My first Cherokee... and all its problems...
 

So I just got my first cherokee, its a 92 2 door 4.0 6 cyl with 280,000 miles. Good news is it seems to run just fine, no burning oil and no check engine light no knocking or pinging.
What is happening is :
1: The jeep did not come with a stock temp gauge just a light that comes on. where I am confused is that I have noticed that while I am idling the light starts to come on, and it slowly increases brighter, is this telling me that the brighter the light the more it is overheating? Also, although the jeep did not come with a stock temp gauge the previous owner installed one. Now when the stock temp light starts to get brighter the aftermarket one says its running at about 200-210. From what I understand 210 is not above normal operating temperature so why is the stock gauge lighting up? Could one of them be wrong? And if so how do I find out which one?
2: The previous owner told me that he tried to install a new cd player, but in the process he managed to screw something up. And now the AC/Heater fan + turn indicators + windshield wipers wont work. Though the headlights + interior lights + instrument panel + brake lights/running lights still work. Could it be a fuse? is this a common problem?
3: So the guy disconnected the sway bar to give the front suspension more travel. I believe this is why the tires on it were bald on the outside but fine on the inside. Also I believed this explained the "loose spot" when I am turning on a long shallow turn. Just today I went to auto zone and bought new bushing and installed them but the loose spot is still there. I believe I may have installed it wrong, does anyone know how to install it properly? And what would disconnecting the sway bar do to the handling?

Thanks for reading! Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Pull the radio out and see if the wires are mangled back there.
Pulling the front sway bar off will cause the steering to feel "loose" and there will be noticeable body roll. The funny wear on the tires indicates that it needs an alignment.
You have any pics of the sway bar + endlinks?

I think I can solve the mystery about your temp light and gauge.

You said the PO installed a gauge. I'd bet he also replaced the sender as well. I think there are two types of senders, one for a light, and one for a gauge. The light is simple, it completes the electrical circuit at a set temperature, and your dash light comes on. The gauge sender increases resistance as temperature rises, allowing the gauge to show different levels.

If you have a gauge sender, and the aftermarket gauge is patched into the wires leading to the panel light, you get what you describe. Does that make sense? Anybody else want to chime in, because I could be wrong.

Ill post some pics tomorrow. But the wiring looks like a total mess. Im thonking Ill have a professilnal look at it wiring is beyond me.

Let me guess, he used the twist-and-tape technique?

no it actually looks pretty pro. I would assume it was stock if he had not told me. :tongue_smilie:

But what you are basically saying is, is that the idiot light is coming on as a by-product, not because its over heating. Or least that is your theory?

That's my guess, yeah. Basically, I'm saying that things are working like they should, and the light gradually changing is a side effect.

but now I'm looking at it and you say the brightness changes while you're idling. Well, I'm fresh out of ideas there. My 92 gets a little warm in stop-n-go traffic, maybe yours is doing the same thing?

But we should get another opinion to be sure.