Push Button Start

[cquinnball]

Has anyone used stock buttons that work when holding down for a push button start?  I realize it would take longer to engage the acc then move my hand to the button.  I was just curious.  Any other accessories that we can run off stock switches?  I was thinking fogs, roll bar lights, electric fan and then the last a start but maybe there is something more useful that I haven't thought of.    

 

Thank you in advance.

[schardein]

I'm not sure what your goal is.  I am adept at vehicle wiring and have quite a bit of experience doing repairs and custom wiring.  

I've seriously considered a push button starter setup for my off road Jeep CJ.  But after taking a long look at it, I kept returning to the stock setup, with the key cylinder and ignition switch- it's actually a pretty elegant design from a wiring standpoint.

 

The stock rocker switches in a MJ/XJ work well for low amp circuits, and can trigger a relay for circuits with a larger load.  But setting them up to work as a replacement for the stock ignition switch would require a lot of work and money, to end up with a system that is probably less reliable and user friendly than the stock system.

[cquinnball]

Thank you for responding.  I was thinking it wouldn't be worth it.  Thank you again.

[Big_Mark]

I ran an ignition switch and a separate push button starter switch in my Scrambler. It was handy for "situations" were the starter was required to get through some obstacles I shouldn't have been trying to traverse. Winch + starter + "in gear" kind of things, useful for rock crawler, not so much for a stock MJ.

 

Slightly off topic

[cquinnball]

Thank you for responding.  It helps understand that there may be an application for it but just not in my case.  I can see how it can be useful in some cases.

 

[pizzaman09]

I always quite disliked the push button start in the one car I owned with one since I had to insert the key then push the button, which added a step in where my hands needed to be to start the car.  Most modern vehicles solve this with remote key fobs.  I quite like being able to quickly shove a key in the ignition, turn it and start the vehicle.

[Eagle]

It's always interesting to see things go full circle.

 

For those of you who don't know, I'm 79 years old. When I was growing up, cars had an ignition switch, and a separate push button for the starter. On some of them the starter button was on the dashboard, on others it was on the floor (sometimes near enough to the headlight dimmer switch -- also floor-mounted -- to cause problems). It wasn't until the mid- to late 1950s that we started to see an ignition switch with an extra, "Start" position built into it. The "Accessory" position came even later.

 

And now we are seeing that taking the "Start" function out of the ignition switch is somehow viewed as an innovation ... when it's actually a reversion.

 

[gogmorgo]

I’ve seen an older Chevy truck with a starter “button” on the floor that was also a lever that manually engaged the flywheel. I want to say it was a ‘48, but not sure. 

[ghetdjc320]

A push button start is a very simple switch to install. But a modern push button start system will typically incorporate an rfid tag from the key fob for security. Similar to the “chip” keys that many manufacturers used in the 90’s and early 2000’s. 

[Eagle]

10 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

A push button start is a very simple switch to install. But a modern push button start system will typically incorporate an rfid tag from the key fob for security. Similar to the “chip” keys that many manufacturers used in the 90’s and early 2000’s. 

 

Correct. But the reference in the opening post to "stock buttons" doesn't seem to encompass that technology.

[gogmorgo]

There was a guy on here who actually installed a kit to get the “rfid-fob-in-pocket” push button start, or at least was planning it. Can’t remember who though. Had a bunch of similar digital things in his build. 
 

Back to the original subject, though, I’d have concerns about unconventional starter buttons/switches, especially if it was labelled as something else. You wouldn’t want someone hitting the starter by accident on you.
There aren’t a ton of switches in the MJ platform to begin with, either. You’ve got the two on each side of the steering column, cargo light, fogs, power/comfort, what else. Would the XJ rear defrost be a momentary switch? I haven’t spent enough time actually driving XJs I owned to know. 

[ghetdjc320]

15 hours ago, gogmorgo said:

There was a guy on here who actually installed a kit to get the “rfid-fob-in-pocket” push button start, or at least was planning it. Can’t remember who though. Had a bunch of similar digital things in his build. 
 

Back to the original subject, though, I’d have concerns about unconventional starter buttons/switches, especially if it was labelled as something else. You wouldn’t want someone hitting the starter by accident on you.
There aren’t a ton of switches in the MJ platform to begin with, either. You’ve got the two on each side of the steering column, cargo light, fogs, power/comfort, what else. Would the XJ rear defrost be a momentary switch? I haven’t spent enough time actually driving XJs I owned to know. 

That was Limeys build

[pizzaman09]

On 3/25/2023 at 1:10 PM, Eagle said:

It's always interesting to see things go full circle.

 

For those of you who don't know, I'm 79 years old. When I was growing up, cars had an ignition switch, and a separate push button for the starter. On some of them the starter button was on the dashboard, on others it was on the floor (sometimes near enough to the headlight dimmer switch -- also floor-mounted -- to cause problems). It wasn't until the mid- to late 1950s that we started to see an ignition switch with an extra, "Start" position built into it. The "Accessory" position came even later.

 

And now we are seeing that taking the "Start" function out of the ignition switch is somehow viewed as an innovation ... when it's actually a reversion.

 

Indeed, I've driven my friend's Model A Ford truck with the foot starter switch.  My 62 Austin Healey originally had a pull knob on the dash that operated a cable to a large electrical contactor for the starter.  It has long been bypassed for a later three position key and solenoid.

 

There should be no technical reason why a push button start can't be incorporated into an MJ, just comes down to what level of complexity and security you want.