Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: raps on December 04, 2012, 12:05:24 PM

Title: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: raps on December 04, 2012, 12:05:24 PM
Hi all, new on here, need some help with a problem on a 1997 R reg Cherokee turbo diesel, when you press the clutch the starter motor fires up whether the engine is running or not ?!, anybody know what the cure is?, thanks for any help.
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Tank on December 04, 2012, 12:26:59 PM
Thats certainly a strange one,and im sure someone more knowledgeable will be along to offer more help,but i would guess wiring shorting somewhere from ignition cables as they run down the steering column and pressing the clutch is providing a bridge between a couple of the ignition wires maybe....but thats just an uneducated guess an i could be wide of the mark
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Cockney Boy on December 04, 2012, 12:51:03 PM
Thats certainly a strange one,and im sure someone more knowledgeable will be along to offer more help,but i would guess wiring shorting somewhere from ignition cables as they run down the steering column and pressing the clutch is providing a bridge between a couple of the ignition wires maybe....but thats just an uneducated guess an i could be wide of the mark

I'm with Tank on that one
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: bgbazz on December 04, 2012, 01:15:17 PM
 :iagree:, with both of them.
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Bubba on December 04, 2012, 02:46:53 PM
i reckon its the clutch interlock switch if you grope around the clutch pedal you will find a funny looking brake light switch thing  disconnect the wiring to it just check for damage then bridge the terminals and then should start normaly but without the need to depress the clutch
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Bubba on December 04, 2012, 03:15:41 PM
mind you have you had any ignition problems stiff key or the like cos that would point to the interlock being ok but the ignition switch being the problem
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: tag on December 04, 2012, 04:10:34 PM
Maybe  relay fault........ :icon_winkle:
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: MOCAJ on December 04, 2012, 06:01:58 PM
mind you have you had any ignition problems stiff key or the like cos that would point to the interlock being ok but the ignition switch being the problem

i would go with this option, ignition permanently live, then clutch interlock ok but firing up the starter.  wont do it much good if running !
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Jonny Jeep on December 04, 2012, 06:24:55 PM
Pull fuse 19 from the internal fuse box. If that stops it happening the contacts in the ignition switch have probably stuck themselves together. To check this check for 12V on the yellow wire at the ignition switch. It should have 12V only when the ignition is turned to start. If you have 12V at all times on the yellow wire unplug the connector. If the yellow wire has no voltage when unplugged the switch is providing the 12V to the wire. If there is still 12V at the yellow wire there is a short somewhere in the wiring.

If you need to drive the Jeep then once it's started either pull fuse 19 out, or pull the starter relay from the PDC under the hood, and it will stop the starter engaging when the engine is running.

Edited spelling.
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: raps on December 04, 2012, 09:08:35 PM
Thanks boys!, any more ideas, keep'em coming, thank god for forums. :greggmo:
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: demonicwillow on December 04, 2012, 10:02:01 PM
i reckon its the clutch interlock switch if you grope around the clutch pedal you will find a funny looking brake light switch thing  disconnect the wiring to it just check for damage then bridge the terminals and then should start normaly but without the need to depress the clutch

He may find the starter runs all the time by doing this Kev if the starter is running when the peddle is depressed
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Bubba on December 06, 2012, 09:12:19 PM
look at my folowing post
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: demonicwillow on December 07, 2012, 04:56:30 PM
I did  :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Bubba on December 07, 2012, 05:05:26 PM
cool i should have made it clearer
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: demonicwillow on December 08, 2012, 09:35:25 AM
Well I read it as his symptoms were that when the clutch pedel is pressed down, his starter engages and tries to run or start an already started engine and by disconnecting the clutch peddle interlock switch and bridging the wires then the starter would run permanently, and him not realising that perhaps the ignition switch internals are stuck/welded/ together somehow in the start position. Which is why I said it, your explanation is fine to me  :great:
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: big g on December 08, 2012, 10:19:34 AM
Thank fuck for autos.

That sounds some complicated shit :017:
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: Jonny Jeep on December 08, 2012, 12:49:54 PM
If it's the ignition switch and it happened on an auto it would engage the starter every time the transmission was shifted into neutral or park.
Title: Re: Clutch / starter problems, new boy needs help
Post by: raps on December 09, 2012, 11:25:28 AM
Thanks again for all the help.