Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

Take the battery terminals apart and clean them anyway. You will
find a black varnish like corrosion that makes a find insulator.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Jjsegr wrote:
>
> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

Take the battery terminals apart and clean them anyway. You will
find a black varnish like corrosion that makes a find insulator.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Jjsegr wrote:
>
> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

Take the battery terminals apart and clean them anyway. You will
find a black varnish like corrosion that makes a find insulator.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Jjsegr wrote:
>
> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

See the other comments on battery cables.

I have a personal policy on batteries used in cold climates. If
the battery is over 4 years old and I even suspect it is bad, out
it goes. I can buy an 850 0 degree CCA battery for $50. That's
$12 or less a year. Why worry about getting stranded in a cold
parking lot to save yourself an extra $12? Not worth it to me.

Jjsegr wrote:

> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

See the other comments on battery cables.

I have a personal policy on batteries used in cold climates. If
the battery is over 4 years old and I even suspect it is bad, out
it goes. I can buy an 850 0 degree CCA battery for $50. That's
$12 or less a year. Why worry about getting stranded in a cold
parking lot to save yourself an extra $12? Not worth it to me.

Jjsegr wrote:

> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

See the other comments on battery cables.

I have a personal policy on batteries used in cold climates. If
the battery is over 4 years old and I even suspect it is bad, out
it goes. I can buy an 850 0 degree CCA battery for $50. That's
$12 or less a year. Why worry about getting stranded in a cold
parking lot to save yourself an extra $12? Not worth it to me.

Jjsegr wrote:

> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

The headlights get direct power from the battery.

If you follow the smaller red battery cable, it stops at a bolt. The
headlight power comes from this bolt through a fuse link wire.

No headlights and no power intermittently means a loose or dirty main
cable. Nothing else can cause that that I am aware of.

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

Jjsegr wrote:
>
> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

The headlights get direct power from the battery.

If you follow the smaller red battery cable, it stops at a bolt. The
headlight power comes from this bolt through a fuse link wire.

No headlights and no power intermittently means a loose or dirty main
cable. Nothing else can cause that that I am aware of.

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

Jjsegr wrote:
>
> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

The headlights get direct power from the battery.

If you follow the smaller red battery cable, it stops at a bolt. The
headlight power comes from this bolt through a fuse link wire.

No headlights and no power intermittently means a loose or dirty main
cable. Nothing else can cause that that I am aware of.

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

Jjsegr wrote:
>
> The cables are clean and tight. I returned 3 hours later & it repeated the
> same behavior. The lamps burned bright when the power would flow. It does
> have its original ('98) battery, though....
>
> A few minutes later, it started as if nothing was wrong. Driving home, the
> ammeter read just above 14v, as usual.
>
> I just finished shoveling that snow, so now I'll go check the battery's fluid
> level, clean the terminals and cables. i'll also keep the ASD relay in mind.
> Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Re: Help! Electrical problem. '98 XJ dead in parking lot
 

loose battery connections

Jjsegr wrote:

> I stopped at a shop on my way home from work. When I went to re-start the Jeep
> (4.0), the engine did not turn over and the car made a quiet buzzing noise
> (from within the dash?) which slowly died away - as if something was
> dis-charging. Then all power failed. I raised the hood, and wiggled all of
> the "fuses" in the power control box and the power returned - even the
> headlights would shine. But when I tried again to re-start the engine, it
> would not turn over, and everything electrical would immediately cut-out, until
> the process was repeated. Maybe it was just from leaving it to momentarily
> build power, again.
>
> The car was outside all weekend while we were camping, and the battery never
> faltered when I left the site, nor when I left from work this evening. We're
> supposed to get more snow, tonight, so I need to move it, soon.
>
> Suggestions, please?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim
> Grand Rapids, MI