Under column ignition switch replacement

[Zoro]

Hey guys how hard is the removal and replacement of the under column ignition switch?



My eagle fires right up but dies as soon as the key is released to the RUN position so it's gotta be that switch, right?

[rollguy]

It is fairly easy.  You may have to loosen the column bolts to lower the column, but that is not hard.

[eaglebeek]

Hey guys how hard is the removal and replacement of the under column ignition switch?



My eagle fires right up but dies as soon as the key is released to the RUN position so it's gotta be that switch, right?

Zoro, before you replace the ignition switch make sure the wiring is OK between the switch and the ignition coil. To test use your multimeter and set it to ohms. Disconnect the switch under the column. Look in the back side of the ignition switch connector and you should see the metallic connector pins. Place one of your multimeter probes against the metallic pin attached to the yellow wire.

Disconnect the ignition coil and the radio interference capacitor. Have someone place the other probe from your multimeter on the positive side (yellow wire) of the ignition coil connector. While both probes are connected take an ohms reading. If your meter reads greater than 1.40 ohms there is a wiring fault between the ignition switch and the coil. A new switch will not cure the problem.

If your resistance is correct reconnect the switch and coil. Leave the radio interference capacitor disconnected. Try to start. If the engine starts and stays running after you release the key the radio interference capacitor has gone bad. Leave it disconnected and drive the car. It's not required.

If it starts but dies when you release the key check the coil. Again using your multimeter, measure resistance across the primary terminals of the coil. It should read 1.13 to 1.23 ohms. Now pull the center wire out of the coil and measure between the center terminal inside the coil tower and either of the primary terminals. It should read between 7700 and 9300 ohms at 75 degrees F. Readings outside these ranges indicates a bad coil.

[vangremlin]

You will have to scrunch yourself up so you can lay on your back on the floor of the driver's side.  Not comfortable, but not hard.

[carnuck]

You can unplug the wires at the connector (2 plugs) and put the new one in and use a screwdriver to operate it to test your theory without taking the old switch out. If that doesn't work, then the resistor wire has burned out between the switch and + on the coil or the ignition box. You can also check the coil +, the "I" terminal on the solenoid and the 2 wire connection on the ignition box for power. I think it's the Yellow on the box that is resistored power in and the blue wire goes to the ignition switch and S terminal on the solenoid so it gets power while cranking.
   On Fords with this same setup, the diode on the yellow wire coming in would blow out and the "limp home" mode was to jumper the blue and yellow but you usually get only another 100 miles before it dies completely. Those colors are from memory and may be Ford and not AMC colors.

[Zoro]

Friday I go to start the Eagle and it's still acting up.

SO...

I change the coil and it fires right up...YAY, not so fast. I hooked the old coil back up and the car fired right up again like nothing was wrong...

SO...

I change out the under column switch and notice the switch and harness were slightly melted. Repair the wiring, new switch installed and it ran like a champ all weekend.

Fast forward to this morning and it's acting up AGAIN. Fires right up but stalls when the key is released. I always keep a brand new spare ignition module in the car so I plugged it in and the car won't even sputter as the engine cranks. By this time I was seriously late for work so I took the Jeep.

I get home this afternoon and for the helluvit I plug the old ignition module in and the car fires up...REALLY?!? I'M GOING TO KILL YOU CAR!!!!

It did sort of do the same thing at first and took several tries to get started but I was able to take it for a drive no problem.

Only thing I can think of that I haven't tried yet is the pickup in the distributor...What do you guys think?

[Zoro]

I probably should note that this car has had the ECM Test bypass performed and the carb is electrical but the wires are disconnected. The computer and it's associated terrorist regime are all either eliminated or disconnected.

[carnuck]

I'd go HEI and never look back! LOL! Actually, something in your system is taking too much power, which is why the harness was melting around the switch.

[Zoro]

I'd go HEI and never look back! LOL! Actually, something in your system is taking too much power, which is why the harness was melting around the switch.

HEI is in the plans as is 4.0 injection.

Awhile back the electric choke wire popped off and ground to the carb and melted some wires. That's what's up with the ignition switch.

[IowaEagle]

Is the switch actuator rod correctly adjusted?

[Zoro]

Is the switch actuator rod correctly adjusted?

Seems to be.

I drove it all over creation yesterday and parked when I got home. A little later on it started raining so I went to start it(rain seems to be one of those things that aggravate the issue) and it fired right up, ran for 10 seconds and stalled. Every time I tried to start it after that it would fire right up and stall. Popped the hood and jiggled the wiring harness on a whim and then it started up like normal.

I'm guessing it's some sort of wiring issue now between the firewall connector and ignition module. There was a short on that stretch of wire last year which I repaired and replaced using solder and heat-shrink tubing. Guessing the solder job might have cracked somewhere...yay