Weird elec prob...

I have a 89 4.0 Renix. I took it wheeling a few weeks ago went through a mud hole right after getting through it Jeep died had to wait about 20 mins and it started. I finally took it to the car wash clean it up. Cleaned the engine and XJ would not start afterwards.
So I towed it home. WDed all the connectors and got it run. Took it to work couple days no probs died on me once. I moved it out of driveway and it died again. So I tried replacing the ignition switch didn't make any difference.
I checked my Fuse links and they were fine. When I turn on the key the starter turns. When I turn it to run there is no acc., no fuel pump, no head lights, no turn signals, nothing is working other then the starter. So took my voltmeter and tested the body. The body has 12v when the key is on. No volts when the key is off. So I take it have a short somewhere. I have no idea and I was wondering if anyone knows where I should start looking.

check the monster bulkhead connector by the master cylinder that goes through the firewall - i bet there's corrosion in there

What do you mean the body has 12V? How are you testing?

I was thinking Crankshaft Position sensor till you said that.

How's the main fusible link coming from the Alternator?

You can check for shorts on the main "hot" wires (those that are on all the time) by testing at the fusible links at the starter relay, but I'm betting that's not the problem, but more likely a shorted out component.

I was wondering about that cause I could stomp my foot on the floor and everything would come on for sec or two.

I put my neg on the neg battery terminal and pos on the body and I have 12v. Very strange. I know I have short just trying to figure out where to look.

Have a look at the ground strap between the firewall and the valve cover. It's probably falling apart.

lawsoncl said:

Have a look at the ground strap between the firewall and the valve cover. It's probably falling apart.

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There is no ground strap. Never has been one since I have owned it. My 92 had one.

Pulled the bulkhead connector and it looks fine clean inside sprayed WD in there no difference.

lawsoncl said:

Have a look at the ground strap between the firewall and the valve cover. It's probably falling apart.

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Brutha you are a genious I went ahead put a ground strap in even though there wasn't one before and XJ runs like champ. I put a motor in 2 years ago. Don't know if I forgot to put it in or if had one. Can't believe it has run this long without one. It has never run this smooth. Thanks for all the ideas everyone. :yelclap:

Glad to hear it's fixed! Not sure how the body was getting its ground before, but having a properly grounded body now should help lots of things like the headlights and taillights.

Yeah noticed the headlights are way brighter now. I don't know how it was working before. H*ll before I turn the radio up too loud and the XJ would run funny or die.

Ground strap between the body and battery or the battery and engine?

Strap between the firewall and engine block.

Stang5lgt said:

Yeah noticed the headlights are way brighter now. I don't know how it was working before. H*ll before I turn the radio up too loud and the XJ would run funny or die.

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lol that's the kind of subtle clue I ignore. Symptoms like that finally mean something when the cure is applied. I had a PVC installed by the PDSO and finally figured out it was blowing every gasket and leaking a quart every 100.

Sometimes this stuff is too simple.