hotwiring it

[raviolli]

hello everyone :waving:

I'm a new member as of today (within a few minutes of posting this) and ive got an '88 comanche pioneer sitting at my girlfriends dads house. if i can get it started and drive it home, its mine. :thumbsup: the problem is, theres something wrong with the ignition system somewhere. i just saw the jeep for the first time last night and when i got there it was already taken apart. my girlfriend was getting a kick out of taking the steering column apart and all related pieces (which are now in pieces). i figured ill hotwire it next time i go and either replace everything we broke or set up the ignition with a toggle switch or something. i guess I'm just looking to find out the color coding for the wires or just the best way to get it started.

oh yeah, the reason they started taking it apart....they said the key wouldnt turn in the tumbler. i got it to the first try just by pushing it in a lil bit but it was already taken apart by then so maybe something was knocked loose. either way, if i turn the key now, it will turn almost a full 180 degrees in the tumbler but nothing happens. (i guess because theres nothing left on the steering column after a nights worth of tearing it apart....what can i say? my gf enjoyed it) ..no lights on the cluster, no fuel pump noise or anything. at this point it can be a number of things thats wrong with it, but her dad says its got a new battery. (and it was running fine when he sold it, but they brought it back to him because they couldnt turn the key)

its a 4 banger with a 4spd if thats any help. oh yeah and the headlights and flashers work too so its def not the battery

 

...soo uhhh....any input is good. her dad just told her she could take it in the woods and fool around with it cuz he just wanted it gone and i was like ill take it! so if it ends up needing a whole lot we might just go back to that first idea or ill do some kind of swap. who knows what the plan is yet :dunno:

[Hooked]

on top of the steering column under the dash is the switch and is connected to the key with a small shaft. the key locks the steering wheel from turning. If you take the switch off the column and operate the switch by hand it will start. don't forget to slide the switch back to the run so the starter won't stay running. another way is to unplug the wire harness from the switch and use jumper wires.

[raviolli]

on top of the steering column under the dash is the switch and is connected to the key with a small shaft. the key locks the steering wheel from turning. If you take the switch off the column and operate the switch by hand it will start. don't forget to slide the switch back to the run so the starter won't stay running. another way is to unplug the wire harness from the switch and use jumper wires.

 

haha...thats one of the pieces that is now on the floorboard. (the spring and rod that locks the wheel that is, i didnt look for any actual switch. of course, this was done at night with a droplight. we went through 3 bulbs lol) and what sucks is the jeep is sitting about 50-60 miles away from where i live so ill have to wait til next weekend before i can do anything

[kyleag89]

Just put the switch back together.. If the problem in the beginning before you ripped a lot of unesessary pieces out was the key tumbler, you can simply remove it and use a flat head screwdriver to start.

[88SporTruck]

That switch should be a black rectangle with a large wiring harness attached. Hold it with the wiring harness up and use a flathead screwdriver to slide the part the rod hooked to over to the right. It will automatically spring back from start to run when you let it go.

 

Did this to a friends monte carlo for over a year. Just expect some problems from the cops if they pull you over and see the switch hanging and a screwdriver in the center console. We had guns pulled on us until they figured out that we owned the car and that the lock cyl was broken.

[raviolli]

sweet thanks guys. ill have to try this during the daylight hours. i don't want to bust out anymore lightbulbs with the droplight. those things are so sensitive!

...i hope all the pieces are salvageable...or that i can figure out how to put it back together lol