Rooster92 Posted December 22, 2023 Share Posted December 22, 2023 Now that the truck is starting up, I am addressing the headlight and turn signal issues. The headlights won't turn on at all. The turn signals are intermittent. Sometimes they don't work at all. When they do, one side (left) is ony a solid light. The right side will blink. After reading the @cruiser54 tips, I thought I would start with the connector behind the left headlamp. Right away I find a problem. Some of the pins have broken off entirely. I am looking up how to replace this. There is not a lot of slack in the wire. Any advice is welcome. Once this is fixed I am going to check out the headlight switch itself and add a headlight relay harness. Oh yeah, and the ballast resistor was broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted December 22, 2023 Share Posted December 22, 2023 Replace the headlamp harness connector with something sealed so that doesn’t happen. For the solid blinker on the dash, it means that a ground is bad in one of the sockets. It’s advised to upgrade to the early and later XJ sockets which are metal and better designed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster92 Posted December 22, 2023 Author Share Posted December 22, 2023 The issue is solved and it has nothing to do with that corroded connector. It turns out, the PO had installed a headlight relay harness. The eyelet where it connects to the starter relay had broken and was disconnected. I had noticed this thing in the engine bay, not knowing what it was at all. I was reading about them here and recognized the picture. Once I reconnected it the headlights came on. The relay harness was tucked there next to the battery this whole time. I got lucky again this time, but that connector is still in terrible shape. Part of me wants to let sleeping dogs lie for fear of causing more damage. Either way, I am going to order a replacement. https://www.amazon.com/Newdeli-Waterproof-Electrical-Automotive-Connectors/dp/B0C5MBSDW2/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=Deutsch&qid=1703281506&sr=8-18&th=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster92 Posted December 22, 2023 Author Share Posted December 22, 2023 3 hours ago, eaglescout526 said: Replace the headlamp harness connector with something sealed so that doesn’t happen. For the solid blinker on the dash, it means that a ground is bad in one of the sockets. It’s advised to upgrade to the early and later XJ sockets which are metal and better designed. As for the solid blinker... thank you for the tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted December 22, 2023 Share Posted December 22, 2023 31 minutes ago, Rooster92 said: As for the solid blinker... thank you for the tip! No problem! It’s an absolute must for MJ owners. Those terrible ford sockets were not a great choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted December 23, 2023 Share Posted December 23, 2023 What did you end up doing with that connector by the battery? Don't forget the ground behind the left tail lamp. CRUISER'S MOSTLY RENIX TIPS IMPROVING THE FUEL PUMP GROUND JANUARY 3, 2016 CRUISER54 60 COMMENTS EDIT The fuel pump and fuel tank sending unit ground at a sheet metal screw up behind the spare tire on an XJ, and behind the driver’s taillamp on an MJ. Not only is a sheet metal screw a lousy way to ground things, this ground path is long and travels through some connectors that are prone to corrosion and moisture. Locate the black wire on the HARNESS side of the fuel pump/sender 3 wire connector. Remove a 6″ length of the split loom covering. Strip back about 1/2″ of insulation from the BLACK wire. Take your new ground wire, preferably at least 14 gauge and 12 to 18 inches long as needed, strip it about 3/4″, and wrap it around the exposed part of the harness plug wire.Solder the connection. Tape it up and reinstall the split loom covering. At the other end of your new ground wire, add a crimp on eyelet. Attach the eyelet under a bolt that goes directly into the chassis. Be sure to clean the attaching point til shiny and apply OxGard to the contact surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster92 Posted December 23, 2023 Author Share Posted December 23, 2023 14 minutes ago, cruiser54 said: What did you end up doing with that connector by the battery? I reattached the connector by the battery (the relay harness) to the post on the starter relay. The connector that I said was still in bad shape is the one behind the left headlamp. Thank you for all your tips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted December 23, 2023 Share Posted December 23, 2023 I was referring to that standard connector that turns green with corrosion. I live in a very dry climate so I can get by cleaning and putting them back together as long as no wires are broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster92 Posted December 23, 2023 Author Share Posted December 23, 2023 Right now I just reconnected it. I am ordering a replacement connector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzaman09 Posted December 24, 2023 Share Posted December 24, 2023 I highly recommend Oxgard on connections like these. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gardner-Bender-1-oz-Ox-Gard-Anti-Oxidant-Compound/4514334 I can't take credit for the recommendation, I believe I read about this stuff on one of Cruiser's posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted December 24, 2023 Share Posted December 24, 2023 I probably stole the idea from someone else anyway. It's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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