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96 no start after changing the battery

1995xjrd

NAXJA Forum User
Location
nj
My Cherokee battery was over five years old and wasn't cranking over anymore, so I went and brought a new one.
Put the key in and now I don't hear the fuel pump turn on.Try replacing the fuel
pump relay and that didn't work. Any suggestion on what I should check?

Thanks in advance, Chris
 
Any other electric stuff not working? There's a fusible link wire (or there SHOULD be, at least) at the front of the engine fuse box between two studs. If multiple things aren't working or don't have power, I'd check that first.
 
Any other electric stuff not working? There's a fusible link wire (or there SHOULD be, at least) at the front of the engine fuse box between two studs. If multiple things aren't working or don't have power, I'd check that first.


Had that issue with a 93 ZJ after having the battery replaced. Turned out they squished the wire and connector that was next to the battery. The Jeep would die when it hit a bump, I'd tow it home, and it'd be fine once it hit the driveway. It finally stayed dead so I could chase it down and found out that all the computer and sensor grounds merged together into that single wire.
 
Took the cover off the front of the fuse box and there are just two wires held down by a nut, no fuse block. Checked on a different Cherokee and the same thing, no fusible link.
Going to change the positive cable to see if that does anything.
Thanks again for the help. I need to get it running again before it snows.
 
Do you have a meter or a test light? That would make testing power cables and such much quicker instead of ripping and replacing at random. Measure various points while trying to crank to see if you have voltage where you're supposed to and no voltage where you're not (ie, ground wires).

If you have power to other things while hitting the key to crank, it's probably not the power cable to the fuse box. I don't recall whether the starter has it's own cable from the battery to the solenoid, or whether the feed came off the stud at the fuse box.
 
It's weird that not I am getting no power to the fuel pump. It cranks and all the other electrical components work but I don't hear the pump turn on and there is no fuel in the rail. How do I check the wiring to see if I'm getting power to the fuel pump?
 
It's weird that not I am getting no power to the fuel pump. It cranks and all the other electrical components work but I don't hear the pump turn on and there is no fuel in the rail. How do I check the wiring to see if I'm getting power to the fuel pump?


You tried swapping out the ASD relay? That will kill spark as well.
 
"Took the cover off the front of the fuse box and there are just two wires held down by a nut, no fuse block. Checked on a different Cherokee and the same thing, no fusible link."

The fusible link is not a "fuse block" - it is incorporated within the 10 gauge green cable
at the front of the Power Distribution Center (PDC) - held down by a stud and nut.

The green cable emerges out of the PDC and is routed underneath the PDC.
You'll then see a plastic splice there. The cable then disappears into the wire harness.
It then emerges from the wire harness as a 6 gauge Black/White wire that terminates at the back of the alternator.

Disconnect the fusible link at the PDC, and the alternator, and then test it for continuity.

Of course, you'll want to disconnect the battery before doing any of this.
 
To test the fusible link is the cable going down to the alternator connects into a black plastic box located on the back of the alternator the one i should disconnect?
 
I disconnected the black wire that comes out of the plastic black box and is grounded to the back of the alternator and used that wire to test the fuse and there is no continuity.
Did I use the right wire?
 
Checked the fusible link and it has continuity. I can't seem to figure out how I don't have power to the fuel pump? Anybody have any suggestions on what to check next?

Thanks, chris
 
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