FirstJeep87

I have recently bought a 1987 Cherokee, it is my first car.
My dash didn't light up at night so I changed the fuse that went with it. Before then, my turn signals worked just fine. Now that the dash lights up, my turn signals don't. So I figured I'd change the fuse for turn signals, and nothing.

This is what my fuse panel looks like. I changed fuses 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9.
http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/...tification.htm

Please help!

DESERTXJ206

I believe in the same location as the fuses there is also a flasher that looks like a big silver thing next to the fuse box. Check that, could have shorted that out or something.

If you remove the fuses that you replaced do the blinkers work again?

FirstJeep87

I am a 17 year old girl, I know nothing about cars or electronics and I don't have money to go to a mechanic. Also my gauges aren't moving. My thermostat is stuck at high, battery is all the way down and my gas gauge doesn't move and I just put $20 in my tank.

Radi

Oh, you probably have the usual Renix ground and or connector 101 (big plug at the firewall) issues. If you can use a wrench and some sandpaper, you can probably fix this. Here's Cruiser's instructions:



Renix Jeep C101 Connector Refreshing
　
The C101 connector on 1987 and 1988 Renix Jeeps was a source of electrical resistance when the vehicles were new. So much so that the factory eliminated this connector in the 1989 and 1990 models. The factory recommended cleaning this connector to insure the proper voltage and ground signals between the ECU and the fuel injection sensors. We can only imagine how this connector has become a larger source of voltage loss and increased resistance over a period of almost 25 years. The C101 connector needs to be cleaned at least once in the lifetime of your vehicle. Chances are it’s never been done before.

Almost every critical signal between the engine sensors, injectors, and the ECU travel the path through the C101.
The C101 is located on the driver’s side firewall above and behind the brake booster. It is held together with a single bolt in it’s center. To get the connectors apart, simply remove the bolt and pull the halves apart. You will find the connector is packed with a black tar like substance which has hardened over time.
Take a pocket screwdriver or the like and scrape out all the tar crap you can. Follow up by spraying out both connector halves with brake cleaner and then swabbing out the remainder of the tar. Repeat this procedure until the tar is totally removed. This may require 3 or more repetitions. Wipe out the connectors after spraying with a soft cloth.
If you have a small pick or dental tool tweak the female connectors on the one side so they grab the pins on the opposite side a bit tighter. Apply a true dielectric grease, not the stuff that came with your brake pads, to the connection and bolt it back together.
　
　
Revised 11-29-2011

Renix Ground Refreshing
The Renix era XJs and MJs were built with an under-engineered grounding system for the engine/transmission electronics. One problem in particular involves the multiple ground connection at the engine dipstick tube stud. A poor ground here can cause a multitude of driveabililty issues, wasted time, and wasted money replacing unnecessary components.
The components grounding at the dipstick tube stud are:
Distributor Sync Sensor, TCU main ground, TCU "Shift Point Logic", Ignition control Module, Injectors, ECU main ground which other engine sensors ground through, Oxygen sensor, Knock Sensor, Cruise Control, and Transmission Sync signal. All extremely important stuff.
The factory was aware of the issues with this ground point and addressed it by suggesting the following:
Remove the nut holding the wire terminals to the stud. Verify that the stud is indeed tightened securely into the block. Scrape any and all paint from the stud’s mounting surface where the wires will attach. Must be clean, shiny and free of any oil, grease, or paint.
Inspect the wire terminals. Check to see that none of the terminals are crimped over wire insulation instead of bare wire. Be sure the crimps are tight. It wouldn’t hurt to re-crimp them just as a matter of course. Sand and polish the wire terminals until clean and shiny on both sides. Reinstall all the wires to the stud and tighten the nut down securely.
While you’re in that general area, locate the battery negative cable which is fastened to the engine block just forward of the dipstick stud. Remove the bolt, scrape the block to bare metal, clean and polish the cable terminal, and reattach securely.
Another area where the grounding system on Renix era Jeeps was lacking is the engine to chassis ground. There is a braided cable from the back of the cylinder head that also attaches to the driver’s side of the firewall. This cable is undersized for it’s intended use and subject to corrosion and poor connections at each end.
First off, remove the cable end from the firewall using a 15mm wrench or socket. Scrape the paint off down to bare metal and clean the wire terminal. Reattach securely.
Remove the other end of the cable from the rear of the head using a 3’4" socket. Clean all the oil, paint and crud from the stud. Clean the wire terminal of the cable and reattach securely.
A suggestion regarding the braided cable:
I prefer to add a #4 Gauge cable from the firewall to a bolt on the rear of the intake manifold, either to a heat shield bolt or fuel rail bolt. A cable about 18" long with a 3/8" lug on each end works great and you can get one at any parts store already made up. Napa has them as part number 781116.
A further improvement to the grounding system can be made using a #4 cable, about 10" long with 3/8" terminals at each end. Attach one end of this cable to the negative battery bolt and the other end under the closest 10mm headed bolt on the radiator support just forward of the battery. Napa part number 781115.
　
　
If you want to upgrade your grounds and battery cables in general, contact Jon at www.kelleyswip.com. He makes an incredible cable upgrade for a very reasonable price

FirstJeep87

I went and switched some fuses back to the old ones and my gauges are moving again. Still no turn signals. I have 2 other fuses that I didn't want to switch back. The one that is supposed to light up the dash (because that was my original issue) and the turn signals fuse. I didn't put the old fuse back for turn signals because when I pulled it out, there was all kinds of wire wrapped around on one side and I pulled them off. Also that side with the wire looks all white and almost like spiderwebs on the inside.

freegdr

What have you ever fixed/repaired on a vechicle any thing? Honest question not trying to be a smart donkey ...lol...

Lowrange2

That's the problem right there. The inside of that fuse holder is corroded.

Why don't you go tell daddy to fix your damn car or find yourself a Sugar Daddy?

freegdr

Bad day?

Radi

Looking into the plastic "middle" part of the fuse, you should see a solid piece of wire inside connecting the two metal blades. If that wire is broken, or blown into spiderwebs, the fuse is bad.
You might grab a fuse assortment from an auto parts place and replace any that don't look good as a starting point.

The wire wrapped around one side of the turn signal fuse, did it pull out of the fuse panel where the fuse plugs in, or did someone just wrap wire around the fuse itself?

Don't let certain comments bother you...you can do this. Everybody started somewhere, nobody was born a mechanic.

RTorrez1

If you can post a picture of exactly what you are talking about. That way I can get it straight in my head.
What ever you do don't let any of the negative comments get to you. Everyone get's those kind of comments at one point or another. I'm just glad to see another female and a such a young one willing to work on there own vehicle and Not having "There daddy work on it".
BTW, Welcome to the Jeep Forum.

freegdr

^^^^exactly one apple with a worm in it dont make the whole tree bad and welcome

Radi

Speaking as a Dad, I agree, lol. Then again I just fixed the power windows in Son #4's Impala, valves & head in Son #3's Honda....
Girls don't have a lock on asking Dad to do it. And Dad would like a nap once in a while.

freegdr

Buy them manuals for christtmas dad worked for me ..lol...

Radi

Funny thing is they take all my tools. I have no idea what they are doing with them.

FirstJeep87

Wow rude. I don't need my "daddy" to do it for me. He's a dead beat anyways and hasn't been around since I was 6. I'm doing it myself so I don't have to rely on a man.