No electrical

Its warm out, and I just got my registration and plates, so I started tackling my light issue. Fuses all looked good (found two). I have no lights at all and the horn is non-op. the amp light comes on when I turn the key to run, starter works great and all gauges function. Any common spots to check?

On an unrelated note, jacked up the front end and looks like I have a posi in there to go with the extremely tight rear posi/locker in the back, haven't pulled the covers yet to check. That can't be too common, is it?

 

Start with all grounds and make sure they are good. Check the bulbs as well. Then start checking to see where you do and don't have power.

 

That was my original plan of action, but my multimeter seems to have run off in our remodel project. Are the grounds everywhere, or do they have a common point?

 

How long has the light issue been going on, there a ground on your drivers fender, kinda like a metal strip which has headlights, parking, turn signal on it. (test light would be good to) to bad bout your multimeter walking away.

Dimmer, and headlight switch too. If you car starts then you should at least get power to headlight switch

 

X2 on the test light. Both the headlight and horn power feed from the ignition switch if still original. Use the test light to see what's hot and what's not on your switch. This might help too.

http://www.earlycj5.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/CJ_With_F134.pdf

 

Correction on submitted information. The terminal block on the left fender (if stock) is a three term block. It is a junction point for high beam-low beam and park lights only. No ground at this block. It is insulated from ground. The horn wire power is separate and runs directly to a power terminal on the circuit breaker connected to the head-light switch. Pull headlight switch to on and see if high-beam indicator light comes "ON". If it does then you know you have power to the dimmer switch. With test light, check that you have power coming out of the dimmer switch. If OK then test for power at the 3 terminal block. If OK then you have bad bulbs or bad ground between grille-fender-tub-frame-battery neg.

 

Got the headlights going, switch was bad. Opened it up and cleaned the terminals and all is good. I've got power with the headlights on at the front two terminals and the third is a ground on the terminal block. I have no power at any of the wires in the turn signal under any conditions. Don't seem to have any at the flasher either. What is the flow of power on that circuit? Brake lights have no power to them with headlights on, haven't been able to check with brake pushed in yet. Back to work!

 

See above. One terminal is for both headlights high beam. One other terminal is for both headlights low beam. The third terminal is for the two front park lights. There should be no ground on this 3 terminal block. If you have a ground connected then it is not wired correctly for your year model jeep. You can wire it anyway you want because it is your car but I will only tell you the correct way. You should have an in-line fuse (if stock) that powers the flasher. This power comes from the ACC terminal of the ignition switch (my preference) and comes out of the flasher on the "L" (load) terminal of the flasher and goes into the turn signal switch.

 

Awesome, good info. I definitely want it wired stock, or near it. I have power on the acc terminal of the ignition switch, so I'll start there. The grounded terminal would explain the lack of parking lights.

 

Keep at it and you will get it all working.

 

Thanks again Walt, I'll keep this thread updated as I make progress. I just noticed you were from Cordele, my wife was born and raised in Perry and I spent a few years living in Dublin and Milledgeville. Wish we could get back more often, but seems like about once a year is all we can muster in this economy. Small world!

 

Ok, finally got more time to work on it. Started out by checking for power at the brake light switch and couldn't get anything. Started to work my way from the headlight switch and thought I should check with the headlights on. Pulled the switch halfway out and the speedometer lit up and saw red light behind me...cool! Here's the odd part though. With the switch half way out the brake lights are lit with the brake pedal doing nothing. Pull the switch all the way out and the lights go out in the back and the dash, but now the rear running lights come on with the brake pedal. Same behavior with the lights off all together. I'm guessing something is wired wrong on the headlight switch? I've got two purple wires and a yellow on one terminal, a light blue on one, and a green one on the third. Going to play around a bit to figure out what each does and see where that gets me. Any other thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

On your head-light switch, one terminal is power to park lights only when switch is pulled to the first position. You will lose power at this terminal when the switch is pulled all the way out. The second position is designed to be for head-lights and rear tail lights. Front park lights were not required if head lights were on. The stop lights are powered from the breaker terminal of the circuit breaker (the terminal powering the light switch) at the headlight switch. This is to protect the stop light wiring and turn-signal switch in case of a short to ground.

 

The two purple wires were for the instrument lights. I put those to the other side of the switch and they function properly. I'm guessing the blue was for running lights as I couldn't get anything to happen when putting power to it. When I put the yellow on the breaker it lit up the brake lights solid. Seems like something is fishy elsewhere.

 

Just thought of something else. When I was working on it, I got the hunch that maybe the lights were wired backwards, so I tried switching the leads on the passenger tail light. When I did that, it didn't work at all so I switched it back. It turned out that the connection to that light on the drivers side was about to fall apart and did when I was messing with the tail light leads. I never thought to try it again with the wiring fixed up. I think they may be working fine, just the bright filament is coming on with the parking lights, and I just cant see the running light come on with the brake pedal because it's not bright enough to add anything. Am I correct that one wire from the tail light is for the running light and one is for the brake/turn signal and it's grounded through the mount? Might have to give that a try tonight.

 

You may have to forget about wire colors. Remember that your stop lights have to work through your turn-signal switch ONLY unless you have a 4 way flasher switch also. Disconnect the wires (at the rear) that feeds both tail lights. Connect the blue wire to the terminal that also has the dash lights connected. Now turn on head lights and go to rear with your test light and find the wire that is hot and connect it to both tail lights but not the stop portion of the bulb. Remember that the stop/turn portion of the bulbs will have a separate run to the front for the turn-signal switch. You should have only 3 wires running to the back.

 

Didn't somebody have a color-coded wiring diagram some where?

Would make it easier to figure out what goes where if one is available.

 

Switched the tail light wires around and success! I have properly functioning brake and running lights. So much for the wiring being a simple fix! Next on the list is the turn signals and horn and we should be at 100%. Probably not going to happen for a bit now as winter is supposed to actually show up for a bit in wisconsin. Good news is that I got to drive it to work today and it performed very well. Got up to 60 mph and it seemed fairly happy there. The 4.27's might not be so bad after all!

 

Glad you getting close.

 

i dont know if this will help