AAAAUGHHHHHHHHHH. Need help!!!!

[8177]

Ok One more little turmoil to add to the CJ wont pass smog an the fuel pump left me stranded for a while and finally limped home. Last night when verifying that the fuel pump was bad I had my son turn it over while I kept an eye out for fuel pumping from the fuel line. It didn't so I started pulling the pump and my son went back to his video game. The key can be removed effectively leaving it in a accessory position I guess. You can pull it out without depressing the switch.

Now the engine will not turn over and no headlights at all. Totally dead. even with the jumper cables from my F250 Diesel there is nothing and no head lights. ANY Ideas. Can you jump the starter solenoid like you can on a ford and get the engine to turn over . That would verify a bad switch. The no headlights even with the jumper cables baffles me.This is killing me. I wanted to go play tonight if the fuel pump worked.
Jim

Update: Battery has 12.73 VDC. Interior light will not come on. Last night the little anodized box mounted on the passenger side wheel well inside the engine bay was hot. kept burning my belly as I was pulling the fuel pump. just assumed it was because we cranked on it for a bit. not excessive but enough. . Any time else I woul dknow abit about what is going on. I have not even had it a week barely.
Jim

Update 2. OK I jumpered the solenoid with a remote starter switch No gas is coming out of the fuel pump. I am positive I have more more than 1/4 tank. I will try anything. Do I need to primer the pump and fuel line?
Jim

 

[8177]

Crickets

 

[Utah_jeepster]

In line fuel filter? A mechanical fuel pump usually doent need priming. Pull the line from the tank off the pump and see if you can pull fuel through it. The little box should be the starter relay.

 

[rubn1out]

Ignition switch archs and leaves enough black carbon to effect the contacts. recommend taking it apart and cleaning it. It's a CJ so this should take all of 30 to 45 minutes just to rule it out.

 

[steady.foot]

I changed out a fuel pump for brotherinlaw once and he swore it had gas in it. Guess what the problem was.

 

[steady.foot]

Gas tank was empty.

 

[eric m]

Stupid suggestion in terms of the no headlight issue, did you clean the battery terminals? My Jeep had an issue where it built up a light gray film on the terminals to where they didn't look dirty but it prevented it starting, lights, and everything. Something free to try and it never hurts...

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

One other thing to consider........... CJ's have in-line fusable links at the begining of all primary circuits with the exception of the battery to starter cable. Do you have power at the starter solniod where the cable from the battery connects? If so, you have like burned up a fused link.

 

[8177]

Police Monkey161. I can turn the engine over using a remote starter switch on the starter solenoid. Any idea of the color and location of the Fuseable link. Everyone else I will check your suggestion out when I get back from Physical Therapy in about 2 hours. hanks for the input.
Jim

 

[8177]

Police Monkey161, I found a schematic showing the fused link is red. any Idea if its inside the cab or the engine bay. Not a lot of stock wiring left in there. I did find my tach wire. where can that hook to.

 

[8177]

OK I found the electrical issue. Looks like they cut the fused link out and crimped the wire together. The crimp was not a very good one and had pulled out. I'll pick one up on the way back from PT. Now the gas issue is all I have to worry about. The gage said 1/4 tank. I did pour a couple of gallons of gas into it the night before last. I'll get some more and see if I'm out of gas. LOL I better not be. I'll have to take the jeep away from myself for a week.

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

If it where me, I would install a Maxi-style blade fuse rather than a OEM link (not sure if going to find it at the local store anyway). As for the Tach wire (hoping it's green colored?) goes to the positive terminal of the ignition coil or if you have HEI, it goes on the blade connector marked "TACH" on the cap.

I wouldn't worry about most of your stock wiring being hacked up, rarely do you find a CJ with an orginal harness in-tach, it's the nature of Jeep'in. If you where to replace your wiring harness, you would find that it is fairly easy considering the simple "caveman" style wiring that was run by AMC and there are serveral quality after-market companies making the replacement harness. But for now, I would imagine you just want to get it up and running?

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

If it where me, I would install a Maxi-style blade fuse rather than a OEM link (not sure if going to find it at the local store anyway). As for the Tach wire (hoping it's green colored?) goes to the positive terminal of the ignition coil or if you have HEI, it goes on the blade connector marked "TACH" on the cap.

I wouldn't worry about most of your stock wiring being hacked up, rarely do you find a CJ with an orginal harness in-tach, it's the nature of Jeep'in. If you where to replace your wiring harness, you would find that it is fairly easy considering the simple "caveman" style wiring that was run by AMC and there are serveral quality after-market companies making the replacement harness. But for now, I would imagine you just want to get it up and running?

Correction- the negitive side of the coil, sorry.

 

[8177]

I did find a fused link wire. I was going to get one of the maxi fuses but could not find the amperage I needed referenced any where so went with the 14 Ga wire the Haynes called for. I can take it back if anyone can tell me the size fuse I need. I bought some more wire loom so I'll go through and check all the splice connections and replace any bad ones. Then purty it up with nice shiny black loom. Cave man wiring does not bother me. But stupid wiring does. The Tach wire is purple. Hope the coil wire connections are marked, I have not checked yet.
Get all this tidied up and work on the fuel problem.

 

[8177]

Anybody want to guess what the black wire with a white stripe that comes into the engine bay through the bulkhead connector goes to. Looks like it pulled out of something and was not just cut and stuffed in the wire harness loom. My Chilton does not show it. It passes through the firewall and it is cut right around the coil. Not saying it goes to the coil, that is where it is terminated.

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

what is it connected to inside the passenger area? There are a couple of connections in that general area. It may very well be a wire for the coil, netural safety switch, oil pressure sending unit, oil low pressure stuff off (if equipped) or just a wire that someone else ran that is no longer in use. . Unlike GM or Ford, AMC did not always use standardized wire colors over the years.

 

[8177]

I have not gotten inside the jeep yet still replacing wires and bad crimps in the engine bay. It comes out of the firewall big huge black plug and runs through the harness and just ends close to the coil. I just want to make sure that during my troubleshooting looking for the fused link that I did not pull it out of another bad splice joint. It would not surprise me that it was not used. Before the current problems started all the gauges in the dash worked except for the tach.

 

[8177]

Fuel line from the sending unit to the hard line is all shot. I might have broken the sending unit outlet tube but its loose. I'll call around looking for one in a bit but can I JB weld the outlet tube so it will seal and not spin around

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

If we are talking about the sending unit having a broken hard line at the bulkhead and it were me, I would just replace the whole thing even if I had to order one. They are under $35 for the part and yes it's a PITA to drop the tank, but even the smallest crack in a fuel line will be trouble.

 

[8177]

The tank is already dropped. That's how I found it. The smog guys do a fuel cap test. They pressurize the tank and if it bleeds down too fast it fails. I pumped air in it and had the wife listen for a leak. It was coming out as fast as I pumped it in. Dropped the tank to see where it was coming from. Picking a sending unit up at NAPA today. it was 56 buckaroos. Could have gotten one for 46 at AutoZone but it would not be here till Monday. The fuel line from the tank to the hard line was shot also. when I removed the line the out put line was swiveling around.