Electrical Problem- Help!

[DuneRider]

I have 1981 CJ7 , AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l , Renegade . I drove to the gas station and on the way it was overcharging. I pulled into the service station shut it off and pumped gas. I got back in and there was nothing! The key turned but no power. No head lights, dash lights, tail lights, and no nothing. I towed it home and here is what checked.
I had the battery tested...ok had 535 amps, the alternator was also tested at the parts store. ...tested ok. I replaced the solenoid, still nothing, the ignition switch, nothing.. Looked for blown fuses, all ok, looked at fuse links, believe it or not some fool removed them and straight wired it. I have checked the grounds and ones i checked were the battery to the block, the fender to the block, and the rear had a ground from the body to the frame all looked and checked good.
My problem is that there us 12V coming from the battery to the post on the solenoid and absoluely nothing from the other post or the top two pins on the top of the solidnoid whether the key is off or on.
If anyone has any ideas please share them! Thanks, i havent a clue what to do. Please help!

 

[Peanut Butter]

The solenoid is an electrical switch. It must get 12v from the ignition switch to activate the other side. Check out that part of your system.

 

[DuneRider]

Thank you for your reply sir. I replaced the ignition switch located on the steering column and still it does not energize anything when i turn the key on or to acc or start. I checked the iginition switch connectors and all seemed fine. No burn marks or coorision. What do you think i should do next.
I even pulled out the fuse box to see if there were issues inside the box and all seemed fine. I

 

[Posi]

What is your reading when you say it's overcharging?

I would suspect the wire going from the solenoid to the ignition switch if everything is fasten properly and clean. There will be two splices in this wire, included in the wire is the resister wire. Inspecting the coil/solenoid splice. The other splice is at the ignition module (same wire). You need a resistance wire if your running a stock distributor and coil, you don't if your running GM distributor.

Don't replace anything unless you know for sure it is defective. Inspect, and test is the way to go.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Just how did you test for, and confirm 535 amps?
First thing I would do, is try another KNOWN good battery.
Will it start now?
What was the voltage reading you saw, for you to say it was over charging?
Do you know how to 'hot-wire' your Jeep?
Run a lead from the POS(+)side of your battery to the POS(+)side of your coil.
Then use a heavy gauge wire like a jumper cable. Connect the lead to the POS(+)terminal on the starter(that's the terminal that the cable from the starter solenoid is attached to)and then touch the other end of the cable to the batteries' POS(+)terminal. Will it now start(don't run it for more than a minute or two like this)?
If it does start-You may well have an issues within the IGN switch/wiring.
LG

 

[DuneRider]

Thank you for the replies.
I took the battery to the parts store and they put it on a tester and the results came back that the battery was at 13.V and the dead load showed 535 amps. I saw 14+V on my gage and the lights flickered from really bright to standard when i was driving. I actually used my wipers at the time too.
I took a pair of jumper cables and connected it to my chev truck battery. I removed the cables from my jeep battery and connected the other end of the jumper cables to the jeep battery leads. It did nothing. I had power to the solenoid but dead from there on.
I found several splices in my wiring after taking the wires out of the loom. I unplugged a silver box mounted on my fender wall on the passenger side and ohmed them out at the end or where it went into the fuse box at the firewall which also included the ignition module on the drivers side located on the drivers side fender underneath the wiper fluid jug. All ohmed out perfect. Then i found two heavy gage red wires that were spliced in several places and i ohmed them out. They ohmed out fine. So i took a wire and placed it on the hot side of the battery after I put the battery cables back and applied power to the splices at the just outside fuse box and at the splices . The headlights, dash lights, and turn signals all worked when i applied to one red wire and the other red wire made the electric choke on the carb click on and off. I turned the key to start and nothing. It doesnt make sense that every wire would ohm out. But i cannot get power past the the solenoid.
I traced the blue wire from the solenoid to inside the jeep. It ohmed out. There was a green wire that was spliced going to the coil and it ohmed out.
I know you folks know more than i , what else can i do?
I have replaced the solenoid and ignition switch. Are there grounds or something inside i need to check? I am really at a loss folks.

 

[DuneRider]

Update. I took the lead loose at the alternator and applied direct power to it and the headlights worked, tail lights, wipers and dash lights working. When i removed the direct power and reconnected the alternator. Nothing. Hope this helps.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

As long as you don't go much over 14.5 vdc, you are fine on chg rate.
There's a connector plug on top of the steering column, you may want to inspect.
Have you checked for broken contacts at the fuse panel? Have you confirmed power to the panel and continuity?
Can you post up pics of the area you are working in?
LG

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Update. I took the lead loose at the alternator and applied direct power to it and the headlights worked, tail lights, wipers and dash lights working. When i removed the direct power and reconnected the alternator. Nothing. Hope this helps.

OK-That's head-scratcher

Look at the plug and wiring from the ALT.
I have seen bad ALT plug in do this.
SWAG on my part here-Starting to think you may have an internal issue with the voltage regulator inside that ALT. NOT SURE.......
LG

 

[DuneRider]

I took some pics for you. I removed all of the wiring from the loom and found several splice marks wrapped duct tape. On the red wire with tbe yellow disconnect at the alternator is where i energized the jeep after doing it at the splices and this also turned everything on.
I took the alternator to 2 different part stores and they said it was good. I am certainly open for any suggestions sir. Thank you very much.
OMGosh. Now the lg pad will not let me add pics. I will keep trying

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Thinking you do have a wiring issue and not 'hardware' now.

 

[DuneRider]

I am at a loss. I have ohmed out every wire. Everything ohms out. I checked the plug on the steering column ( both of them - the one to the cam which is new and the two too the ignition switch. They ohm out just fine. Power to the fuse box is good when i connect it direct. But nothing from the soleniod. I will go buy a new alternotor plug. The on there seems ok. I have ohmed it and it registers fine.
Does the alternator have a fusible connection under the rubber where the two wires are molded togeyher and go to the alternator? Can the coil be bad ? Or maybe the shops i tested the alternator be wrong?
After i get a new alternator plug i will post again. I really appreciate your help. I really do. Thanks again.

 

[Torxhead]

The red wire that goes from the alternator to the battery side of the relay should have a fusible link in it, along with the other wire coming off the battery side of the relay which goes to the ignition switch. I see you still have a slip on coil connector, these have been known to cause starting issues but will not stop the starter from turning. All of the crimped wire connections could be improved by soldering them. I think every CJ owner should have a wiring schematic. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

IMO-That all looks to be OEM factory wiring and connectors. So I do not think some PO messed with it.
Very good pics, BTW.
LG

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Just for clarification.
Will the starter turn the engine over and you have a no start deal?
OR, you have no response at all, when you turn the key??
LG

 

[DuneRider]

LG,
When I turn the key, nothing just as if the battery was dead....there are no headlights, dash lights, tail lights, gages.....nothing as if it had a dead battery. Thats why i replaced the solenoid and the ignition switch.
I took the alternator to another parts house while picking up anew alternator plug. They tested the alternator and guess what, itsTOAST! The regulator was charging up to18V and started fluxuating just as it did the other night. They ordered me a new one and I will pick it up in the am.

Question..... Would the bad regulator stop the flow of power from the solenoid and prevent the solenoid to energize and stop the flow of power everywhere else and keep it totally dead?
I will also add fuseable links as suggested as well when I get my pride and joy running.

 

[DuneRider]

Torxhead, thank you sir for the information. I will definately put some fuslinks in it and clean it up. I took all of the wiring out of the looms to trace them. Any information you can share is very much appreciated. Thanks again sir!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

With the ALT out of the circuit. Will the Jeep start?
LG

 

[DuneRider]

No sir. The jeep is dead just as before.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

The fact it won't even crank, has me stumped.
Have you tried my 'hot-wire' idea from post #5?
LG