Bypassing neutral saftey switch?

I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A new
one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or so.
I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
way to bypass the NSS?

Thanks,

Sam

Are you driving an automatic or a standard?

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

wrote:
>
> I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A new
> one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or so.
> I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
> before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
> can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
> way to bypass the NSS?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sam

I had an old GMC motorhome that did this. The switch has developed a bit of
internal resistance so that it can't carry the current that is required of
it. You put a continuity tester on it and looks fine, a real head
scratcher. You can make a jumper out of the same type of terminals that are
on the switch and a piece of wire. A real sophisticated repair is to wire
in a relay actuated by the switch. If the switch is not carrying as much
current, it won't burn up the contacts as fast.

$200 for a neutral safety switch? Have you checked aftermarket suppliers?

Earle

"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
> Are you driving an automatic or a standard?
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> wrote:
> >
> > I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A new
> > one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or so.
> > I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
> > before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
> > can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
> > way to bypass the NSS?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Sam

It's an automatic. I just went out an cleaned the contacts again and
it still would not fire up. I'd like to cut the wires and totally
bypass the switch. I'm going to retire it as soon as I find a
replacement vehicle.

Sam


Mike Romain wrote:
> Are you driving an automatic or a standard?
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> wrote:
> >
> > I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A new
> > one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or so.
> > I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
> > before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
> > can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
> > way to bypass the NSS?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Sam

The cheapest I found was $183 + tax at AutoZone. And then there's the
hassle of unplugging it from the wiring harness on top of the bell
housing. Don't really want to go down that path.

Sam


Earle Horton wrote:
> I had an old GMC motorhome that did this. The switch has developed a bit of
> internal resistance so that it can't carry the current that is required of
> it. You put a continuity tester on it and looks fine, a real head
> scratcher. You can make a jumper out of the same type of terminals that are
> on the switch and a piece of wire. A real sophisticated repair is to wire
> in a relay actuated by the switch. If the switch is not carrying as much
> current, it won't burn up the contacts as fast.
>
> $200 for a neutral safety switch? Have you checked aftermarket suppliers?
>
> Earle
>
> "Mike Romain" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Are you driving an automatic or a standard?
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A new
> > > one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or so.
> > > I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
> > > before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
> > > can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
> > > way to bypass the NSS?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Sam

Have you seen this link?

http://www.dirtdevils.org/XJNutralSwitch.htm

I am not sure which wire you need to cut though. Some neutral switches,
like on a CJ or YJ just send a ground signal to the starter relay.
Those ones can be bypassed at the fender just by putting a ground wire
on at the relay.

If I went into the wiring diagram I could likely figure it out, but...

Here is a link to early XJ wiring http://billhughes.com/romain/

Mike

wrote:
>
> It's an automatic. I just went out an cleaned the contacts again and
> it still would not fire up. I'd like to cut the wires and totally
> bypass the switch. I'm going to retire it as soon as I find a
> replacement vehicle.
>
> Sam
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
> > Are you driving an automatic or a standard?
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A new
> > > one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or so.
> > > I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
> > > before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
> > > can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
> > > way to bypass the NSS?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Sam

That's what I did on the motor home. It worked great, but you will have to
pay attention because you can start it in reverse or drive.

The problem with many of these designs is that they put too much current
through the neutral safety switch, so it eventually burns out. I have seen
other vehicles with a relay, where the switch lasts forever, but the relay
burns out instead. ;^)

Earle

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> It's an automatic. I just went out an cleaned the contacts again and
> it still would not fire up. I'd like to cut the wires and totally
> bypass the switch. I'm going to retire it as soon as I find a
> replacement vehicle.
>
> Sam
>
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
> > Are you driving an automatic or a standard?
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A
new
> > > one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or
so.
> > > I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
> > > before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
> > > can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
> > > way to bypass the NSS?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Sam
>

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 10:16:28 -0700, "Earle Horton"
> wrote:

>That's what I did on the motor home. It worked great, but you will have to
>pay attention because you can start it in reverse or drive.

My trusty '77 Cherokee has been that way for the 20 years I've owned
it. The tranny overhaul about 9 years ago didn't change a thing.
It's no problem. It also means that you can use the starter (with the
tranny in gear) to move the Jeep from a bad spot in case of a stall/no
start (like off a railroad track). But, if you do, the starter will
have to be repaired in very soon.

Dan
>
>The problem with many of these designs is that they put too much current
>through the neutral safety switch, so it eventually burns out. I have seen
>other vehicles with a relay, where the switch lasts forever, but the relay
>burns out instead. ;^)
>
>Earle
>
> wrote in message
roups.com...
>> It's an automatic. I just went out an cleaned the contacts again and
>> it still would not fire up. I'd like to cut the wires and totally
>> bypass the switch. I'm going to retire it as soon as I find a
>> replacement vehicle.
>>
>> Sam
>>
>>
>> Mike Romain wrote:
>> > Are you driving an automatic or a standard?
>> >
>> > Mike
>> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
>> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
>> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>> >
>> > wrote:
>> > >
>> > > I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A
>new
>> > > one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or
>so.
>> > > I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
>> > > before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
>> > > can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
>> > > way to bypass the NSS?
>> > >
>> > > Thanks,
>> > >
>> > > Sam
>>
>

I found something in the Haynes manual (Cherokee 1984-2000, page 7B-5)
that might be helpful. It is for the 4 speed auto trans. It appears
that everything transmission related goes through that switch, not just
neutral/park and back up. The wiring diagrams use numbers instead of
these letters so it was no help.

X
E F G H
D C B A

The X shows the locking tab

P B-C
R A-E
N B-C
D (blank)
3 A-G
1-2 A-H

If this problem happened to me, I would disconnect the connector and
jumper the wires. But you won't have backup lights and you should stay
in D so you don't confuse the computer. Or trace the B and C wires to
an accessable location and strip the wires enough to install a jumper
and switch to see if that will work. Just be sure to put some liquid
electrical tape on the bare wires.

When my ignition switch melted in the middle of winter, I put a jumper
on the solenoid and a heavy duty switch on the dash. I replaced the
ignition switch when the weather got nicer, but I still use the dash
mounted switch so I won't have the problem again. The starter sucks a
lot of amps and it only takes a poor connection to quickly melt the
connector, transmission switch or wires.

Merrill

Mike Romain wrote:
> Have you seen this link?
>
> http://www.dirtdevils.org/XJNutralSwitch.htm
>
> I am not sure which wire you need to cut though. Some neutral switches,
> like on a CJ or YJ just send a ground signal to the starter relay.
> Those ones can be bypassed at the fender just by putting a ground wire
> on at the relay.
>
> If I went into the wiring diagram I could likely figure it out, but...
>
> Here is a link to early XJ wiring http://billhughes.com/romain/
>
> Mike
>
> wrote:
> >
> > It's an automatic. I just went out an cleaned the contacts again and
> > it still would not fire up. I'd like to cut the wires and totally
> > bypass the switch. I'm going to retire it as soon as I find a
> > replacement vehicle.
> >
> > Sam
> >
> > Mike Romain wrote:
> > > Are you driving an automatic or a standard?
> > >
> > > Mike
> > > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> > >
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I have a 91 Cherokee with 200k+ miles on her and a worn out NSS. A new
> > > > one will set me back $200 and the Jeep is only worth about $1000 or so.
> > > > I have cleaned the NSS twice and the last time only lasted 2 weeks
> > > > before it quit again. I would like to bypass this switch, so that I
> > > > can drive it, shile I search for a replacement. Does anyone know of a
> > > > way to bypass the NSS?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > >
> > > > Sam