good measaure, and got the battery tested. It showed 100% charge, so I know it's not the battery. I'm going to try bench testing the starter with that write up you posted, thank you. Now I just have to convince the parts store that the starter is bad haha.

 

Ok I pulled the starter out for a 3rd time to bench test it. I followed all instructions, connecting the red wire to the positive terminal on the starter. When I try to jump the solenoid terminal, nothing happens, but I accidentally connected the positive terminal to the other big one (the blue lines) it fired right up. Does this mean my solenoid is shot?