91 wiring NIGHTMARE HELP PLEASE. Or buy it.

[kidbaxter]

Anyone had an electrical problem stemming from the ignition and tail light/ window harnesses cluster works intermittently and windows tail lights brake lights and reverse lights all kill engine once you finally do get it running. It's a 91 loredo 4.5 inch rubicon express built d30 up front welded 35 in the rear. Sye done correctly and it's a beast just can't pinpoint this wiring nightmare. Ive replaced all ground straps and positive terminal on the battery. Cleaned the kick panel fuse box harnesses and added dielectric grease. Bypassed the NSS. And still can hardly ever get a response from the cluster. And when I do I have to jump the started. Had the started tested three times checked out fine. Isolated the electrical systems and found that there is a short somewhere along the lines of ignition but can not pin point one particular thing related to all effected conditions. Ready to loose my mind on this thing. Begging for help and if none can be provided willing to sell for 2000 or trade for a 4 cyl daily commuter until I can build another rig.


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[kidbaxter]

Here are a few pictures hopefully they'll upload I've taken off the gawdy spotlight.


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[bluedragon436]

Sounds very similar to the electrical issue I'm having with my 90 right now.. At least mine is straight not working, but still just as annoying... I had an issue with it not wanting to work, so I played around with everything and checked connections and then started just playing with everything, and couldn't figure it out.. It randomly started and as I was driving I went to start backing up and it died on me, and since then it doesn't want to start, my window switches are useless, but the power door locks still work, no power to the gauge cluster, and no reverse lights.. I pulled the NSS and cleaned it, even though I had already tried jumping it.. I have pulled all the ground straps and positive cables and cleaned and resecured them.. Still no power.. For my issue (as well as yours it seems), the issue is none of the items that are supposed to work once the ignition switch is turned on are getting powered.. I've tried swapping the ignition switch as well, thinking it was a bad ignition switch.. Still nothing changed.. I hope that someone can help you figure this out, and get your XJ back on the road, and that possibly even helping me get mine back on the road once I get back stateside.. Unfortunately I can't do anymore troubleshooting and tracing on mine right now, so hope we can get yours back on the road, and hopefully help me with troubleshooting mine...

[kidbaxter]

I'm assuming you're military in which case I want to personally say thank you for your service.


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[bluedragon436]

I am military, and thank you for you appreciation.. I wish the work that I do in the USAF, would help me figure out my XJ's issue.. Somehow or another I can figure out some of the dumbest issues on the aircraft, and that thing is like 50 times bigger then the XJ.. but can't figure out a simple power issue on the XJ.. LOL

[kidbaxter]

I know right. I'm a diesel mechanic myself.


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[bigjim350]

whats your location?

[4.3LXJ]

Do you have an ohm meter?

[kidbaxter]

Dallas,ga


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[kidbaxter]

And yes I do just not currently on me. It's at the shop.


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[4.3LXJ]

Sounds like you do have a short. The way to track that down is to find some plugs and disconnect them and ohm each contact to ground. When you get a zero or near zero, that is the wire to chase down. After you have done this once, you will be a pro. This is not a good reason to get rid of it

[kidbaxter]

I've tried homing the tail light circuit to no avail. I don't even know where to begins on the ignition circuit but I'll give it a shot. The only reason I'm even considering sale is because it's to the point of me almost loosing my job. No dependable vehicle and only so many people will pick you up.


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[4.3LXJ]

If you cannot get the NSS to work for you, and this might be a big part of the problem, you can ground the NSS side of the starter relay in the power distribution center and then the starter should work any time as long as everything gets power. NSS also operates the back up lights. Many people clean them with good results. But be careful they are fragile and expensive

[kidbaxter]

I jumped the NSS to eliminate it all together and I still haven't been able to get power to the cluster for a few days now. Once I finally can get power there troubleshooting may get easier.


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[4.3LXJ]

Check fuses in two places. Power distribution center and more importantly under the dash by the steering column