ok so out curiosity, i dropped the steering column to check out the ignition switch. and upon disconnecting the plugs, this is what i found.

 

Yep. Switch is fried at the brown wire. Get a new switch and repair the terminal on the harness or it will happen again.

 

Ok, ive got a switch on hold at Autozone. waitin for it to be picked up for me. And would this be part of my no starting situation?

 

could be. Take care of it first.

 

I just made all new ground cables. I was given about 50 feet of welding machine ground wire. I think it's like 2 gauge. Should work good all around.

 

You got some extra to share haha.

 

Yes I do. I'm in ABQ daily I will throw some in the car.

 

Good score. Get it on the Jeep!!

 

ill have to check into that. I work at a compactor station, so I think I'll be able to get my hands on some wire.

hmmm ill

 

On seperate note. Got new ignition switch installed today. Will resume troubleshooting during my next days off. Also will be purchasing new starter as well.

 

You guys ever read this? It's more focused on Renix Jeeps, but it gives some ideas on extra grounding also.


Renix Ground Refreshing
The Renix era XJs and MJs were built with an under-engineered grounding system for the engine/transmission electronics. One problem in particular involves the multiple ground connection at the engine dipstick tube stud. A poor ground here can cause a multitude of driveabililty issues, wasted time, failed emission tests, and wasted money replacing components unnecessarily.
The components grounding at the dipstick tube stud are:
Distributor Sync Sensor, TCU main ground, TCU "Shift Point Logic", Ignition control Module, Injectors, ECU main ground which other engine sensors ground through, Oxygen sensor, Knock Sensor, Cruise Control, and Transmission Sync signal. All extremely important stuff.
The factory was aware of the issues with this ground point and addressed it by suggesting the following:
Remove the nut holding the wire terminals to the stud. Verify that the stud is indeed tightened securely into the block. Scrape any and all paint from the stud’s mounting surface where the wires will attach. Must be clean, shiny and free of any oil, grease, or paint.
Inspect the wire terminals. Check to see that none of the terminals are crimped over wire insulation instead of bare wire. Be sure the crimps are tight. It wouldn’t hurt to re-crimp them just as a matter of course. Sand and polish the wire terminals until clean and shiny on both sides. Reinstall all the wires to the stud and tighten the nut down securely.
While you’re in that general area, locate the battery negative cable which is fastened to the engine block just forward of the dipstick stud. Remove the bolt, scrape the block to bare metal, clean and polish the cable terminal, and reattach securely.
Another area where the grounding system on Renix era Jeeps was lacking is the engine to chassis ground. There is a braided cable from the back of the cylinder head that also attaches to the driver’s side of the firewall. This cable is undersized for it’s intended use and subject to corrosion and poor connections at each end.
First off, remove the cable end from the firewall using a 15mm wrench or socket. Scrape the paint off down to bare metal and clean the wire terminal. Reattach securely.
Remove the other end of the cable from the rear of the head using a 3’4" socket. Clean all the oil, paint and crud from the stud. Clean the wire terminal of the cable and reattach securely.
A suggestion regarding the braided cable:
I prefer to add a #4 Gauge cable from the firewall to a bolt on the rear of the intake manifold, either to a heat shield bolt or fuel rail bolt. A cable about 18" long with a 3/8" lug on each end works great and you can get one at any parts store already made up. Napa has them as part number 781116.
A further improvement to the grounding system can be made using a #4 cable, about 10" long with 3/8" terminals at each end. Attach one end of this cable to the negative battery bolt and the other end under the closest 10mm headed bolt on the radiator support just forward of the battery. Napa part number 781115.
For those of us with Comanches, it’s very important to remove the driver’s side taillamp assembly to access the ground for the fuel pump. Remove the screw holding the black ground wire. Scrape the paint from the body and corrosion from the wire terminal. Reattach securely.
If you want to upgrade your grounds and battery cables in general, contact Jon at


www.kelleyswip.com. He makes an incredible cable upgrade for a very reasonable price.
　
Revised 03-04-2013

 

I've done the block cleaning for the stud and the back of the head one tool with a 2 gauge one. I haven't done the battery gound yet. But have done mostly all the renix thing you have posted on here before.
The only one that I have been confused at was the harness repair I don't know if I did it right. Since on cold starts and first starts of the day, I won't shift out of 1st till about 3500 then its fine and will shift fine after that, if I stop within the a few hundred feet it will act up again till its warm. But I have also read that replacing the shift solenoids can help solve that problem too but also haven't the tps not adjusted right can too so I don't know.

 

Ever changed the fluid?

Done the trans connector refreshing? #10 in my link.

 

Did you make sure that its starting in park and neutral? There are diagrams out there that show which contacts are supposed to be closed/open in all the gear positions. Get a multi meter and check. The nss is most likely responsible for your shifting issues.

 

Yea I've changed it when I first to po didn't really take care of it at all. I drained it ran it for like a week drained it again ran it for another week drain and changed the filter. I think I have done it once more with filter change too. I hae another trans just in case so I can rebuild this one and learn more on trans when what I know so far which its very much but enough.
I've done that one too when I cleaned the nss I cleaned and applied dielectric grease to all connections.