Starter Relay

[osiris151]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to fix a 1989 Cherokee Laredo (4.0L Straight 6) starting problem. Originally, I'd try to start it up and all I would get is a little fuel pump noise toward the back of the jeep.

My original thought was RELAY!

...so I went ahead and picked up a new starter relay today and decided to put it in, but being a dumb person, I pulled the wires from the relay, but forgot to check where their original placement.

I've got all the battery terminal eyelettes connected to it properly, but the other four plugs need placed in now.

Here's a diagram of the beast:



I know the locations of the relay (as the diagram shows), but dont know which colors go where. I have:
a striped orange wire (1 plug),
a solid green wire, (1 plug)
....& another green wire that's sleeved alongside a black&white wire (1 plug for orange; 1 plug black&white).

Which wire plugs to which location on the relay? Anyone know?

[Saudade]

The Orange is the fuel ballast resistor. The black/w is the ground. One green runs down to the small terminal on your starter solenoid. Use a meter to check which one. The other green comes from your ign switch.

[osiris151]

Thanks. I got em hooked up.

Still wont start though... prolly bad wiring. I'll check it out.

[Saudade]

Maybe you should describe your no start problem. Does it crank but won't start? Does it not crank at all?

[osiris151]

It doesn't crank, no. About all I got was a tiny buzz in the cab when I turned the key... that and the temp gauge kicks all the way up if I let it.. other than that noting acts out of place.. just the starting issue.

Starter's good (pulled it and took it to auto zone), and I just put the new relay in. If it's not wiring or another relay somewhere I'm stumped.

[Saudade]

If it's an automatic, check your neutral safety switch. Put the shifter in neutral and try. Try wiggling the shifter. Do your backup lights work?

[osiris151]

The reverse lights dont work and I tried wiggling the shifter around. Where's the switch located?

[Saudade]

Sounds like the NSS needs cleaning.

http://www.jeepin.com/features/nss/index.asp

[osiris151]

Okay, got the NSS off, cleaned, and back on again. Reverse lights work again, but same start issue. Small buzz and injectors kick on.

Ugh.... just moving down the list.

[MagicRat]

Try applying 12 volts to the green wire going to the starter soleniod. If the truck starts right up, perhaps the starter relay was never bad to start with and the problem is in the ignition column (the key start terminal on the column.)

If this is the problem, it may be easier (and cooler) to wire up a push-start button in place of the hassle of trouble-shooting the column.

Many jeeps get such a push-button because it makes serious off-road rock-crawling easier.

[1989jeepxj]

Did your fuel pump quit buzzing when the key was turned on.. mine is doing the same except now it wont even buzz did the relay fix yours...