Electrical Gremlins

[jimoshel]

1987MJ. Sport. A couple horses got out last nite so went to chase them down. Got in the truck, started it and pulled the light switch. Nothing. No headlights. Wiggled, pushed, pulled the switch. Nothing. Tail lights but no headlights. Turn signal indicators on IP were extra bright so put it down to a short. Went out this AM and when I pulled the knob all lights came on. Head, tail, park, turn sig. Everything worked. Twisted, pulled, pushed, cussed, and scratched my head. Looked for worn insulation, Disconnected all connectors. Nothing. Not sure if I'll gain anything by posting here but eases my frustration by sharing. :???: :hmm: :fs1:

[ncmountainMJ]

yep..... sounds like gremlins.... pesky lil son of a guns...

 

 

hard part is now that its all working again its hard to trace... thats how they get 'cha

[jimoshel]

After backing off and thinking about it, a circuit breaker would seem like a likely culprit. The CB is on, in? the light switch. So guess I''ll carry a known good switch and wait untill it happens again.

[HOrnbrod]

It's either the head lamp switch (doubtful as the circuit breaker is self-renewing) or the socket it plugs into (probable). It's definitely not a gremlin. No such things. :yes:

 

This is probably close to what your head lamp switch socket looks like:

 

 

This is what it should look like:

 

 

AIRTEX Part # 1P1190. RockAuto carries them among others.

[jimoshel]

It's either the head lamp switch (doubtful as the circuit breaker is self-renewing) or the socket it plugs into (probable). It's definitely not a gremlin. No such things. :yes:

 

You talked to any WWII pilots lately? :rotf:

The reason I suspect the CB is because when they go bad they either stay open or the contacts are stuck, welded together. It's the only thing in the circuit I can think of that might do it. No relays or I would blame it.

[HOrnbrod]

The reason I suspect the CB is because when they go bad they either stay open or the contacts are stuck, welded together. It's the only thing in the circuit I can think of that might do it. No relays or I would blame it.

 

I'm betting it's intermittent contact on the head lamp switch connector caused by heat over the years. There was a TSP on it for the early XJs/MJs. And any self-respecting Gremlin wouldn't get caught dead in an MJ. They preferred Spitfires. :yes:

 

This is the tale of the Gremlins

As told by the PRU

At Benson and Wick and St Eval-

And believe me, you slobs, it's true.

 

When you're seven miles up in the heavens,

(That's a hell of a lonely spot)

And it's fifty degrees below zero,

Which isn't exactly hot.

 

When you're frozen blue like your Spitfire,

And your scared a Mosquito pink.

When you're thousands of miles from nowhere,

And there's nothing below but the drink.

 

It's then that you'll see the Gremlins,

Green and gamboge and gold,

Male and female and neuter,

Gremlins both young and old.

 

It's no good trying to dodge them,

The lessons you learnt on the Link

Won't help you evade a Gremlin,

Though you boost and you dive and you jink.

 

White ones will wiggle your wing tips,

Male ones will muddle your maps,

Green ones will guzzle your glycol,

Females will flutter your flaps.

 

Pink ones will perch on your perspex,

And dance pirouettes on your prop,

There's a spherical middle-aged Gremlin,

Who'll spin on your stick like a top.

 

They'll freeze up your camera shutters,

They'll bite through your aileron wires,

They'll bend and they'll break and they'll batter,

They'll insert toasting forks into your tyres.

 

And that is the tale of the Gremlins,

As told by the PRU,

(P)retty ®uddy (U)nlikely to many,

But a fact, none the less, to the few.

[cruiser54]

http://www.eautoworks.com/Putco-H4--9003-Heavy-Duty-Headlight-Upgrade-Wiring-Harness-PRD7540.aspxI'm with Hornbrod on this one. Check it out. very common.

Put an auxiliary headlight harness on and never have this problem again.

[Jerry]

I had same issue with the head lights + a nasty smell of burning electrics when miles from home which had me worried, on inspection of the light switch discovered it had burned out. Easy to test and replace if that's the problem although wriggling around under the dash isn't so much fun!

[Comanche County]

Females will flutter your flaps.

 

:banana:

 

The light switch is a bit difficult to get out, might as well replace the whole dash, I did, still couldn't figure how to get it out even with the dash removed.

[marie]

Hey guys, maybe it's different on my 88 Comanche, but I didn't have to take my dashboard out. I did however take the lower cover of the dashboard under the steering wheel with the ashtray on it, off. Once the pull knob is removed via the little button on the bottom of the unit, accessible by the convenient hole Jeep leaves for you in the plastic. Once the knob is off you are looking at a bolt, though it doesn't really look like a bolt. I looks more like a washer with a small center hole (the knob went through) with a line cut in it that traverses the full diameter. I used an old chisel because the slot is too wide for a flat head. Just twist it out and the light switch unit falls out the back. That's the only thing holding it in! Then you can just fish it out the back side, unplug it, and plug the new one in. Reverse steps and your done. :) It might be different on other vehicles, but that's how it is on mine. I hope that helps :)