1989 Eliminator

Could I have a short somewhere still and ,that would in return, make my alternator work harder? And because its working harder it dies so often like it does? I have upgraded my grounds and am pretty sure they are good.

Its just weird that it goes so often

Yes I have definatly done all of the ground re-freshing. Cable from the neg post to one of the radiator support bolts. Cable from firewall to heat sheild bolt. Sanded and made sure there is a clean contact on everything. Cleaned the engine ground as well.

I have a 1989 4.0 and ever since I owned the truck my alternator quits more than it should. I bought it with 32000 miles and had my first alternator professionally re-built at around 38000 miles. Then it went again at 63000 miles and had it re-built again. Now at 71000 I am getting a very weak voltage signal. Sometimes at random incidences the voltage gauge will spike up to ~13 like it is charging like normal but will then go back down to ~10 after a short amount of time. It mostly stays at around ~10 volts now. Why does this alternator die so often? or is this normal....? To fix this issue I am thinking of getting an alternator from ac/delco or a stronger built one that puts out 100 amps.

Your brake switch might just be out of line. The 89' year brake switch ingages by position instead of pressure. If it isnt coming on, then take the switch out and put two small peices of duck tape on the flat peice of the switch. I had to do this on mine when I did my dual diaphram brake booster upgrade. The flat peice I mentioned is just before the white plastic spacer where the screw goes through the middle.

I found this company becasue they seem to do a lot of custom stuff. So custom means not a mass production. Just like a prototype shop. Quick and cheaper than a mass production company. We have a lot of members but how many are actully active?

Well I just sent out a quote request for Oly4X4.com to make a hitch for our trucks. I explained our club here and to see if he could do anything for us. I'll keep everyone updated. I know we have the print and can just take it to a shop to get it fabricated but if we get enough people to participate then the price shouldnt be bad.

Yeah that is exactly what I got. It was kinda hard to solder the wires but I got a good amount on there. Is 750 RPM considered a low idle though?

I knew it would! I never knew about those ground wires in the wiring harness.

Yes TBI is throttle body.

I will say I had a low idle that was hovering around 400-500 and going through Cruiser54's TPS adjustment and ground refresh, she is idling around 750 now in drive. I already did the engine and chassis ground upgrades but I did not know about the TPS,CTS,IAT, and ECU ground wires that are located in the wire harness by the firewall. Cleaned the throttle body, soldered the five ground wires together (there was orignally a crappy clamp) and adjusted the TPS to the correct spec. Idles like a champ. Before I soldered, I did the ohm's test for the three prong connecter and I had varying resistance. So, after soldering I tried again and that problem was solved. I still have a ~2 ohm reading which is a little high. But nothing to worry about I don't think. When I did the TPS adjustment, my reference voltage was 5.02 V and I adjusted to where the output voltage was .85 V. Cruiser’s Renix Sensor Ground Test 　 This sensor ground circuit affects the CTS, TPS, IAT, MAP, ECU and diagnostic connector grounds. It’s very important and not something to overlook in diagnosing your Renix Jeep as it is common for the harnesses to have poor crimps causing poor grounds. If any or all of the sensors do not have a good ground, the signal the ECU receives from these sensors is inaccurate. Set your meter to measure Ohms. Be sure the key is in the OFF position. Using the positive (red) lead of your ohmmeter, probe the B terminal of the flat 3 wire connector of the TPS . The letters are embossed on the connector itself. Touch the black lead of your meter to the negative battery post. Wiggle the wiring harness where it runs parallel to the valve cover and also near the MAP sensor mounted on the firewall. If you have an 87 or 88 with the C101 connector mounted on the firewall above the brake booster, wiggle it, too. You want to see as close to 0 ohms of resistance as possible. And when wiggling the harnesses/connectors the resistance value should stay low. If there is a variance in the values when wiggling the wires, you have a poor crimp/connection in the wiring harness or a poor ground at the engine dipstick tube stud. On 87 and 88 models, you could have a poor connection at the C101 connector as well. Revised 06/12/2012 Put this together to simplify the TPS testing and adjusting on 87 to 90 Renix Jeeps. There are other procedures out there but half of them are wrong and don't separate out driveability testing from transmission testing like these do. Remember: You must adjust a TPS after replacing it on a Renix Jeep, unlike the later models. RENIX TPS ADJUSTMENT Before attempting to adjust your TPS be sure the throttle body has been recently cleaned. It's especially important that the edges of the throttle butterfly are free of any carbon build-up. IMPORTANT NOTE: Using the positive (red) lead of your ohmmeter, probe the B terminal of the flat 3 wire connector of the TPS . The letters are embossed on the connector itself. Touch the black lead of your meter to the negative battery post. If you see more than 1 ohm of resistance some modifications to the sensor ground harness will be necessary. The harness repair must be performed before proceeding. I can provide an instruction sheet for that if needed. MANUAL TRANSMISSION: RENIX manual transmission equipped XJs have a three-wire TPS mounted on the throttle body. This manual transmission vehicle TPS provides data input to the ECU. The manual transmission TPS has three wires in the connector and they're clearly embossed with the letters A,B, and C. Wire "A" is positive. Wire "B" is ground. Key ON, measure voltage from "A" positive to "B" ground by back-probing the connectors.. Note the voltage reading--this is your REFERENCE voltage. Key ON, back-probe the connector at wires "B" and "C". Measure the voltage. This is your OUTPUT voltage. Your OUTPUT voltage needs to be seventeen percent of your REFERENCE voltage. For example: 4.82 volts X .17=.82 volts. Adjust the TPS until you have achieved this percentage. If you can't achieve the correct output voltage replace the TPS and start over. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: RENIX automatic transmission equipped XJs have a TPS with two connectors. There is a flat three- wire connector, same as the manual transmission vehicles have, and it is tested the same as the manual transmission equipped vehicles--FOR ENGINE MANAGEMENT RELATED ISSUES. However, the automatic TPS also has a square four-wire connector clearly embossed with the letters A,B,C, and D. It only uses three wires and provides information to the Transmission Control Module. Key ON, measure voltage between "A" positive and "D" ground. Note the voltage. This is your REFERENCE voltage. Back-probe the connector at wires "B" and "D". Measure the voltage. This is your OUTPUT voltage. Your OUTPUT voltage needs to be eighty-three percent of your REFERENCE voltage. For example 4.8 volts X .83=3.98 volts. Adjust the TPS until you have achieved this percentage. If you can't, replace the TPS and start over. So, if you have an automatic equipped XJ your TPS has two sides--one side feeds the ECU, and the other side feeds the TCU. If you have TRANSMISSION issues check the four-wire connector side of the TPS. If you have ENGINE issues check the three-wire connector side of the TPS. For those with a MANUAL TRANSMISSION--the TPS for the manual transmission XJs is stupid expensive. You can substitute the automatic transmission TPS which is reasonably priced. Revised 11-28-2001

It is possible... I have a 89 and I just replaced my water pump because it was leaking. But I also only have 70xxx miles on it. make sure there is no rubber wear that is stuck to the pulleys. Sometimes for heat and everything else the belt wears off on the pulleys and squeaks because of that.

I have a 89 and I had the same symtomps of you and for me it was the CPS. I went and got a CPS from a local MOPAR dealer not a crappy CPS from an outo parts store. That will eventually fail again. There was no signal going to the ICM to tell the coil to give spark to the spark plugs. Take a look at Cruiser54's page and find the CPS testing. His profile picture actully shows the CPS and where it is! http://comancheclub.com/user/2838-cruiser54/

Well I looked up that hose in Napa and in the description it says there is no spring/coil that comes in the hose :/

Okay I was just wondering if there was some long lost auto part place that still had them in stock. Thanks! To the graveyard!

Hm, I just thought with it being higher up that the sediment would settle at the lowest point, but I guess it still would still come out with flowing water going through the block. I've been wanting to do this so bad but I could never get that darn plug out! Good to know the CTS will also work. Thats going to make a good mess of things for sure!

Okay thats what I thought... I didnt notice another sensor above the plug. With it being higher though, not much crude (if there is any) would flow out of the block.

Crusier, how the heck do you get that plug out?!?!? It is not a simple 3/8 drive extension. I found that the plug is actully a 5/16 square. I took a 3/8 extension and ground down the square end till it fit in the plug. I have never heard of any socket or anything that has a 5/16 square. Don't pull the plug. Pull the CTS. It's in the same coolant galley. That is the temperature sensor right next to the plug correct? just to the left of the plug on the exhaust manifold side of the engine? If that is what you are talking about I did pull that sensor out before and when I did there was solid metal behind the sensor. No fluid came out. Should it be an open hole?!?

hm. okay. I tried!! and I'm guessing you had a hard time finding a spring.... awesome. I'm in the process of finding one.

Yeah sorry to repeat yourself but I didnt see anywhere latly saying how old the pump is. Your pump should be fine then. Here is a side note to that though... I just replaced my water pump and in the lower radiator hose there was a spring. This is to keep that hose from collasping. My spring was all rusty and falling apart so I just got a new hose and put it on the new pump with no spring inside. Now, I havent had any issues yet. BUT, if you do not have a spring inside your hose then your hose could be collasping and causing a huge restrication. Check that out.

I just replaced my water pump on m y 1989 MJ 4.0L. During this project I noticed that the lower raditor hose going from the bottom of the radiator to the bottom of the pump has a spring inside to keep it form collasping. That spring is rusted to crap and peices are breaking off from it so I just bought a new hose. BUT I would like to put a new spring back inside. Can anyone tell me a place to but this spring or a pre-assembled hose with the spring already inside?

I didnt see anything about a new water pump in your fourm. Bad, wore out propeller blades would not circulate the fluid as well which could make it over heat. How old is your pump? Crusier, how the heck do you get that plug out?!?!? It is not a simple 3/8 drive extension. I found that the plug is actully a 5/16 square. I took a 3/8 extension and ground down the square end till it fit in the plug. I have never heard of any socket or anything that has a 5/16 square.

I mean theres a cluster fuse. If that fuse is bad or missing then none of the gauges will work.

yeah to check that just take ahold of the steering stabilizer and try to twist it. Pretty easy replacement if it is that!

I know you solved your issue but I actully found that the bushings on my steering stabilizer went bad and the ends twist and clunk from braking and accelerating.