GHayduke

Some Rear XJ to MJ lighting details: The final wire harnesses (with the socket plugs on them) to each XJ tail light were the same so not a great place to referance the colors. I referenced the colors on the XJ interior harnesses that goes back the the rear, or in a MJ conversion where they go through the floor. I made one harness to the rear & only ended up using one wire (right turn) from the passenger side harness as wiring is redundant. Below the first color is the main / second is the stripe. The colors on my 98’ XJ harness were as follows: Brown = Parking lamps/running lights Green w/red = Left turn signal Brown w/red = Right turn signal (from passenger side harness) White w/red= Brake Brown w/ light green = Reverse I made a new wire harness by using some heavy bonded 4 wire trailer harness wire & added two more wires to it. I then connected the turn/parking/brake wires to match trailer wiring colors & made reverse & ground black and red. On the rear factory lights you may need to cut one of the wires that joins the two lights that’s not for the parking lamps. I chose to make the top lamp brakes/ parking, middle Turn signals/running, bottom reverse with two elements (1157 bulb). Some photos below (rear bulbs tied together, new harness wire, notes, left tail wiring while troublshooting). When soldering in the wiring I also added a short tail of trailer wiring that will be used in the future to connect to the trailer lighting converter minimizing hacking into the wiring so much later.

Quick update.... I got the turn signals working! :thumbsup: WooHoo!! After realizing I was getting intermittant/varying results I ordered the Multi-Function Switch and Tridon towing flasher, before I get the switch, I first tried a LED non-load dependant flasher but it did not resolve the problem.... I took Friday off to work on the Jeep. I replaced the Switch and Flasher unit to rule those out as a issue. I then replaced a couple sockets that looked questionable (corrosion/rust) with new ones. Then I started with the rear light that was not working. I decided to act as if I didn't know what wire was 'supposed' to do what on the sockets (based on labeling & wire colors) and started over. I turned on the parking lights and checked each socket to determine what wire was the dim / parking lamp side & wired them in. Then connected the high or 'major' wires (turn/brake) I checked every socket & found a couple sockets wired wrong front and rear.... (I guess working on them late into the nights was not a good idea!! :doh: ). Once checking everything I got both sides working with either new flasher unit, but the factory one Is bad.... I'll be adding a trailer harness so I'm running the towing one for now. All the connections are soldered and taped up and ready to go. I never thought I could get so exited about seeing turn signals turn on and work! I finished putting the dask and front end together and tested to confirm everything still workes.

I put the center consol and dash back together less the panel under the steering wheel.... Looks like the flasher may not arrive until Halloween even though I ordered it on Saturday & requested priority 2 day....

Both truck & tow rig look good!

I ordered the new flasher unit & I wired the back lights & they now work.. but blink fast (per the old flasher). I'm now wondering how much of my test issues might have been the old flasher unit (just being old/original). I feel like getting the turn signals to work has been one of the frustrating and time consuming parts of the whole build... which seems sad... so much testing and retesting with varying results. Much of this is because it's keeping me from driving the jeep. :fs1: Once everything works I intend to do a write up (how I did it) as I couldn't find clear accuarate info on the site anywhere. I ended up replacing the dying Reverse light sockets with sockets for 1157 bulbs, so I wired the reverse lights to use both filaments! :brows: This way the rear uses all the same bulbs (1157) which is nice because I buy commercial packs (10 bulbs to a pack) cheap. I got a new front lighting harness in the boneyard Saturday so I can just change out the plugs and lights, It was working with the old stuff (combo of both harnesses), but will be much cleaner with a factory harness. I also did the Headlight conversion this weekend. The factory wires now trigger two 20 amp relays (one for low & one for high) then power will feed through 10 guage wire to the new halogen conversion 200mm headlights (Using replaceable H4, 12V street legal 55/60 watt bulbs (for now)) Hopefully these will be noticeablly brighter. I also got a boneyard XJ switch panel with a fog light switch & wiring so I can later add additional driving lights and have them look factory. I wired in the curcuit breaker & fuse for the seats but haven't installed the seats yet. I'll work on the interior as time allows this week & hopfully when the flasher arrives I'll be driving the Jeep... I think I'll skip the rear interior until I get a few weeks of driving in & work out any bugs. Then I'll get carpet & finish out the inside. Carpet is sounding good as were already starting to flirt with freezing weather here north of Chicago...

Does anyone have pictures of a factory rollar? Not sure what it looks like off the truck? Or from the rear?

Thanks, it looks like the relay & controller are in the heated seats so i just need a 10 amp fuse & 25 amp circuit breaker for the two power wires. I tried wiring the turn signals again. They are load dependant and adding extra bulbs got one side working in the front. I'll look for a towing non-load dependent flasher unit. The back lights I have not figured out? I wired them as seen on other threads but they only work if the running lights are off. turning on the parking lights cancels out the flasher? Do I wire the XJ harness from where the bulbs are instead, and if so, what wires are used (colors) and not used on the rear sockets?

I'm looking for a SWB roll-bar in NE IL / SE WI. on a related note: anyone know of any other mini truck rollbars that can be made to fit and not look cheesy (ie double / triple tubes, etc.) going for a factory-ish look.

:???: Factory wiring harness / fusebox & options question: Ok so I'm adding power & heated seats that the donor 98 XJ did not have. If the factory harness does have the plug in points, what about the fusebox? Will the wiring go to the fusebox & are the terminals intalled for the relay & fuse if the XJ didn't come with these options? The direct question might be: are there build specific fuseboxes or are they all the same? I'll look tomorrow night for harness plugs & terminals in the fusebox for the heated seat relay...... If anyone can offer more info I'd like to know before I spend time troubleshooting!!! It never occured to me, but I now wish I'd grabbed the fusebox out of the jeep the heated seat were in... but it was a 2001 XJ Limmited I believe.

Wiring Questions time: I'm trying to get the front turn signals wired up next. This sounded easy till I tried hooking up the front signals and they don't work. The outer two wire bulb on one side seems to stop working. Anyone got any advice on this? Keep in mind I have the 98' wiring and the 88' nose & plugs. I also need to figure out how to add a relay and power my 01' XJ heated seats. When I do the rear wiring can I just spice in a regular 4 wire trailer connector, or will this cause issues?

I'm going backwards here. I did a 88' to 98' conversion and I'm still using the 88' front end. I'm trying to connect the 98' wiring to the 88'. I'm even game to just connect the light sockets to the factory wiring. It sounds easy enough but when I did so it does not work. One side or the other will work but seems like I'm always missing a side marker light. Would a burned out bulb in the rear wiring do this? Does it matter that I'm connecting less lights than before? I don't really understand how the two wire side marker lights are supposed to work with no ground wire? It the signal alternated from hot to ground or something? Does anyone have a wiring diagram or chart to address this? The factory 89' harness was half mangled in a accident so I'm having to do some guess work here...

In between working on the electrical, I got some other stuff accomplished: The exaust is complete. The tailpipe ended up touching the extended shackles so I sliced it by the shackle and bent it out a little. The fender flair is on the new fender, and the fender inners tucked in. I installed the front bumper and 95' vacuum canister, & installed the two aftermarket horns from the old build, i now have 4 horns at the ready. I had to pull the passenger side door switch out a little (they slide in housing) to get that door switch working.

No Guages issue Resolved - interchangable plugs found ! Update- I resolved the no guages, the interior lights, and the rear signal bulb 'on' issue. After much testing of the computer BUS lines and getting changing inconsistant readings a friend pulled the fuse box to test it & then reviewed all the connectors in the service manual as he coundn't figure out how the signal got to the fuse box, and then on to the dome light circuit board. We both thought that the plugs were all unique and you couldn't plug them in wrong at the fuse box but this is not true on the 98'! The below two top plugs will interchange. One goes into the fuse box and the other goes into a wiring plug. I colored one green (in sharpie marker) and the others red in case I unplug them again. One (green) goes into the fuse box at the bottom below the two relays. The other (red) goes together to the right or towards the rear side of the fuse box! Hopefully documenting this will save the next guy some trouble as my whole interior is out again...

No Guages issue Resolved - interchangable plugs found ! Update- I resolved the no guages, the interior lights, and the rear signal bulb 'on' issue. After much testing of the computer BUS lines and getting changing inconsistant readings a friend pulled the fuse box to test it & then reviewed all the connectors in the service manual as he coundn't figure out how the signal got to the fuse box, and then on to the dome light circuit board. We both thought that the plugs were all unique and you couldn't plug them in wrong at the fuse box but this is not true on the 98'! The below two top plugs will interchange. One goes into the fuse box and the other goes into a wiring plug. I colored one green (in sharpie marker) and the others red in case I unplug them again. One (green) goes into the fuse box at the bottom below the two relays. The other (red) goes together to the right or towards the rear side of the fuse box! Hopefully documenting this will save the next guy some trouble as my whole interior is out again... At least I know ALL my grounds are more than good now! The front turn signals are not yet working but I'm back on track!!! :banana: :rock on: So stoked to get the jeep going soon. . :MJ 1: .

I checked and cleaned all connectors and checked pass side dash grounds & replugged in fuse box plugs. Found loose fuse box plugs. I now have radio, heater, and odometer back, but still not needle guages. Diagnostic test of cluster now shows whole cluster works. No check engine lights but checked for codes anyway and found P1698. Started a new thread in MJ tech are called: " 98' Dash Lost Guages, Radio, Heater Controls.." for more details... Still can't figure out how to make the title on a new topic appear bold! haha... No but really..how do you do it? :dunno:

update- just needle guages not working ! I checked and regrounded the dash grounds on the passenger side (adding additonal ground wires to firewall) & found some loose connectors at fuse box. I now have power to the radio and heater controls, but still no dash guages working. The odometer now reads again as well. A cluster diagnostic test now confirms everything works including guages so it's not the cluster itself. I unplugged and cleaned (with electronics cleaner) the cluster & plugs, the PCM, Trans/engine connectors at left rear of engine and under dash connectors including the TCM connector several times. My friend Zac said the guage cluster factory original plugs looked a little "whored out" so we used a pick to close em to confirm a good connection. We also checked continuity on the pink & white/purple twisted pair bus lines and confirmed we couldn't find any issues / breaks. No check engine lights displayed but we checked for trouble codes and found P1698? What do I check related to this code? Does the Airbag control module need to be plugged in if I'm not using the airbags? The airbags were deployed when I got the donor vehicle. The module was not plugged in before and guages worked fine.

I found on my CJ with two lockrights, on road - tire size made a big difference. With larger heavier tires, 33 / 34+ I didn't feel the rear axle fight me anymore. Even with smaller tires it wasn't to bad, only felt occasionally coming through a gradual turn.

Remember the column tilts....some times to access bolts you can tilt the column to reach the different bolts...especially when installing a tilt Column. Like do two and tilt for the other two.... At least on the late model columns.

nice, Bench seat: I usually add foam & something under it (like a old mudflap or floor mat, then use large zip ties to rebuild the seat bottom & back. you can then tighten the zip ties to adjust it to you liking....

please help - No dash power Hello, I'm doing a 88' to 98' conversion (Hayduke's Operation Comanche RePower) and lost dash power. Before hooking up the 98' doors I could start the engine and the connected guages, odometer, radio, and heater controls all worked fine. I've been trying to get the dome/interior lights to work- repalced door switches, bulbs, testing wiring, and connected doors, and now the headlight switch controled dash lights work, but the needle guages, odometer, radio and heater controls don't work??? I also never got the dome lights to work via the door switches and when the ingition is on one brake light is on brightly, the ground for that harness is not yet connected, I've checked and improved the grounds, checked & cleaned all fuses, relays, etc. checked that all the plugs are connected well. & disconnected the dome light & door switches not sure if I missed something... The engine will start and run well and alternator produces 14+ volts at battery. Earlier the odometer worked but now after much testing it stopped working, A cluster test confirms everything but the needle guages check out. I exposed the ingnition switch but don't know how to test the 98' style switch? What else do I need to try? I'm very close to finishing the conversion then this happens...Very frustrated at this point as the dash was all in, and now it's all torn down again..and the fuse box...and the steering column.... :fs1: I've looked on the Cherokee sites and no solution yet... Any help greatly appreaciated !!!! My focus is getting the dash working again as the dome light can wait!

Woo! Nice to see it all one color .... :banana:

Sounds good. But I'm still fighting the new bigger electrical issue- dash power, no guages, radio, or heater control power. I checked and enhanced the G108 grounds for the radio & cluster by adding a additional ground wire from them to the firewall. I disconnected the dome light as I read a failed circuit board there can cause havoc, and rechecked fuses. I then exposed the Ingintion switch, but don't know how to test it??? Any ideas! this one has me really at wit's end.

Thanks Akula69: I grounded the fuel pump to the cab floor & to a 10 guage ground wire running from the battery fender negative bolt. I decided to run a 10 guage pos & neg to the cab for the heated power seats and future accesories. You said the door switch circuit includes "the visor mirror illumination, and the (XJ) rear door switches and rear hatch switch" when I get this working will the rear door plugs and/or the rear hatch switch plug need anything connected to them???? I didn't realize the rear hatch switch was even in the mix. Tonight I'm going to check the G108 dash grounds I didn't know where there & check some other stuff....

After talking with some friends I went on a Ground Attack. I checked all the grounds in the engine bay and on the floor of the cab. The OHM meter said I have 0.4 ohms of resistance on the worst connections. I also added a 10 guage ground line into the cab (for the heated seats and other accessories) and twinned it in with the other grounds... Still did not solve the issue. Are there other grounds I'm forgetting? I started the engine and noted what does not work now: Guages, Radio, heater controls, dome lights.... seems like a bigger issue. What connectors, relay's etc should I check?

Still not working.. Update.. backed up and did some more basic testing. First I replaced all the bulbs (floor, dome. & back dome). Then I connected door switches to all 4 plugs (included the rears) no difference. I disconnected all the door switches and the dome light harness. I tested the yellow dome wire to see if it was ground/-. No, no continuity between the yellow at any plugs for switches or harness..including door switches. So looks like yellow is not grounded? Once I connect a door switch, then the yellow has continuity with the body/ground.... I checked the headlight switch and I can turn on the front dome and floor lights manually by turning the nob. But no lights otherwise? Next I tried running a ground wire from the fuel pump negative wire to a seat stud. That stops the running issue, but not the interior lights issue. Also the rear XJ dome light (now in the back wall) plugged into it's original harness plug does not light at all. I still don't have working needle guages on dash either. I pulled the dash cover and confirmed the plugs behind the cluster are plugged in well. When I first ran the engine the guages were working? Is there a circuit breaker or relay I need to check? I tried checking all the under dash plugs I could reach? didn't resolve the issue. I'm getting really tired of playing with these plugs! :doh: