whiteshark1970

This post is about the electrical problems I am having with my jeep.

I have a 89 cherokee laredo straight six. To start, my turn signal was not working, so my boyfriend changed the light in the wrong way. He went from behind to change and and stabbed the wiring harness with a screwdriver to get it out of the way. Since then my gauge which indicates the voltage of the battery goes from around 14 to 9 back to 14 volts. Actually when i give it gas it goes up and when I let off the gas it goes down. I changed out the alternator. Now when I turn the heater on the voltage goes down, turn it off and it goes back up. Some times the turn signal on the right don't work and then it will switch to the drivers side. The passenger side back light is not as bright as the other side. I do not know where all the grounds are located, so i can check them. If anyone could offer a diagram or tell me where to look for each ground it would be much appreciated. Also, the fuse for the turn signal keep melting and it causes my dash lights to go out along with the back lights. Any help is greatly needed. I am no mechanic, but I do not mind trying to do stuff myself. I took out my alternator and replaced it by myself, so as long as I have the tools necessary to do the job, I can and will do it. Thank you, The Whiteshark

PS... I took the headlight switch out and found that the wire going to the "B" spot completely melted along with the plastic that contains all the wires that plug into the top of the headlight switch. Any ideas why this has happened?

freegdr

did you install a smaller amperage alternator ? Id remove the turn signal lens and tape up the bare wire . Groundsxare located by mounting bracket of oil dip stick tube by battery to fender and driver side back of motor from cylinder head to fire wall.

F1Addict

First of all, don't let your boyfriend stab at your wire harness anymore. I'm sure he was well intentioned and his chivalry is admirable but it doesn't read like he knows what he's doing.

Next, focus your efforts on the harness where this stabbing took place. What you've described sounds like a short. Look around the crime scene for evidence of melted insulation, charring, and bare copper.

freegdr

Fuse no 7 cover lighting possibly stabbed wire related

whiteshark1970

Is the correct amp fuse for #7 a ten or 20? The fuse is the one that lights the markers, turn signals, and tail lights on the jeep. The book that came with the jeep says it is a 10 amp, but other diagrams I see it shows a 20. The new headlight switch I installed already has a chard mark on the little circular brass colored hoo-haa. I never even turned on the headlights. Now I have torn the dash down to get to the wiring. I see a dark blue wire that goes to the switch fried. I took the driver side kick panel off and a dark blue wire that is going towards the back of the jeep cut, not doing anything but hanging around. Going to go to wrecking yard and get the piece that connects on top of the headlight switch and switch it out for the fried one. All my problems circulate around this dark blue wire which goes to my parking lights, marker, tail lights, and a couple of other things. If someone could please put up a diagram or just explain to me all the grounds I need to check, so I know that all the grounds are good, some bad, who knows? Thanks to everyone for trying to help me out. You guys are the best. I can already see I am headed down a difficult road, with hardly any experience, and only this forum to rely on. Also if anyone could put up all the wiring diagrams for the 89 jeep Cherokee laredo with a straight 6, that would really help me out. I do have a few of the diagrams, but I am having difficulty making heads or tails of it. Do all the black wires grounds? Thank you. My email address is whiteshark1970@yahoo.com, just in case anyone could send me the information I have requested.

Gee oh Dee

Is something leaking onto them from the firewall?

whiteshark1970

My oil pan is leaking and has covered just about everything under the jeep and parts of the engine with oil. I am working on taking care of that. The oil has damaged quite a bit. Other than that nothing is leaking.