Ignition Switch Power

'74 CJ 304 won't start. Problem was intermittent earlier, and I found and replaced bad connections at the solenoid relay. Worked fine for a few months after that. Now it won't work at all, and neither will anything else electrical (switched) with the ignition switch in either "aux" or "run".

I can short the battery to the start terminal on the solenoid and it fires up just fine. Traced the wires back into the harness and to the ignition switch and all looked fine. Pulled the switch and tested, and (without a load anyway) the switch checks out fine - BUT... there is no + power to the battery lead into the switch.

My wiring diagram (such as it is) shows that this lead should be yellow, but it is red/orange. The heavy yellow lead coming to the dash goes to the amp meter. In the engine compartment, as far as I can tell the wire that starts at my "battery" terminal on the ignition switch ends on the alternator.

Couple more notes - wiring looks original, or at least a good number of years old. I've had the jeep for a year, and the previous owner I don't think was smart enough to wire a flashlight. Amp meter started reading funny about the same time the starting problem got worse. Oh yeah, and my factory service manual doesn't give any wiring info on the amp meter.

So.... I'm looking for any help I can get. I'd love to fix this without making it worse, and I'm feeling a little like an idiot right now. Amp meter wiring diagram? Info on where the ignition switch power is supposed to come from (like the battery side of the solenoid relay maybe?) Thanks all.

 

Do you have a pyramid shaped connector in the engine compartment? I had a similar problem and the connection in that connector was corroded.
I cleaned it and applied dielectric grease and I have had no problems for a couple of years.

 

you could also be dealing with a bad solenoid, as I had just a few weeks ago. They're not that expensive, something like 12 or 15 dollars. If you are getting no reaction when you turn the key, and the wiring is checking out fine, I'd give that a try.

 

Thanks guys - finally got around to finishing it up yesterday. Traced everything back through the ignition switch, and it turned out to be a bad amp meter in the dash. That was what was so frustrating - the problem was intermittent, depending on how the meter was moved, and the position of the moon and stars...

Anyway, back on the road. Thanks for the help.