Did i fry something in my jeep?...

[yjpaul]

So i have an 88 YJ. No major engine mods whatsoever, just the stock 4.2. Recently i changed my alternator, as well as many other things to get it running again. After having it run just fine for weeks, as i was driving a friend to the corner store, the truck made a weird little noise, everything electrical turned off as well as the engine. Its like it just shut off out of nowhere, yet the weird thing is that the hazards still work, and the headlights still work. But the starter and everything gets nothing it seems. Turn signals dont work (but hazards do), interior lights turn on, not much else does.
As i looked under the hood today, i was checking all of my connections and saw that the wire thats screwed to the alternator was a little loose and had what looked like the remains of a huge spark (eg. metal had a bluish-greenish, purplish haze to it, etc.) and i just dont know whats wrong. Any tech-heads out there have any suggestions?


Cheers,
Paul

[Jaguar]

Wow, thats crazy!... umm.. I guess starting from the start... Is your battery ok? (obviously it has enough power to run the lights, but may not have enough for anything else) Put a ohm meter on your alternator to see if it's fried or not. Also check all your realys, cause they might have been fried.

[yjpaul]

Wow, thats crazy!... umm.. I guess starting from the start... Is your battery ok? (obviously it has enough power to run the lights, but may not have enough for anything else) Put a ohm meter on your alternator to see if it's fried or not. Also check all your realys, cause they might have been fried.

Where do i find these "relays"?

[Dragonmaster]

Wow, thats crazy!... umm.. I guess starting from the start... Is your battery ok? (obviously it has enough power to run the lights, but may not have enough for anything else) Put a ohm meter on your alternator to see if it's fried or not. Also check all your realys, cause they might have been fried.

Where do i find these "relays"?

Fuse box under the hood near the battery if memory serves me correctly.

[Jaguar]

Your best bet is prolly to head to Canadian tire and pick up a Chilton or haynes manual for your YJ. Chilton being the better choice. I'n not sure if the dealership can get you a maintenance manual or not for an 88, but thats another option. Either way, they all have electrical diagrams in them.

HTH
Michael

[chadlh]

I had almost the same problem except it didn't have anything to do with the Alternator.  I was driving along and my 89 XJ just died.  Head lights worked, etc. but nothing with the ignition or dash worked.  I finally found the problem after spending lots of time taking the ignition switch, etc (troubleshooting) it was the red wire going to the ignition switch but where it attaches near the battery.  It's where the fusable link goes to a common connection point where other red (Pos.) wires are attached.  Follow your red wire from the battery to where it splits into a smaller wire.  Follow this smaller wire till you get to a place where all kinds of crimped (crimped to a doughnut shaped thing that gets fastened below a nut) wires are fastened below a 1/2 nut.  Sort of in the area where your relays are, and where the ignition coil is if it's anything like mine.  just look for a melted wire and you've found your problem.

I can take a picture if you are having troubles.

[yjpaul]

I had almost the same problem except it didn't have anything to do with the Alternator.  I was driving along and my 89 XJ just died.  Head lights worked, etc. but nothing with the ignition or dash worked.  I finally found the problem after spending lots of time taking the ignition switch, etc (troubleshooting) it was the red wire going to the ignition switch but where it attaches near the battery.  It's where the fusable link goes to a common connection point where other red (Pos.) wires are attached.  Follow your red wire from the battery to where it splits into a smaller wire.  Follow this smaller wire till you get to a place where all kinds of crimped (crimped to a doughnut shaped thing that gets fastened below a nut) wires are fastened below a 1/2 nut.  Sort of in the area where your relays are, and where the ignition coil is if it's anything like mine.  just look for a melted wire and you've found your problem.

I can take a picture if you are having troubles.

Ill give that a good look through tonight, so thanks very much!  And also thanks to everyone else for their responses as well.  Hopefully it will be something simple like this.