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Start Solenoid and a Relay Wiring I.D. Help

21K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  jeepdaddy2000 
#1 · (Edited)
I HAVE A BIG W. T. F. ???? from the P.O. goin on here.
These pics are from my 1981 cj5 258 .
I need to find out about this nightmare wiring the Previous Owner/Hacker has ,
The first pic shows a RELAY in yellow circle this mounts next to the start solenoid on pass. fender.
1.) Is this a STARTER RELAY ?? SHOULD this relay be wired in to the start wires ??? Is this a factory type relay setup before the solenoid ??? I'm not familiar with the ford start system on my Jeep.
2.) The 2 terminals at the blue arrows are push on connections to the starter solenoid. Question is The BLUE crimp connector has the BLACK wire from the relay crimped to the BLUE wire push on connector, This doesn't seem right ??
3.) The light blue wire from the major wire harness is crimp connected to the WHITE wire from the solenoid ?? Instead of going to the Blue push on connection for the solenoid
4.) The ORANGE wire goes NOWHERE ????
5.) The BLACK wire circled in red from the main harness with the 90 degree push on connector goes NOWHERE ????
Can this be right ???? I thought you have a BLUE wire AND a RED wire to the push on connects at the start SOLENOID
I'm having a MENTAL FART WITH THIS.
I'm used to OLD chevys with the start solenoid on the starter.
ANY HELP THANK YOU.
 

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#2 ·
I'm not sure that an 81 has one, but that relay looks like an intake manifold heater relay. Mine mounts on the firewall about center. I would have to find a diagram to be sure. The easies thing to do, IMO, is to strip off all the plasic wrap, and starting at the firewall connector, trace them each out and label them. Cut them to size, and solder and heat shrink wrap them back up.
 

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#4 ·
I'll bet it was for aftermarket driving lights then... or some kind of anti theft kill switch maybe.

I'm sure there are some other possibilities I'm not thinking of ...
 
#9 ·
I'll bet it was for aftermarket driving lights then... or some kind of anti theft kill switch maybe.

I'm sure there are some other possibilities I'm not thinking of ...
I think you are right, Someone put the relay in to interrupt the power to the starter relay when the key is in the "Start" position. Probably for a home made security system. It would be interesting drawing power off the wire as he has it. May not have enough power to pull the relay in to start jeep.

Red wire from the harness to the "I" terminal, Blue wire from the harness to the "S" terminal. Black wire from the harness not needed unless you have an automatic. Automatic requires a special Starter solenoid like VACJ7 says.

Cut the rest out.
 
#5 ·
Thats what I'm trying to figure out, was it a factory relay for the start solenoid or not.
Because if I knew it wasn't supposed to be there for the start system I would remove it and hook up the wires according to diagrams I have seen on the forum with blu an red to start solenoid.
But that leaves me wondering what the black wire from the main harness with the 90 degree push on connect was for...?? There are only 2 studs on the solenoid for push on connects blue/red ,,,, so W.T.F. could the factory black harness wire go to ??????? Am I missing some other electronic component that mounts around the passenger side fenderwell .???
 
#8 ·
So do you guys think this relay was put in aftermarket,
And it is definitely NOT a part of the factory wiring for the iginition/start system??
According to all the diagrams I've seen so far I've never seen a relay involved anywhere with the starter solenoid.
I guess I'll cut everything and go ahead and wire it by the diagrams I have bookmarked from Jeephammer posts recently.
 
#12 ·
Just about the same. It doesn't really matter what year 258. THey all hook up basically the same way. the difference between the 79 and 82 harness is minimal and quite frankly, you can use any harness in any late model CJ and get it to run properly. I have an 84 harness in my 76. I could put a 79 harness in an 84 and it would run.
 
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