Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm guessing
it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
that? Where and what should I check for exactly?

Thanks!

 

I would follow the battery cable to the starter relay. That is the
common point and is one that gets dirty easy.

First I would check the battery terminal clamps though. If you try it a
couple times, one might get warm. If so, this would be the bad
connection.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

griffin wrote:
>
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!

 

I would follow the battery cable to the starter relay. That is the
common point and is one that gets dirty easy.

First I would check the battery terminal clamps though. If you try it a
couple times, one might get warm. If so, this would be the bad
connection.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

griffin wrote:
>
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!

 

I would follow the battery cable to the starter relay. That is the
common point and is one that gets dirty easy.

First I would check the battery terminal clamps though. If you try it a
couple times, one might get warm. If so, this would be the bad
connection.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

griffin wrote:
>
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!

 

I would follow the battery cable to the starter relay. That is the
common point and is one that gets dirty easy.

First I would check the battery terminal clamps though. If you try it a
couple times, one might get warm. If so, this would be the bad
connection.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

griffin wrote:
>
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!

 

I had a similar problem. turned out to be the moulded battery cable, it
looked brand new but had broke off inside.


"griffin" <gryffy@DELTHISshaw.ca> wrote in message
news:ofPIe.122570$%K2.66391@pd7tw1no...
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm
> guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

 

I had a similar problem. turned out to be the moulded battery cable, it
looked brand new but had broke off inside.


"griffin" <gryffy@DELTHISshaw.ca> wrote in message
news:ofPIe.122570$%K2.66391@pd7tw1no...
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm
> guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

 

I had a similar problem. turned out to be the moulded battery cable, it
looked brand new but had broke off inside.


"griffin" <gryffy@DELTHISshaw.ca> wrote in message
news:ofPIe.122570$%K2.66391@pd7tw1no...
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm
> guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

 

I had a similar problem. turned out to be the moulded battery cable, it
looked brand new but had broke off inside.


"griffin" <gryffy@DELTHISshaw.ca> wrote in message
news:ofPIe.122570$%K2.66391@pd7tw1no...
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm
> guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

 

You have to isolate the stuff that is different in the fog light circuit and
the rest of the vehicle. My guess is you have a battery cable that is pretty
much toast, EVEN IF IT LOOKS GOOD. My guess is that it is in bad shape where
you can't see, typically this is where the cable meets the terminal, and the
rubber shielding is covering the broken wires.

The ignition switch is mounted to the side of the steering column, and is
operated by a rod that connects to the lock set inside the steering column.
To gain access to the lock set, you have to remove the steering wheel and
the shrouding, to get to the switch, you have to stand on your head and look
up from the brake pedal.





"griffin" <gryffy@DELTHISshaw.ca> wrote in message
news:ofPIe.122570$%K2.66391@pd7tw1no...
> Drove my '85 CJ7 (4cyl) to work with no problems. 8 hours later I turn the
> key to go home and there's absolutely nothing. None of the gauges, no
> click - nothing. My foglights work, though, which are just straight wired
> from a separate switch to the battery, so the battery works (at least
> somewhat). I'm guessing it isn't the starter because there isn't even a
> click and none of the gauges move and the lights don't work. So I'm
> guessing
> it's an ignition wire, the computer, the ignition rod, or something like
> that? Where and what should I check for exactly?
>
> Thanks!
>
>