rconnorcook

Went to start my jeep this morning around 12:00 and started right up. Went back two hours later to go somewhere and found that when i turn the key no dash lights come up, my interior lights dont come on when i open the door, and no clicking sounds can be heard. It did this a couple weeks ago, but after i turned the key for about the 6th time it fired right up and i sorta forgot it ever happend. Battery is fine , terminals are clean, starter relay is fine, tried jiggling the shifter and that didnt work, and i had a brand new Neutral saftey switch put in about two weeks ago. one clue that might be helpful is that when this happened a couple weeks ago and it finally started, my stereo was reset like it would have been if i had disconnected the. battery. this jeep is my daily driver so any help at all would be appreciated!

peep

Turn key, no lights, no crank, nothing.
Key switch.
It's a do it yourself. Did my 89 couple five years ago.
Purchased compoent thru local dealer.

rconnorcook

Thanks, and How long did it take to replace?

peep

About an hour on the 89, no airbags to be concerned with.

DFlintstone

Not sure about changes. On my 90 the brake and headlights work without the key, (on).


Battery gases have a nasty habit of helping a thin, hard crust form on the bat post's and clamps. They can look pretty good, but that micro-thin layer is a surprisingly good insulator. SHINNY! Lead is what you want. I use a pocket knife, (gently), for the insides of the clamps. For the posts I might use one of those post cleaner wire brushes, but still scrape it with a blade. If you have a condition where you have power, (dash lights ect.), then when you hit it power goes out altogether, that's a common result of a layer of oxidization there. Btw, a half *** connection could be expected to get hot during cranking, or while it's trying. Cleaning those is something to do now and then anyway, so if you are having starting problems, you might want to make sure you have bare lead on lead. Might save you some grief!

nujeepguy

i have a batt term cleaner, old, never thought id use it again. it has tapered metal blades imbedded in plastic and a round one for posts. gets that shiney look u want!!

also added larger washers for max tight conn.

DFlintstone

All my less than a dozen, I can twist and undo the terminal by hand. After a few times with something stuck or shorting you just do that. (so you can pull it off). Oxy guard or just bearing grease in and out prevents gasses from being an issue.

If your headlights and brake lights work while nothing else does, it's not the battery terminals.

nujeepguy

what about that conductive grease for aluminum wire, i have that

DFlintstone

Here's what I know. Dielectric grease, (which you might be referring to), is often used to prevent oxygen and other reactive gasses from causing corrosion in electrical connections. Some Poo Poo on that as I guess "dielectric" actually means it's an insulator. So what! The metal pressing on metal does the connecting. It connects with nothing there at all, all the grease does is keep gasses away. So Poo back to them. Oxy Guard, or whatever it's called comes in little green packets for a buck at the auto parts. Supposedly it conducts, but my meter says nyet, zero ohms continuity. I do still use that sometimes though, on blade and relay connections. Not so popular, (and I'm not recommending for relay prongs or all connections), but just plane wheel bearing grease in and out of the battery terminals and clamps has left me problem free in a number of rigs for well over 20 years.

Without having been schooled on the finer points, seems there might be momentary voltage spikes or lord knows what, that can cause trouble using just grease for relays and other. I only (and always) slather my battery terminal posts and clamps with it though.

You didn't mention yet...of course if your headlights come on bright, the battery connection likely is not an issue unless they cut off when you turn the key to start.

'90Cherokee

This is not an ignition switch, neutral safety, or any of that stuff. It's a main connection issue between the battery and the system. Much of the stuff that went dead has nothing to do with switches or sensors.

I've had a couple batteries that had an internal break in the connection. Turn the lights on and move the battery terminals around, if you find that they change pull and clean the terminals really well and re-check. If they still go out or change get a new battery. If they don't, you're likely done and good to go. If the problem's not there then the ground wire to the engine, and to the body. Looking good and tight won't cut it; remove, clean, then reinstall. From there I'd follow the positive battery cable checking its connections.

'90Cherokee

I'll second the dielectric grease. I may be the only person I know with dozens of land and water vehicles that has never had a battery connection issue, other than the people who's batteries I've cleaned & greased for them. As Flinstone has already stated, the grease being dielectric will not interfere with conductivity as long as the connection is clean & tight. It'll keep the connection clean for a very long time even in some ****ty environments.