electrical question

[razrwild]

I am looking into getting an 87 cherokee. PO said it has a new battery and ran when parked 3 months ago. He went to start it and it had no spark. Its parked at the beach so I was wondering if sand might be the cause since it has a new battery. Any ideas oh comanche guru's?

 

On a side note I picked up some cheapie lights to run as backup/tailgater lights but they only have 1 black pigtail and no wiring diagram with the packaging. Electrical troubleshooting is probably my weakest area so I figured I'd ask while I was here.

 

Thanks in advance.

[jared]

did you try a jumpstart?

[razrwild]

yep tried the jumpstart, no spark

[Wildman]

First, your cheep lights, with only one black lead, that is for the positive "hot" feed, grounding is done by screwing it to the frame/sheet metal, flip the switch, and it lights ;)

 

No spark on the xj, wow, could be several problems, parked for 3 months.....CPS, Wire, connecter, check moisture in the Distributer cap, wire from coil to Dist' leads to the coil, or even the coil it's self. It's just one of them problem that you got to start at one end and check every thing to get to the other end. I don't thing sand had anything to do with lost spark.

 

On the good side of no spark, should knock down the owner's asking price :brows:

[razrwild]

ok that's what I thought on the lights but wasn't sure so better safe than sorry. Any of the more likely parts that could have gone in the 3 month sit tho?

[87manche]

no spark is almost always a failed or failing CPS.

disconnect the CPS, clean the connector and then put it back together again. Likely the 3 month sit caused some corrosion.

[Duner]

And of course check all wires coming and going from the batt terminals or any other wiring that may have inadverntly got snagged when the batt was changed and decided to break 3 mos later.