(New Comanche Owner) 88 Comanche Dash Question

[JWheeler331]

Hello everyone. I am a brand new Comanche owner. I have had other jeeps in my life and currently own a JKU also.

 

I went and picked up my 1988 Comanche Pioneer yesterday and brought it back home. I am not sure if the previous owner (Dewaine) is on these pages but if so I want to say thanks and that it was nice to meet him and his father. 

 

Now, my first concern with the Jeep is that the previously owner said that the gauges on the dash recently stopped working. The speedometer still works but the rest, along with the radio stopped working. 

 

Any ideas on what this could be and/or what would be the best way to chase it down? 

 

Also, while we are on the topic of Dash Clusters....... was there a specific reason to why some have tachometers and some have gas gauges in that place? 

Mine is a 5 speed transmission. A tachometer in place of the large gas gauge would be nice. 

 

Overall this jeep is very solid and I am happy to have a new project. This looks like a great place to learn. 

 

Here is a photo of the Jeep. 

Edit: not sure why the last one is upside down. 

[Pete M]

upsidedown pics are usually because of the way that some devices/softwares "remember" the correct orientation of the photo, but other devices have no idea what the little tag means.  it happens.  

 

you can upgrade from a 3/4 cluster to a full cluster simply by swapping in an 87-90 full cluster.   (guys with idiots light clusters will also need to swap out the oil pressure and water temp switches for the gauge-appropriate sending units)

 

so all of Cruiser's MJ tips.  they are mostly wiring related and cover a lot of the known common issues. the link in my sig should have his ink.

[fiatslug87]

Welcome, please add the VIN to the Registry section if not already there. If all are not working possibly a ground issue. This thread has the pin outs that may help.

 

[jdog]

Check the gauge fuse, and also the rest of the fuse box

[fiatslug87]

49 minutes ago, jdog said:

Check the gauge fuse, and also the rest of the fuse box

Good point, I assumed the previous owner looked at that since it’s easy.

[JWheeler331]

6 hours ago, Pete M said:

upsidedown pics are usually because of the way that some devices/softwares "remember" the correct orientation of the photo, but other devices have no idea what the little tag means.  it happens.  

 

you can upgrade from a 3/4 cluster to a full cluster simply by swapping in an 87-90 full cluster.   (guys with idiots light clusters will also need to swap out the oil pressure and water temp switches for the gauge-appropriate sending units)

 

so all of Cruiser's MJ tips.  they are mostly wiring related and cover a lot of the known common issues. the link in my sig should have his ink.

Thanks for the info. 

[JWheeler331]

6 hours ago, fiatslug87 said:

Welcome, please add the VIN to the Registry section if not already there. If all are not working possibly a ground issue. This thread has the pin outs that may help.

 

Thank you. I will add the vin to the registry and read over that post. 

[JWheeler331]

5 hours ago, jdog said:

Check the gauge fuse, and also the rest of the fuse box

Of course. I did not get much time with it today. First day back at work in after a few days off. I will be sure to check the fuses first. 

[87MJTIM]

Fill in your profile: Yr, engine, trans, 4 or 2 wd, package (sport, pioneer, Laredo, etc.), and you location.  I know you put it in your original post, but that will scroll off the screen in no time.

 

Welcome to the addiction

[JWheeler331]

10 hours ago, 87MJTIM said:

Fill in your profile: Yr, engine, trans, 4 or 2 wd, package (sport, pioneer, Laredo, etc.), and you location.  I know you put it in your original post, but that will scroll off the screen in no time.

 

Welcome to the addiction

Done. Thanks. 

[JWheeler331]

Well I have discovered that the electrical issue may be a little harder to figure out than I had hoped. At least for me. 
 

When I turn on the blinkers neither work inside or out. 
 

When I push the brake pedal both blinkers light up inside the truck and the passenger blinker lights up on the front. 

 

[jdog]

Do cruisers tips and check the fuse box

[ExpatMJGuy]

11 minutes ago, jdog said:

Do cruisers tips and check the fuse box

He's new he may not know about them.  It took me several weeks before I knew them much less his website.

@JWheeler331 go to http://cruiser54.com. This is where u start when dealing with electrical issues.

[jdog]

1 minute ago, ExpatMJGuy said:

He's new he may not know about them.  It took me several weeks before I knew them much less his website.

@JWheeler331 go to http://cruiser54.com. This is where u start when dealing with electrical issues.

Sorry,  should have stated links in my signature

[JWheeler331]

Oh okay. Yeah. I’m still learning the site. Will check out the link now. Appreciate guys. 

[87MJTIM]

Down load the Factory electrical manual.

 

And the Renix fuel control:

 

 

[JWheeler331]

25 minutes ago, 87MJTIM said:

Down load the Factory electrical manual.

 

And the Renix fuel control:

 

 

I had actually just stumbled upon the electrical manual on here and downloaded it. I’ll do the renix also. Appreciate it. 

[fiatslug87]

If you haven’t found this yet, it’s very helpful.

 

[JWheeler331]

5 hours ago, fiatslug87 said:

If you haven’t found this yet, it’s very helpful.

 

Awesome. Thanks 

[Eagle]

22 hours ago, JWheeler331 said:

Well I have discovered that the electrical issue may be a little harder to figure out than I had hoped. At least for me. 
 

When I turn on the blinkers neither work inside or out. 
 

When I push the brake pedal both blinkers light up inside the truck and the passenger blinker lights up on the front. 

 

 

You're going to find that the AMC-era Jeeps tended to develop issues with the light sockets and/or grounds going bad. The part about the brakes lighting up your dash indicators is a clue. If your brake and tail lights have lost their ground, when you apply the brakes and power goes to the brake lights, the angry pixies (to quote from a guy on YouTube) look for any available path to ground -- which may turn out to be the parking light or turn signal circuit. Clean up the grounds for the tail/brake lights and for the parking lights, and then pull all the sockets and clean them out with a wire brush (they make -- or used to make -- brushes specifically for cleaning parking light sockets). While you're cleaning them, test each socket to be sure there's a good connection to ground.

[JWheeler331]

2 hours ago, Eagle said:

 

You're going to find that the AMC-era Jeeps tended to develop issues with the light sockets and/or grounds going bad. The part about the brakes lighting up your dash indicators is a clue. If your brake and tail lights have lost their ground, when you apply the brakes and power goes to the brake lights, the angry pixies (to quote from a guy on YouTube) look for any available path to ground -- which may turn out to be the parking light or turn signal circuit. Clean up the grounds for the tail/brake lights and for the parking lights, and then pull all the sockets and clean them out with a wire brush (they make -- or used to make -- brushes specifically for cleaning parking light sockets). While you're cleaning them, test each socket to be sure there's a good connection to ground.

Thanks. I’ll look into all of this. Lots to do on this old Comanche. Going to put all new brakes on it this weekend so it can travel safely to my father in law’s. He has a much nicer shop and tools than I. Once it can go there I’ll be able to really dive more into it.