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Firewall bulkhead connector/fusebox

BIGSLVRXJ

BIGSLVRXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Des Moines, Iowa
Is it supposed to look like this and have brown gooey crap all throughout it? The only thing I can figure is it's something to keep the contacts clean or keep them from corroding, but this just looks like it speeds the corroding process. By the way, this isn't in my Jeep anymore, nor will it ever go back in, I'm just curious as why it looked like that.
BulkheadConnector2.jpg

BulkheadConnector1.jpg
 
Yeah - that's the factory version of "anti-corrosive goo" (technical term.) Clean it out with contact cleaner - the stuff blows.

If I feel the need to add something to protect contacts, I'll use Ox-Gard (or something similar - it's less like grease, cleans out for service easily, and actually works.)

That wouldn't be the infamous C101 connector, would it?
 
The first time I took one of those apart and saw what was in there, I was floored. After I tried to clean it out, I was wondering if it wasn't some kind of sick French humor.
 
It looks like cosmoline, probaley is
 
It is definately the back side of the C-101 connector. I would recongnize it anywhere.

Mine, 1987, is still stock, and still working with all that wonderfull black goo still in it. If it ain't broke don't fix it!

I think they used a PCB light ballast fill or electric transformer goo of some kind from the looks of it. Mine is jet black. The cosmoline I have seen was brown. Mine looks more like like roof tar or pitch.

Surprisingly the connectors in mine, C-101, are still nice and clean, especially when compared to all the under the hood relays and their corroded pins and sockets which took some serious cleaning work, followed by the Renix ECU harness / sensor connectors.
 
5-90 said:
Yeah - that's the factory version of "anti-corrosive goo" (technical term.) Clean it out with contact cleaner - the stuff blows.

If I feel the need to add something to protect contacts, I'll use Ox-Gard (or something similar - it's less like grease, cleans out for service easily, and actually works.)

That wouldn't be the infamous C101 connector, would it?
Click to expand...
Yeah the stuff looked really narsty. If I was keeping that harness I would clean it out, but since I'm not, I don't care. It actually is not the C101 connector. Mine was was a 1990 Renix so it didn't have the C101. It's just the connector that plugs into the back of the fusebox.
8Mud said:
After I tried to clean it out, I was wondering if it wasn't some kind of sick French humor.
Click to expand...
Well Renault...go figure.
1985xjlaredo said:
It looks like cosmoline, probaley is
Click to expand...
Similar to vaseline?
Ecomike said:
It is definately the back side of the C-101 connector. I would recongnize it anywhere.

Mine, 1987, is still stock, and still working with all that wonderfull black goo still in it. If it ain't broke don't fix it!

I think they used a PCB light ballast fill or electric transformer goo of some kind from the looks of it. Mine is jet black. The cosmoline I have seen was brown. Mine looks more like like roof tar or pitch.

Surprisingly the connectors in mine, C-101, are still nice and clean, especially when compared to all the under the hood relays and their corroded pins and sockets which took some serious cleaning work, followed by the Renix ECU harness / sensor connectors.
Click to expand...
Well the weird thing is this wasn't the C-101 connector and the stuff inside this was brown. The stuff inside the C-101 on my 1988 MJ is black, like you said. I don't know why they would have used different stuff, but thats just Jeep I guess.
 
Last edited:
Thats interesting how similar it looks to the back side of C-101 connector. I wonder if they used the same part?

Could it turn from black to brown after being soaked in brake fluid? Hmm. Just a thought.


RenixPower said:
Yeah the stuff looked really narsty. If I was keeping that harness I would clean it out, but since I'm not, I don't care. It actually is not the C101 connector. Mine was was a 1990 Renix so it didn't have the C101. It's just the connector that plugs into the back of the fusebox.

Well Renault...go figure.

Similar to vaseline?

Well the weird thing is this wasn't the C-101 connector and the stuff inside this was brown. The stuff inside the C-101 on my 1988 MJ is black, like you said. I don't know why they would have used different stuff, but thats just Jeep I guess.
Click to expand...
 
Ecomike said:
Thats interesting how similar it looks to the back side of C-101 connector. I wonder if they used the same part?

Could it turn from black to brown after being soaked in brake fluid? Hmm. Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Ya know they very well may have. My 90 is an automatic though and it's never had clutch master or master cylinder leak so I doubt brake fluid's ever touched it, although, I could be wrong.
 
Hate bringing up a decades old thread but I have a question that fits in with this.

When I bought my old xj it had windshield lead and clutch master cylinder leaking on the fuse box, probably for years
Today I'm Trying to update the fuse box on my old 85 xj, got a Junk Yard box off another XJ today though it looked better than my harness so I swapped them. Didn't notice the bulkhead connectors were completely different until I'm ready to hook it back up to the engine harness.

What years are the bulkhead connectors the same?

I'll post a picture in a minute of my original and the replacements in question.

What I'm hoping is the 1986 XJ with 2.8 will have the same bulkhead connector as the donor and I just have to find on of those rare beasts to keep this fuse box and harness.

More in minute
 
There is the original where it plugs in.
6650cb5b118fb4072334552751cb7ede.jpg

And here's my wiring harness plug
6206be76e856bc1d5c0ee099db96e286.jpg


And here is the donor, not sure which year they said it was a 80s XJ
f8d20e0690690a3f7e51a17d00623d7e.jpg



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Ask cruiser54, he might be able to help. That top one is nothing like the bottom one. Bottom one looks like a 4.0 Renix gas harness.

I would salvage the old one. Brake solvent to remove the grease, followed by vinegar soak, then rinse, then sudsy ammonia soak then rinse, then perchlorethylene aerosol brake cleaner final rinse and maybe a dremil tool with a mini wire wheel, or a screw driver with sand paper tool to remove any remaining hard corrosion scale on the male pins you can reach does wonders for brass contacts.

Do not mix vinegar with ammonia unless you want to gas yourself with toxic fumes. Sewer them separately with lots of water in between.
 
Thanks.
I thinks it's out of a 89.
Found a picture of a 86 bulkhead connector, it is different too.
Was just cleaning up the old one, it's a mess. Some of the connection were the fuse goes are close to garbage.

Called the people I got it from they think they might find something. Does anyone know what works with what in these early XJ?


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I found a parts listing that said 84-85, then 86 , I assume 87 4.0 is completely different. Although the 2.5 84-89 I don't know about .


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In my 85 diesel (was gas OEM) I only have about 3-4 fuses left in the OEM fuse box that are used. I bypassed the key stuff on mine and installed in line fuses, but with mine being diesel now, I think half the wiring is obsolete in mine. Still have key stuff light head lights but I use an under the hood wiring harness with relays for the real load to safe the head light switches and wiring from 6 month interval failure BS. I think some major MOD rigs have custom wiring harnesses now. I have serious doubts you will find such a rare wiring harness even used? There was one guy years back that was building new ones from the old ones??? But they were pricy.
 
Any of these 80s jeeps especially the early ones are going to be rare. Most of the 84-85-86 jeeps have been crushed by now.
Only a few fools left to bother fixing them.
I should be able to fix the original between the two but was hoping to do it right .
We'll see if they find anything. Was hoping to learn what years were similar. Weird thing in the parts diagram it looked like the 4cy and v6 carbureted shared some things.

Diesel? I think I talk with you before about it, Datsun diesel wasn't it?




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Green Mesa XJ said:
Any of these 80s jeeps especially the early ones are going to be rare. Most of the 84-85-86 jeeps have been crushed by now.
Only a few fools left to bother fixing them.
I should be able to fix the original between the two but was hoping to do it right .
We'll see if they find anything. Was hoping to learn what years were similar. Weird thing in the parts diagram it looked like the 4cy and v6 carbureted shared some things.

Diesel? I think I talk with you before about it, Datsun diesel wasn't it?

Yes, it is a Nissan/datsun SD-22 diesel engine and 5 speed transmission from a 720 pick up truck in the 85 Cherokee pioneer. It started out as a 4 banger gas, now a 4 banger diesel. I can push start the diesel and run it with no power if the zombies and EMPs attack some day LOL. It has an old style cable choke to turn it off LOL. Starter came loose one day and we push started it in a Walmart parking lot LOL. It has some interesting history. It is the first jeep I ever owned, bought it for $950 in 2002, right after 911 when no one was buying anything and prices were dirt cheap. It was already diesel but had many swap issues, wiring, engine mount, power steering, engine and transmission issues...... still.




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Click to expand...
 
The 85 fuse box bulk head connector was shot from repeated clutch MC leaks into it.
 
It's a dumb place to run all the wiring through. If not the clutch then the brake master could leak on it.

Mine is a mess but fixable, I think. It's more the fuse box itself that's past it. A good number of the connections work only some times. Ignition side of it was never a problem.

Yeah those old 720 are a rare sight now. Around here it's rust that got'em.

Everybody loved the d21 that followed it got to admit it's a though one. hardly see those any more as well.

I like the old utilitarian jeeps. Kind of a cool swap. Didn't know you could push start a Diesel, I think I know someone else who has. Not that it doesn't makes sense it's not the first thing I think is possible.
Had a old gas, vw ,my first car , that's battery would die when taking classes at night and I'd roll that one running.


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The fuse holders/box was the part that died on mine too. The female holder brass got brittle and would snap and break, others melted from the heavy load (AC blower, the notorious brown wire). I think the brake fluid made them brittle over the years
 
All automotive engineers should be forced to work as auto mechanics for 4-5 years before they are allowed to get anywhere near a design system.
 
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