Basslicks

You'll get there, man. That's what projects are all about! And that MJ is definitely worth the time.

Check your driveshaft u-joints. Chock the wheels, set the parking brake, put the jeep in neutral, and crawl under the jeep and wiggle the driveshaft side to side. Should be minimal play if any at all.

jeep2017

Thank you.

SatiricalHen

On my 87 mj I turn the key and get a loud click and the lights dim, but no start. Starter tested good at oreillys, tried a starter relay out of a junkyard jeep, but no dice. I've checked the main terminal on the starter and it had 12v and checked the small terminal while my dad turned the key and it read 12v also. What am I missing?

NewKindOfClown

First, check your battery cables and clean your terminals.

Could also be a dead spot on the starter motor. Try tapping on the starter with a hammer a handful of times and then starting it up.

Does it make any other noise besides the single click? A spinning/whirring sound?

SatiricalHen

Battery is new so terminals are clean, cable from starter to battery looks like it's In good condition, gets 12v at the starter, has crimp on rings at both ends that seem in good shape.

Starter has been off and tested good at oreillys so I doubt it's in a dead spot since it's been turning since I tried last.

No whirling or anything just a loud click and nothing.

RocketMouse

Have you determined whether or not it's the starter relay "click" you're hearing...or if it's really the solenoid that's engaging? It does seem strange that it would fully test good off the vehicle but not on it.
I would double check your cables to make sure they are good, and that the battery has plenty of charge.
Do have to ask that when they tested it... was it only to see of the solenoid worked? or the motor as well? .... brushes could be dirty/shot.

SatiricalHen

I took everything apart and replaced the wire to the starter relay and took a wire wheel to all of the connections and every and it started. I guess something somewhere wasn't making a good connection

SatiricalHen

I left the truck idling for 20 minutes trying to see if I had the electric fan, coolant temp switch for the fan and the coolant temp sender for the gauges right and it never went past this mark on the gauge. Is that how they all sit or is the sender bad? never went past that mark, and took a while to get to the mark.

NewKindOfClown

That's around 160°F, which is far too low if your 195°F thermostat is doing its job, unless it's so cold there that your Jeep can't get up to temp at idle

Verify it with a IR gun

SatiricalHen

Was looking like 195ish on the thermostat housing

BrawnyDog

Well, the very thing I was afraid would happen happened. I ordered extension housing bushing part #97066A 35mm. I managed to get the tailcone off and was about to press everything out but the bushing is way too small. Does anyone know what the correct size is? The local parts place doesn't have it but I can at least order the right one. Or hopefully the local dealership has one.
Thanks

Edit: the seal was the wrong size too. I ordered a seal for a 99 aw4. I'm not sure why the one I ordered does not fit.

Ralph77

With downtime trying to lay some ground work for what I want to do to the Jeep next spring. So I purchased the headlight harness from jhc7399 here on the forum. I am thinking about trying to place the relays on the firewall on the driver's side. So giving it a quick look what I believe will connect to the driver's headlight should be long enough to reach. The passenger side will not.
Is extending the wire OK or not? If OK can I use butt connectors or should I solder? What I would really like to do is see if I can find the terminals and just repin the connectors for the relays and headlight connectors so it is just one longer wire. Haven't checked into if I will be able to find them. Also want to hook up a secondary fuse box on the firewall, if room permits, to run power to the headlight harness. Also going to try and position the relays from my fog lights and additional driving lights I might be adding to a brush guard I bought. Included a couple shots and a link of the type of fuse box I am thinking about buying. Also what gauge wire do you think would be good to run from the battery terminal to the fuse box? Just don't want to negate the benefits of doing the headlight harness upgrade by trying to extend the wires.

cruiser54

Always solder. Use same gauge wire if you're gonna extend the harness.

Personally, I wouldn't do that.

wizardpc

Then yes, bad sender.

Ralph77

Personally would not do it because it would negate the harness upgrade? If so would getting terminals and repinning the connectors with one longer wire not do that?