ibeatsmegma

Hey guys i've never posted here but i did some searching and haven't found a solution to my problem. First off i know that the 84 isn't the best xj out there but i plan on swapping the drivetrain so the "power' issue isn't that big of a deal for me. My big deal is my electronics.

What i have is an 84 cherokee with the 4cyl 4x4. My problem is that when i got my jeep about a year ago the ac, windshield wipers, radio, etc. (dash related electronics) worked every now and then. Basically whenever i hit a bump they would work and then another bump and they would all stop. Eventually all the dash electronics just stopped working all together. The speedo, tach and other gauges weren't working when i got it. My question is is there some "known" short that everyone knows about that i can fix or am i up ****s creek with a whole rewire of the dash? BTW.. its not the fuses.. i checked already.

I've been told to just scrap it and buy another project jeep but i got this one and i already started buying my parts for my chevy v8 swap.

claygrassmann

i would check with all the wireing, i wish i knew about any known short but i dont but start with connections cause thats what it sounds like, also check anything around any heat source and check wires running thru the firewall, that should be a good start for you

Willys55

This is one of those " just get in there and search for the problem" type things. You could have a bad ground or even a bad mating connection on the body pass through plug. The only thing to do is get a meter a test light and poke around until you fix it.

96tudor

Sounds like a common connection problem to me, not a short circuit. Does this model have that trouble-prone wiring harness connector on the firewall? The gauges issue sounds like another bad common connection to the cluster.

See: http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticl...res/index.html

spikeypuck

I have an 85 4 banger. I had the same gremlins last year. I searched, and asked in different threads. All anyone ever told me was that there is no reason that all those things are connected. I got sick of guessing and one day took out the fuse block then took the dash apart and started replacing switches, relays and looking for any wires that were burnt or showing copper.
I really wouldn't advise doing that unless you are curious, cause its a mess.

Your best bet is your ignition switch. It is around $10. Take a look at yours. mine had a nice burn mark on it.
Now the gauges you might have to take apart the dash. If I remember right they just plug into a connection. I am willing to bet it came loose. That is just a guess. I am not as smart as some of the guys on here, but I know with an old rig like ours. You just don't know what someone else has done to it.

ibeatsmegma

Thanks for the info guys.. guess i'll be grabbing mapping the chiltons manual this weekend.

5-90

Chilton's better than Haynes (hands down!) and AMC FSM best of all. Check Bishko Autobooks (I think that's they're full name - but you can Google "Bishko" to find them) for authorised .pdf versions of out-of-print FSMs (FSM = Factory Service Manual. TSM = Technical Service Manual. Essentially the same content, different format. Both are factory literature.)

You probably have a "bulkhead" plug on the firewall, probably under the brake vacuum booster (on the engine side) or near the IP fuse panel (on the cabin side.) This can get loose or contaminated, and the OEM anticorrosive packing definitely gets crudded up and screws with things. Look for that first, clean it out, and maybe reseal with a light coating of dielectric grease.

That usually fixes the problem. Also, AMC tended to get skimpy on the grounds - most AMC-built vehicles of my acquaintance have benefitted from the addition of a chassis ground directly from the battery.

The ignition switch (mentioned, and also a possible problem) should be a standard GM part, and therefore easy to find. AMC = All Makes Compatible, and they tended to use a lot of GM/Delco parts. You'll find the electrical portion of the ignition switch atop the steering column, down by the firewall. Last one I replaced (87XJ) took me about a half-hour, including taking the driver's seat out and putting it back in (I'm a big guy, and need the extra room.) You can probably still find aftermarket versions (ACDelco, BorgWarner, or Standard Motor Products preferred) for about twenty bucks.

Good luck! Check for/check the bulkhead connector into the cabin and check the ignition switch before you dig too far into anything else - both are now twenty-six years old, and could be crudded up or suffering from "soft plastic" from circuit heat.

Good luck!