nickGC4.0

Hello im new here..... so please be gentle as im trying to learn all the rules....

Im the proud owner of a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo im the second owner and its been a wonderful truck. I bought it in 2000 and never had a problem. (i love that inline 6) i just rolled past the 160,000 miles and its just as strong as the day i bought it.

Unfortunatly its been broke down since the begining of march with charging issues and for the life of me i cant figure out whats wrong with it. hoping you guys can lend a helping hand.....

what it does....
if I charge the battery the truck will start and drive the last time it drove for 2 weeks b4 the battery died.

what ive done.....
ive installed a new battery, alternator, positive and negative leads to the battery. battery will still hold strong at 12 volts, when the car is on the alternator shows at 14 volts,

its probably a faulty relay or somethin but i cant find it hopping you guys can lend a helping hand to a fellow jeep lover......

thanks

ol"blue

Welcome to CF from Dan in Tenn.
The voltage regulator on this vehicle is contained within the PCM. Check to see if any codes are stored. http://jeephorizons.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2719
Using a test light hooked to the battery cables, it's possible to find the power draw by pulling one fuse at a time while checking light. I'm no electrician, I was told this. It helped me to find a defective door-jamb switch on my ZJ.

nickGC4.0

Dan thanks for your help.
im tearing into to it on Sunday and trying to find any sort of power draw. im hoping to find a frayed wire or a loose connection somewhere that would some how intermitanly turn off the alternator.

with my luck it will probably be the PCM. any one have any luck on used or remaned PCM or should i go to the factory?

bigbadxj

Welcome, and for you I hope it is just a frayed wire. As for a used PCM I have never used one but I would say if you found one from a junker that was the same year and style then it should work but I'm not sure on that so don't quote me.

4.3L XJ

Nick

This is one of those situations where you are going to have to buy a tool. If you don't, it will take you about 100 years to find where your current is bleeding off to. I own several of these, but the one you want is about $25. It is called a digital volt/ohm meter. The one you want has a thing called an amp clamp on the top and you have to make sure it will work for direct current. Most of them only work on alternating current. Anyway, get one and start clamping it around wires starting at the battery. It will tell you which wires are passing current. I had the same situation and found that I had hooked up my alternator incorrectly. The hot wire to the battery was passing 1/2 amp. Fixed the wiring in a few minutes. This could have taken weeks, but with the right tool it took 20 minutes.