Swapping out the Fuse Box / Clutch Issue

[Infidel Edition]

OK ~ as I've wined before, my clutch master cylinder has pee'd on my fuse box!
It's crazy to swap it out and this is part 1 of my attempt!

1st, I went to the local Pick'n Pull and found a XJ automatic! No clutch. No clutch fluid damage!
I cleaned it up and prepped for a quick swap:

That nut in the center is CRAZZY forever turns but don't come lose? Not sure what's up with that.
But I finally got it out.

Undid the 2 screws and pulled the box.
I went to Home Depot and got a pack of Red, Blue, and Yellow connectors. Each represents a different gage of wire. Most were Red.

**right... I don't know how to manage my pic's yet to make this fully user friendly, but they're all below in various stages.

So once you unscrew the 2 inside screws (star tips), there is a clip in each to release the front from the back of the box.
The section toward the firewall, still has a screw that will take you FOREVER to get it out. 1/2 have a resin ball on them so they won't come out. the other half are hit and miss as to if they'll eventually unscrew!
Once you've spent FOREVER cranking away... you're 1/2 way there! Keep going.
Tomorrow, I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll be able to install it and get my headlights, stereo, tail lights, wipers... everything else... working.

[Infidel Edition]

OK. I added those picks from under the hood to show how tight the space is to get to the engine side screw! One might say you're screwed!

Also a pic of the engine side of the box (where the engine compartment connects).
And there's a pic of the front there too...

[Infidel Edition]

Got it in
Not pretty... but more more stuff is working.
That screw holding the firewall mounted side is KILLER ANNOYING! But it didn't look as ate up as the rest. So I cleaned it a bit and left it in.
That's pry 1 of my errors! Still no headlights.

PO was a %+%&*$&! Under the dash too. Looks like he installed the radio with a weed Wacker. Loose wires everywhere under there.
My guess is he ripped out some of the stereo crap when he decided to sell it.

With the wind and a prayer I'm going to bust out a voltage meter and start poking and probing for juice...
I'm thinking as a worst case, I may wire the headlight through the bumper light switch until I can figure out their issue.

Running lights work / signals work / brake lights....
Just no head lights (bumper lights don't either ~but I'm optimistic that switch is easier to figure out)

Bad PO!
Bad!

[Infidel Edition]

Does anyone know where I can find portions of a wiring harness?
It looks like there's a under the hood section... a rear end portion...
Everyplace I've found online is the entire package only ~ and I only want to clean up the ENTIRE portion u dear the dash

[4.3LXJ]

Pick and pull would be the best. You would have to remove the dash to get it all.

[Infidel Edition]

Pick and pull would be the best. You would have to remove the dash to get it all.

I was there today.
$25 for "medium length"
... and since I need a dash too :sign0181:
might as well.

Got the lights working though.
But now, when I use the turn signal, the stereo shuts off for a few minutes!

Check out the pic of the old fuse box and headlight switch!

Everything else is about the same *(&^ condition :bang:

[4.3LXJ]

There has been a lot of work on the wiring so this might be difficult, but generally when that happens, it is a grounding issue. Check the ground wires. They all go into a couple of common places

[Infidel Edition]

There has been a lot of work on the wiring so this might be difficult, but generally when that happens, it is a grounding issue. Check the ground wires. They all go into a couple of common places

Are all ground wires 'black'?
That would help...

Though with the hack 'n slash wiring job the PO did, I think my best bet is to pull it all out and start fresh:confused:

But it'll have to make it for a few weeks as I have too much going on.
I'll track down the stereo's ground and :pray: fingers crossed, that'll be the main issue

[4.3LXJ]

Ground wires should be black or black and orange

[Infidel Edition]

OK
So my headlights work... new switch.
There's only:
1 click - from off to 'only running lights'
2 click - brights (with the little brights symbol on the dash)

Shouldn't there be another click?
~ ie. How do I switch from Low's to hi beams?

[4.3LXJ]

The switch is on the bottom left side of the steering column under the dash

[Infidel Edition]

The switch is on the bottom left side of the steering column under the dash

Cool
I'll have to go see if low's work too

[Mudderoy]

lol Steve treading where others fear to go. Thanks Steve!

[Infidel Edition]

Still haven't found the short (or obtained a pick'n pull harness), but I found what I think might be a short. And the wipers don't kill the music. :rolleyes:
It's acceptable for now.

The clutch pee has made a mess under the carpet... so that's all going to go.
And the dash looks like it's where the rats have been eating when not nesting in the wires!
...figure of speech. There's no sign of rats or anything. That'd be better than the PO!

So my summer project will be to bed liner the entire floor, replace the chewed up dash, and while that's all out... the under dash harness too!
But when I'm done, it'll be clean and functional. :watermelon:

[Infidel Edition]

After thought notes:
1- If I would have thought it through first ~ I would have gone through the dash first to asses the TOTAL damage. The spent a few ($25 box + connectors vs. $40) and gotten the dash harness.
2- I needed a solid 8 hour day, 7 beers, and a matches set of tacos... But I tried to k rock it out in 5, AND I SKIPPED THE BEER! Take your time and do it over a long weekend that you won't need to drive it.
3- Prep the parts going in before you start pulling your own stuff. That way you can find potential issues on the replace me t parts... they're old too!
4- DO YOUR XJTALK.COM RESEARCH FIRST! Someone here may have tried it and learned the hard way. ~ in my opinion now, the dash harness is a no-brainer

[Infidel Edition]

No joy on the bright's switch ~ pick of column at dash. I think the PO a.k.a. MoFu from now on! changed out the column with another (as I've mentioned) and is missing pieces? Pic attached...

Then I couldn't leave well enough alone (headlights and tail lights... but no dash lights). So, I pulled the instrument cluster to check the bulbs!

Found this behind my cig lighter (pic attached)!
I don't even know what he was splicing into that line for?

Anyway, I'm driving on a prayer that I don't burst into flames! :mad0090: ...'er I mean the Jeep don't!

Wed, I'm changing out the front hubs and calipers... Then I gotta drive that 300 mile trip to drill Friday a.m. and then 300 back Sunday night. So, I'll be rednecking an LED light over the dash.
:cry:

[4.3LXJ]

A lot of people, myself included tap into the cig lighter circuit for stuff. It has a decent fuse on it. Just cut that wire shorter and tape it and call it good.

[Infidel Edition]

Does anyone know if a '90+ dash portion harness will work on an '89?
~ as the 89 has the RENIX computer... or is that part of the dash wiring?

Don't want to get home and discover I got another "won't work for mine" part.