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Headlights blinking

AwesomeXJ

AwesomeXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vancouver WA.
For the past week or so when I get home from work my headlights will shut off then turn on after a few seconds then turn off and back on. They'll just keep doing it untill I turn them off then on with the switch. I checked the cuircut from the switch and it is constant while they are blinking.
I have open beam housings with h4 bulbs. Do you think this could mean that they are bad? I almost seems like they're getting hot and turning off then on like lights in a warehouse do when they are going bad. I've just never heard of this in a automotive before?
 
nope. I just plugged them into the stock plug. I've had them installed for over a year now and it only started doing this for the last few weeks.
 
If they are higher wattage than stock they are (like was said before) tripping the circuit breaker. There could be two reasons this never manifested until now. One the breaker is getting weak, or could be corrosion in the head light socket (or other connector in the system) causing the lights to draw more current that is just to much for the breaker. This can also happen with stock wattage bulbs too.
 
Yep, overheating the breaker in the switch. When it starts to blink off just stick your finger behind the headlight switch knob and feel the metal post. It will be hot.

Poor ground, dirty connections, generally junk wiring. Headlight relay/harness will temp fix. Ultimately, replace all battery/charging cables, grounds too. See 5-90's stuff.
 
Shogun said:
Yep, overheating the breaker in the switch. When it starts to blink off just stick your finger behind the headlight switch knob and feel the metal post. It will be hot.

Poor ground, dirty connections, generally junk wiring. Headlight relay/harness will temp fix. Ultimately, replace all battery/charging cables, grounds too. See 5-90's stuff.
Click to expand...

Yep. In addition to the harness, do the 5-90 upgrade. www.kelleyswip.com.

In the meantime, do this:

Renix Ground Refreshing
The Renix era XJs and MJs were built with an under-engineered grounding system for the engine/transmission electronics. One problem in particular involves the multiple ground connection at the engine dipstick tube stud. A poor ground here can cause a multitude of driveabililty issues, wasted time, and wasted money replacing unnecessary components.
The components grounding at the dipstick tube stud are:
Distributor Sync Sensor, TCU main ground, TCU "Shift Point Logic", Ignition control Module, Injectors, ECU main ground which other engine sensors ground through, Oxygen sensor, Knock Sensor, Cruise Control, and Transmission Sync signal. All extremely important stuff.
The factory was aware of the issues with this ground point and addressed it by suggesting the following:
Remove the nut holding the wire terminals to the stud. Verify that the stud is indeed tightened securely into the block. Scrape any and all paint from the stud’s mounting surface where the wires will attach. Must be clean, shiny and free of any oil, grease, or paint.
Inspect the wire terminals. Check to see that none of the terminals are crimped over wire insulation instead of bare wire. Be sure the crimps are tight. It wouldn’t hurt to re-crimp them just as a matter of course. Sand and polish the wire terminals until clean and shiny on both sides. Reinstall all the wires to the stud and tighten the nut down securely.
While you’re in that general area, locate the battery negative cable which is fastened to the engine block just forward of the dipstick stud. Remove the bolt, scrape the block to bare metal, clean and polish the cable terminal, and reattach securely.
Another area where the grounding system on Renix era Jeeps was lacking is the engine to chassis ground. There is a braided cable from the back of the cylinder head that also attaches to the driver’s side of the firewall. This cable is undersized for it’s intended use and subject to corrosion and poor connections at each end.
First off, remove the cable end from the firewall using a 15mm wrench or socket. Scrape the paint off down to bare metal and clean the wire terminal. Reattach securely.
Remove the other end of the cable from the rear of the head using a 3’4" socket. Clean all the oil, paint and crud from the stud. Clean the wire terminal of the cable and reattach securely.
A suggestion regarding the braided cable:
I prefer to add a #4 Gauge cable from the firewall to a bolt on the rear of the intake manifold, either to a heat shield bolt or fuel rail bolt. A cable about 18" long with a 3/8" lug on each end works great and you can get one at any parts store already made up. Napa has them as part number 781116.
A further improvement to the grounding system can be made using a #4 cable, about 10" long with 3/8" terminals at each end. Attach one end of this cable to the negative battery bolt and the other end under the closest 10mm headed bolt on the radiator support just forward of the battery. Napa part number 781115.
　
　
If you want to upgrade your grounds and battery cables in general, contact Jon at www.kelleyswip.com. He makes an incredible cable upgrade for a very reasonable price.
　
Revised 11-28-2011
 
Pyro1.3g said:
my '88 did the same thing, ended up getting me pulled over by a state trooper who thought I was trying to get his attention.

check the head light switch and socket.
Click to expand...

All the more reason to install an upgrade headlamp harness. Lights are 30% brighter and your headlamp switch doesn't fail on you at night.
 
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