1988 electrical problems

Oh, how I love electrical problems. Here's the scoop. I went to start the Jeep today (while parked in the dealer's parking lot) and was greeted to a totally dead vehicle. No clicks or sounds of any sort, just a really dead XJ. After getting towed home (major embarrassment), I went looking for the culprit. The battery tests at 12.7 volts, the terminals and wires are new & clean and the fuel pump ballast is new (which is why I was at said dealer). Still nothing. After sitting for a while, the vehicle suddenly has power! Lights, horn power windows, etc. Being that the Jeep has now fixed itself, I go to start it. Click...and the thing does dead again. Power all gone. Being aware of old ignition switch problems, I replace the switch. Nothing for 10 minutes, then power is again to be had. Jeep has once again done it! That is, until I try to start it...click, dead, gone. Rats!

Anyone have any bright suggestions? Is there a breaker I'm missing? Perhaps the starter solenoid? It's a Renix system, so there are opportunities aplenty.

Thanks,
:dunce:

After much continued digging, supplemented by the appropriate 4 letter descriptive adjectives, I found a burned/melted connection on the ignition switch connector. Why it's burned I have no idea, but repairing it sure seemed to fix things. Anyone else seen this before? Could this be a sign of low or high voltage somewhere in the past?

I'm not really sure if it is a sign of any kind of electrical failure,but the ignition
switch did what it was supposed to do,it failed.By doing so,it probably saved the entire vehicle from being toast.

I couldn't agree with you more; I just need to find if this is a new or "pre-existing" condition. I've seen way too many photos of Cherokees on fire. :flame:

Not sure if you would want to but you could take it in and have a diagnosis done on the electrical system,or for that fact the whole vehicle.
Just make sure whoever does the diagnosis is someone you trust.
They should also be able to do print out of the entire electrical system or any system ont the entire vehicle.

Not a bad idea.