so here's the story, I need a cheap car to drive around in while I fix my other car that is my daily driver. my friend has a '89 cherokee that he is trading me for a pair of headers, the car was starting and driving like it should until he was turning it around in his driveway and turned on his headlight which killed the engine. now when you turn the key to start it there is nothing, not even a click. the starter is fairly new so I don't think that is the problem. In my mind the turning on of the headlights points to a short in the wiring harness somewhere. I don't think it is the neutral safety switch either. when we hook the battery up the running lights turn on of there own accord and won't turn off and we have power to everything else. there is 12 volts getting to the starter and the solinoid so the cables check out. anyone have any ideas? I was wondering if there is any way to bypass the ignition altogether and run a wire or something from the starter soliniod right to the battery. I just need it to run, I don't care if i have to open the hood every time to start it or whatever. it is a pretty pos truck already. thanks in advance

 

There is a starter relay in the passenger fender well. It has a bunch of wires coming off it. The thick ones are fusible links. If there was a short in the lights, one of these or more has been fused. You will either need to replace them or wire around them temporarily. personally, I would replace them with circuit breakers.

 

thanks, i'll give that a go when i get home on friday