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Crazy jeep electrical

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Old 09-05-2015, 03:20 PM
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Default Crazy jeep electrical

I want to take a video to further explain my situation. But if anyone can lead me to a previous discussion or simply explain to me what I need to do that would be awesome!
So I started up the jeep a few nights ago, turned on my headlights and my right blinker light was illuminated. First thoughts were I have a burnt out bulb or a bad socket. Then I went to check. Turned the right blinker on and my low beams tail lights and left blinkers are all going when the left blinker is on.
When my headlights and running lights are off and the right blinker is engaged the clock cig lighter light and another light all flash with the blinker. Also all the bulbs are good.
I haven't had time to mess with anything yet so I'm hoping to get some feed back by the time I'm off work today. Thanks everyone!
Old 09-05-2015, 04:13 PM
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Is this a 1989 XJ?
Old 09-05-2015, 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by SteveMongr
Is this a 1989 XJ?
Yes! Sorry totally forgot about the specs.
1989 xj Laredo 4.0 276,xxx
Old 09-05-2015, 10:17 PM
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Ever cleaned all grounds yet. Bad one can do ghostly things.
Old 09-06-2015, 04:19 AM
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Originally Posted by freegdr
Ever cleaned all grounds yet. Bad one can do ghostly things.
Grounds are In the sockets?
Here's A link to the video of what's going on.

http://youtu.be/_z7wV9o3gIY
Old 09-06-2015, 07:38 AM
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Ground wires are in various locations and are dedicated wires. Being a 1989, I would refresh all the ground connections (remove + clean, reinstall).
Here is a diagram of engine grounds http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/...und_straps.htm

And the following from Cruiser54, https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/cr...2/#post2114737
There are 2 points on the left inner fender.

There is the engine dipstick tube stud. SUPER IMPORTANT!!

There is the ground to the lower diagonal dash brace to the left of the steering column.

There is one in behind the trim panel where the spare tire mounts.

The one on the instrument panel brace grounds a ton of things. Probably too many things as a matter of fact, given it's poor mounting point on the brace with a self tapping screw. I remove the screw that it's held on with, extend the wire, using the same gauge or bigger, and terminate it to the stud near the fusebox.

There are also grounds from the engine to chassis, notably the poor one from the back of the head to the firewall but that wouldn't affect your dash lights. Not that the engine to chassis grounding shouldn't be addressed
Old 09-06-2015, 02:30 PM
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Appears to be back feeding thru headlight/running light circuit . Disconect hids from harness see what happen then.

Last edited by freegdr; 09-06-2015 at 02:34 PM.
Old 09-06-2015, 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by freegdr
Unplug headlights there no supposed to be on with running lights.....
If running lights are off what happens ?
Did you see the link to the video I posted? The low beams that are on with the running lights I never noticed before. But I never have just my running lights on. So I'm guessing that's some modification the previous owner has done. Those were not the headlights in the video.
Old 09-06-2015, 02:36 PM
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Originally Posted by freegdr
Appears to be back feeding thru headlight/running light circuit . Disconect hids from harness see what happen then.
I'll try disconnecting the headlights later today. If I can get to the ballasts. They're pretty buried.
Old 09-06-2015, 02:58 PM
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Gotta start some where.
Old 09-06-2015, 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by freegdr
Ever cleaned all grounds yet. Bad one can do ghostly things.

Yep. When things are really weird, grounds are your first suspect. People like to invent all kinds of crazy explanations and strange, far-fetched scenarios to explain crazy electrical behavior, when most of the time it's the very basic, very boring, very routine bad grounds.
Old 09-06-2015, 07:00 PM
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Originally Posted by BlueRidgeMark
Yep. When things are really weird, grounds are your first suspect. People like to invent all kinds of crazy explanations and strange, far-fetched scenarios to explain crazy electrical behavior, when most of the time it's the very basic, very boring, very routine bad grounds.
Bad ballast guys. Going back to regular head lamps. Thanks for your help!
Old 09-06-2015, 07:48 PM
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Upgrade to putco harness and silvania silver stars or what ever there called.
Old 09-06-2015, 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted by freegdr
Upgrade to putco harness and silvania silver stars or what ever there called.
I did that harness and Silverstars, great results.
Old 09-07-2015, 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by freegdr
Ever cleaned all grounds yet. Bad one can do ghostly things.
Originally Posted by Mitchfrenchxj89
Bad ballast guys. Going back to regular head lamps. Thanks for your help!

Eh, if a bad ballast did all that, something else is probably wrong.

You may cure it by going back to a stock/Putco configuration, which is not a bad idea in any case.


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