No start

[nickxj94]

Well my jeep wouldn't start on me today when I drove it to pick up my kid from school football game.
Won't engage the starter by turning the key switch, so quick diagnosis checking fuses,relays,wiring, ignition switch still nothing.
Bang on the starter, put in neutral nothing, jump starter soleinoid and still nothing.

So pop the cap off the relay and touch the contacts and boom starts right up!



So anyone think it is the nss?

I'm at a loss I'm no good at electronic crap on these or anything else....


I did remove the nss and was going to rebuild it. But I freaking broke it..

[4.3LXJ]

If you got it to start by supplying power to the starter relay, then yes you are probably on the right track with the NSS. The consensus is they can be cleaned and work again. But as you found out, they are fragile. You may need to replace it. I don't think parts are available for repair

[nickxj94]

I hope it was the nss, and yes they're really fragile! And pricey at 205.99 at a couple local part stores..

Another question would it hurt to drive it without the nss? I've read a few threads on bypassing it that it could hurt the transmission. Any truth in that? I gotta get to work Monday and see if I can charge the part and pay it out of my check.

[4.3LXJ]

No, bypassing it does not hurt it. Other trannys it might, such as the 45RFE in the WJ, but it would end up being a computer thing. The AW4 is not that sophisticated. I have a different trans, but I bypassed mine. You just have to make sure you are in N or P when starting or you might take off when you don't want to

[nickxj94]

Well OK I may drive it to work and see if I can get one lol

[4.3LXJ]

As long as the oil doesn't leak out, no

[nickxj94]

Thanks! I started it and let it run about 5 mins and nothing leaked, I was worried about that too.

[autotech98]

hey nick i know nss's are expensive i found one on ebay for 45.I tried to clean mine too and busted it,luckily i had the other already as i am a bit ham handed.

[nickxj94]

Thanks I gotta friend sending me one from a few states away for 40.00 he just rebuilt so I will try it.

[autotech98]

no heres an idea... design an nss with an all metal housing.no cheap plastic on back where you pry on it

[nickxj94]

I don't see the point in one on a auto trans...

[autotech98]

safety!! lol..so you cant start it in gear.I know on my 98 it actually supplies inputs to ecu so it knows what gear the trans is in.had to replace mine cause it wasn"t shifting into o.d.When i finally got it off and opened it up the contacts were wiped so cleaning it wouldn"t have helped even if i didn't break it

[4.3LXJ]

Basically, the NSS provides a ground to the starter relay in the PCM. Even on the late models with the AW4. The easy way to bypass the NSS is to just permanently ground the wire from the starter relay to the NSS. You can splice it back later. I purposely did mine this way so I could shift ranges in my Atlas by shutting off the engine, shifting ranges and then restarting. Worked well. After I removed the synchros and detents it works even better. But I digress. The point is that you can get this running very simply and wait for parts later

[nickxj94]

Its running right now I just have to pop the hood and push the contact on the relay. I will put the nss in when I get it, but least I can drive it to work the next few days while I wait on the part.

[nickxj94]

Well now its down and dead again..

Won't start from the relay now.