Hi all... yesterday i replaced my negative battery cable as it had been replaced at one point and was done very poorly, anyways it was causing issues to where i had to wiggle it to get my jeep to start. so i replaced the negative cable and everything was fine, i got the new cable on without any issues and the jeep started faster than i ever seen it, so i drove it and started it a few times and everything worked great, fast forward to today and now it won't start.. so i figured i must have accidentally left the key in acc so i tried jumping it but that did nothing everything was dead inside... any ideas on what could have happened?

 

Cable or contact surface needs cleaning on one end or the other?

 

Did accidentally leave something on inside to drain the battery? Otherwise, I would suspect a bad connection.

 

did you short something out when removing the old? sounds like either that, or you have a bad connection.

 

Does the rest of the electrical work? ie. Headlights Horn ect? If everything is dead as you say, then go back to where you changed something. Start looking there. If the battery connections are good try dis-connecting a cable and touch a test light bewteen the cable and the battery post (Negative side). With the key off and out of the ignition, the test light should stay off. (If it comes on really really dim it could be radio clock or security drain thats okay) If it comes on bright there is something either shorted or turned on.

 

I would start by making sure that your battery is fully charged and make sure that you didn't blow a fuse.

 

Battery was just charged... No electronics anywhere no done light, no horn... Nothing... Is there a fuse that could blow that would take out everything?

 

Where did the replacement cable come from? OEM, junk yard, or made your own?

If you made your own, what gauge cable did you use and what terminal ends did you use. How did you crimp the terminal ends on? If you did your own, what battery connector did you use? You must of made the small cable that goes to the right fender as well?

You get the idea....tell us more about this replacement cable. Take a photo of the installation and post it here ifyou can.

 

Damn I forgot about the wire that goes to the fender haha now it's got power again! thanks a bunch!! Btw what is that grounding line for that goes to the fender?

 

That will do it!
Good to hear you got it taken care of.
You have several grounding points that need to be maintained. The one you forgot to fix (battery to fender) also one at the oil dip stick, one at the rear of the head to the firewall two on the ignition coil and the mounting area between the starter and the engine block. Just one of those ground being bad or missing can cause a lot of electrical problem. You may as well and clean all of them while you are taking care of one.

 

That is the main battery to chassis ground, called G100. As you've found out, without it nothing happens.

Go here and take a look at all the grounding points in you '99 engine bay.

See post #49.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/gre...e-6558/index4/

 

makes sense.... still weird that i was able to start it without it several times haha

 

That bonding strap that goes from the firewall to #14 cylinder head bolt (ref. pics in post #49 in that link I provided) is primarily for radio noise suppression but it also serves as an alternate ground path from the battery to the chassis via the engine. This bonding strap served as the chassis ground in the absence of G100 when the Jeep did start several times but was marginally free from corrosion and gave up the ghost after several starts.

It would be a good idea to disassemble the two attach points of the bonding strap and scrub the ring terminals free of corrosion using #2 Scotch-Brite pads, and sandpaper the firewall contact surface free of corrosion. Wire wheel the bolt free of corrosion or replace it with a new one (10-1.5 MM) and double nut the connection on bolt #14 (as shown in the linked pic) using 7/16-14 nuts.