My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help starting

[JStop]

My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help starting

Hi,

I am not an experienced mechanic or nor am I knowledgeable about jeeps or these types of forums. But I need help getting my jeep started.

My son has my old 92 Jeep Cherokee at college and it was broken into. The attempted thief tried to hot-wire it to get it started but it looked like he was interrupted because there weren't any wires cut. But he did drill out the key slot and the pushrod mechanism going down into dash is no longer spring loaded, although it does move back and forth when I pull/push on it.

I had it towed to my house and its been in my garage for months and I need to get it started and working again when he returns from college for the summer.

I used "Just Answers" web site a while ago to learn how to get it started (essentially I learned need to hot-wire it myself). The mechanic on that site (which I paid for) told me that I needed to connect some colored wires up under the steering column (which I did, following his instructions). But it didn't work. The plastic around the steering column is busted and I do have access to the cabling.

I have photographs and such but I"m thinking I need to connect with someone with specific Jeep experience so I am on this site looking for help.

Furthermore, this old jeep is in rough shape and I really don't want to sink $250+ into it for a mechanic and/or tow - and I think I can handle this myself. I just need this jeep to get through one more year of college. Its probably only worth $500.00, although I have put in a new radiator, alternator, water pump, and rear differential (I hired the rear differential to be done and I did the others stuff myself). If I can get it running, even if I have to rig up pushbuttons and operate it with no key - that would suffice for the final year at college.

Any help out there?

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

Used steering columns are cheap and easy to install. Cherokee's are a dime a dozen in the junk yards and u-pull-it yards. Might be a lot less headache to swap it out.

 

[69jeepcj]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

Someone on here ordered one of those a little while back (the circled piece). I don't know where they got it from though. Seems I remember greg being in on that discussion. As bounty said, it may be easier and less hassle to just get a new column out of a salvage yard. I got a Cherokee column for my cj, it was 100.00

 

[69jeepcj]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

Originally Posted by rotedog

<img src="http://www.jeepz.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18701"/>

This is a picture of the entire broken piece. I need to know the name of this part so I can try to find a replacement. Thanks



It's a GM Tilt Wheel ignition actuator rack, as the photo link shows. You can get the repair kit made by Dorman at Advance Auto or Auto Zone or you can search Ebay.

Read more: http://www.jeepz.com/forum/cj-yj-tj-jk/43593-1986-jeep-cj-ignition.html#ixzz3V125cga4

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

Someone on here ordered one of those a little while back (the circled piece). I don't know where they got it from though. Seems I remember greg being in on that discussion. As bounty said, it may be easier and less hassle to just get a new column out of a salvage yard. I got a Cherokee column for my cj, it was 100.00

I heard my name ! Yes , there was a discussion recently regarding a column rebuild involving a forced entry into a cherokee. These thieves just got no respect ! Can't they steal something without causing so much damage ? I'm in agreeance with Bounty_Hunter and 69jeepcj over searching for a replacement column since the swap is easier than breaking it down for repair . Of course price is always weighing in on the decision . Cannot retrieve my posts from what thread we had this discussion ( so convenient) but I recall mentioning the need for tilt pin extractor as well as the lock plate compressor should the tearing down go to that depth. Point is , after spending time dismantling the existing broken column to,find what's damaged for replacement and spending $$ on tools you may not have ( you won't find that tilt pin extractor at autozone for rental ) , it may add up close to the price of a replacement column from a junk yard , er excuse me , auto recycler. Got to be politically correct or offend the legal folks. As far as ordering parts on line , I hate paying shipping. If you opt to get the parts from a column from the yard of choice ( if they let you dismantle it ) there is still that list of expenses of tools if if you must buy them and parts plus time lost. I know your trying to save money on a jeep that you don't agree in sinking money into but give it a shot and see how much a column is at the yard. Heck , you may decide to part the jeep out after your son graduates and gets another jeep or a Honda or what he's into. Just thought I would help give quick insight on some options to save time. Also wish I can find that thread . Not in my subscribed column. Dang it !

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

BTW , those wires exposed in the photo are for horn and signal lights . The "hot wires " you would want to jump out are lower on the column on the ignition switch . If you went that route , why not just free the rod from the ignition lock and push it with pliers to select ignition and start to get 'er going ? I realize security is compromised with a broken ignition lock but that is the cheapest way I can think,of until a permanent solution is found. Heck , you know anyone who will lend out their pit bull to keep,it in the jeep while your sons in class ?

 

[JStop]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

Hello too all - thanks or the guidance. Installing a new steering column is way over my head.

But you are on the right tack with this last suggestion. I'm hoping that I would just rig up something that bypasses the traditional method. Security is not an issue - the doors don't lock either (the ones that open, that is). My son can use a pliers to start it for the times he might use it - no problem.

Anyway, can you go down this path further? That push rod is indeed "free" and slides back and forth down into the dash. So the steering wheel is free to rotate. This is really as much as I know about that mechanism. When you say "push it to select ignition", what does that mean? If I push it, is it supposed to immediately initiate the starter? Or is there something else electronic that needs to be connected together in order for that to work?

Thanks for the additional help, boys!

Jahn S.
Lakeville, MN

BTW , those wires exposed in the photo are for horn and signal lights . The "hot wires " you would want to jump out are lower on the column on the ignition switch . If you went that route , why not just free the rod from the ignition lock and push it with pliers to select ignition and start to get 'er going ? I realize security is compromised with a broken ignition lock but that is the cheapest way I can think,of until a permanent solution is found. Heck , you know anyone who will lend out their pit bull to keep,it in the jeep while your sons in class ?

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

In the photo supplied by "just answers" , there is the ignition switch actuator rod. If you can access it , that is what you can manipulate to start the engine. It will move opposite of the rotation of the ignition lock. Pushing it all the way down is the accessory position and up one click will be back to off and lock position. Conversely , each click up will be the equivalent of the key rotating through all its positions. Of course , to engage starter it is a spring loaded position. You will have to be firm with the pliers to hold and release when engine starts and runs. Since the ignition switch actuator rack is already removed , I'm thinking you'll have access to the actuator rod to cycle it through its positions. Give it a try to see if this in fact is achievable.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Re: My college son's 92 Cherokee was broken into & tried to hotwire. Need help start

Replacing the column is actually easier than rebuilding its internals.