TeamRush
Active Jeeper
Respectfully, a Jeep doesn't have a 'Ground'. It's all DC Circuits. Circuit means full lap back to point of origin.
While 'Ground' is commonly used vocabulary, it references 'Earth Ground' and Jeeps don't have a Ground Rod.
If you look at military vehicles of the same age as a CJ, you will find the military required Negative wires to electrical components. This is because they often sit for years, are used hard for decades and expected to work.
The lack of a Negative wire to complete the circuit comes from manufacturers, it saves the cost of the copper on each unit which can be a million a year.
Being old enough to have worked in shops when these vehicles were new, It's also guaranteed repair shop money. If it lived between 12 & 36 months (and usually did) then it's an easy fix for the shop, and easy money for the dealership.
These issies were well know to the shops so they knew exactly where to look, and if it failed in warrenty it was an in & out job, just clean the 'Ground' and send it back out. Worst case senerio it took a short 'Ground' wire.
................
"Electrical Circuit", a full lap, back to point of origin.
Steel is a horrible conductor of DC current. Copper does a MUCH better job, and if you ran Positive wires, it would have been really easy to run a Negative wire also.
Jeep bodies are spot welded or bolted together. From frame to body there are rubber electrical insulators, same with drive train to frame.
This means you have a lot of steel parts flying in very close formation. Paint, rust, crud all contribute to keep electrical contact from happening.
............
If you have the DuraSpark ignition, you will find a 'Quirk' in it's wiring.
It was built as a stand alone system so it could be transplanted into about anything... A hold over back to when Ford made industal engines for pumps, light generators, engines for farm equipment, etc.
The module/ignition coil 'Grounds' (Negative side of the circuit) connects to the engine block THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTOR HOUSING.
That's the reason your distributor cinnector has 3 wires instead of 2.
This means your ignition circuit DEGRADES as the distributor to engine mechanical connection builds up oil residue. Mechanical connections are not necessarily electrical connections, and if it's making electrical connection there's no guarantee it's a fully functioning electrical connection...
It's a Gears AND Wires thing instead of just Gears alone...
While 'Ground' is commonly used vocabulary, it references 'Earth Ground' and Jeeps don't have a Ground Rod.
If you look at military vehicles of the same age as a CJ, you will find the military required Negative wires to electrical components. This is because they often sit for years, are used hard for decades and expected to work.
The lack of a Negative wire to complete the circuit comes from manufacturers, it saves the cost of the copper on each unit which can be a million a year.
Being old enough to have worked in shops when these vehicles were new, It's also guaranteed repair shop money. If it lived between 12 & 36 months (and usually did) then it's an easy fix for the shop, and easy money for the dealership.
These issies were well know to the shops so they knew exactly where to look, and if it failed in warrenty it was an in & out job, just clean the 'Ground' and send it back out. Worst case senerio it took a short 'Ground' wire.
................
"Electrical Circuit", a full lap, back to point of origin.
Steel is a horrible conductor of DC current. Copper does a MUCH better job, and if you ran Positive wires, it would have been really easy to run a Negative wire also.
Jeep bodies are spot welded or bolted together. From frame to body there are rubber electrical insulators, same with drive train to frame.
This means you have a lot of steel parts flying in very close formation. Paint, rust, crud all contribute to keep electrical contact from happening.
............
If you have the DuraSpark ignition, you will find a 'Quirk' in it's wiring.
It was built as a stand alone system so it could be transplanted into about anything... A hold over back to when Ford made industal engines for pumps, light generators, engines for farm equipment, etc.
The module/ignition coil 'Grounds' (Negative side of the circuit) connects to the engine block THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTOR HOUSING.
That's the reason your distributor cinnector has 3 wires instead of 2.
This means your ignition circuit DEGRADES as the distributor to engine mechanical connection builds up oil residue. Mechanical connections are not necessarily electrical connections, and if it's making electrical connection there's no guarantee it's a fully functioning electrical connection...
It's a Gears AND Wires thing instead of just Gears alone...