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Bought a CJ5

CJ: 
2K views 25 replies 8 participants last post by  wally431 
#1 ·
so i finally got myself a wheeler. I went down and picked it up friday. its got 36in super swampers with a Lincoln locker in the rear, 3.54 gears.
it started up and ran good, the steering is a little loose but its a jeep so i expect that, it has an edlebrook carb but it likes to flood itself
so i took it out today to twisted trails drove around for maybe 30 mins and it dies. i'm still not sure i think its wiring one thing about this jeep is theres no key there is just a switch and a button to start it so kinda rigged. i'm no electrician or a pro mechanic, but i hit the button to start it and nothing.
the headlights wont turn on nothing so i think its got something to do with the battery cables so 2moro i'm gunna replace those and just go from there in the wiring.
I do have a friend who is an electrician tho so i'm gunna get him over here. the starter looks pretty new. one other thing is i think the valve cover leaks a bit so i'll replace the gasket.
i think the battery is still good i just have to check the cables. the one positive off the battery goes to a little box then down to the starter, some smaller wires come off the box and go to the distributor cap, and one to the alternator.
I dont really know much about jeeps so anything would help, so if anyone could help, i'm freshly on unemployment so i've got some free time to put into it thanks ahead of time
wally
 
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#2 ·
Just because someone is an electrician, doesn't mean they know anything about automotive wiring.

Get a wring diagram and start going through things. If you are pinched for cash, go to your local library, or search online. They used to put the chiltons diagrams online at autozone.com

You likely lost a main ground or power wire somewhere.
 
#3 ·
thats for the fast response my buddy does just about as much work on cars as i do so hes reliable, i'm looking at a diagram of a 73 and newer amc 304 which is what i have, so i'll just go by that 2moro but i see only one ground wire coming off the battery in the diagram i have 3 that come off mine.
one right to the body, one right on the block and i forget where the other one goes i'll look more at it 2moro but thanks for telling me to look up a diagram i didn't think of that
wally
 
#4 ·
well i took the starter over to the parts store and they tested it and its junk so getting a new one tuesday, i'm gunna replace the wires coming off the battery and clean up all the grounds plus i'm gunna have one of my friends come over and tune my carb so hopefully by tuesday i'll have my jeep running again we'll see thanks
wally
 
#5 ·
well i'm picking up my starter today n hopefully get it running good, but now i'm wanting wider axles it has a dana 30 in front and an AMC 20 in the rear, a dana 20 t-case with a passenger side drop, so i'm wondering what axles do get i can get a cheap set of chevy 1/2tons with 3.54 gears, i just really want something a little wider let me know thanks
wally
 
#9 ·
well now i need a new alternator but i'm picking that up 2moro, i went and looked at those chevy 1/2 tons my buddy has, on the front the passenger spring perch is cast into the pig, so if i have to change the angle on the front i'm guessing i'll have to grind that down? the rear should be easy just get the angle right and weld the perches on, both my front and rear shock mounts are build into my spring ubolt pads so i dont have to make mounts for that. i have some flat top knuckles i'm gunna use for high steer. well if all that goes well i hope to have that does within a week once i start
wally
 
#18 ·
well thanks to grandwarpig we got my jeep running good today had to get a new alternator and rewire the regulator box fun stuff, but then silver93xj grooved my TSL's and they look awesome dude thanks man, well gunna do more research tonight about tuning my carb or possible getting a off road rebuild kit we'll see but a big thanks to those two guys, well on to more 2moro
wally
 
#22 ·
well i need someone to follow me out there plus i almost wanna fix that driveshaft frist u got a peice of solid pipe to replace it with? we can do that 2moro if ur not busy, i also want some one to follow me there if i break it haha get ahold of me
wally
 
#23 ·
ok well i went to start it this morning to see if it was still holding a charge well it didn't start,
so far now this is the list of new parts
starter
alternator
battery terminals
main battery wires
i wired in a regulator box that wasn't hooked up
ignition solenoid
and it still doesn't hold a charge the battery is new as of 1/09 so i dont know
i took all the grounds off and wire brushed them clean so i have good ground.
i have no idea now what could be wrong unless its the battery, i've heard of opening it and putting red wine in the battery? i dont know what to do now any help would be great thanks
wally
 
#26 ·
ok well took it out today
broke the rear drive shaft but fixed that by around 2pm. then took it back out for alittle bit
the fuel pump went out, i checked the fuel filter and the hose going to the carb and they were dry so hopefully a fuel pump will fix that, but with the battery i think its the voltage regulator box which is only 16 bucks so hopefully pick one of those up soon, other then that it should be running good.
about the dana axles can u measure spring perch to spring perch and whats the wms to wms just so i know i might be interested but 400 is a little much with only 3.31 gears
wally
 
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