Light dimming problem/electrical gremlin
madmax087
Jeeper
So my lighting (ALL lighting, headlights, dash, everything!) dims when I dont have my clutch in. WTF.
Let me first explain the symptoms I'm having. All the lights on my Jeep go dim when I have my clutch out, and the volts drop down to about 10-11 on the gauge. When I push my clutch in, everything brightens right up and goes back to normal. Also, not sure if this is related or not, but the left turn signal indicator remains on, steady, all the time. Unless I use the turn signal, then it blinks, slooooowly.
Now for what I have fixed/discovered so far: I first took off the headlights and turn signals. I cleaned up all the grounds and plugs, and checked all the connections looking for shorts to the body in the wiring (didn't really find any
).
After that, I started looking all around and down the clutch linkage itself. Nothing shorting to the linkage or anything really electrical around it at all. What I did find is that the stem from the pedal to the pivot rubs on the firewall slightly when the clutch is out.
Initially this did not concern me, but after some messing around and testing I think this may be a major factor in my problem.
When the Jeep is off, and the lights are on, I can manipulate the clutch shaft (in the firewall) to a spot where it contacts the firewall. When this happens, I can hear a tiny buzzing from the alternator (sounds like someone is laying on a horn in the next neighborhood or something). Why does my alternator have a tiny horn?
Upon further inspection of the alternator, I find that the plug going into the top of it has two wires. One wire goes back into the harness/rats nest. THE OTHER WIRE IS CUT. To about a freaking inch and a half!
I'm assuming this is some sort of ground or something important.
When I unplug this plug, everything is fine. The engine runs, the volts read 12, the gauge needles dont bounce or dance, the lights are on and bright.
So my question here, fellas, IS WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG?!? And what do I do?!
Let me first explain the symptoms I'm having. All the lights on my Jeep go dim when I have my clutch out, and the volts drop down to about 10-11 on the gauge. When I push my clutch in, everything brightens right up and goes back to normal. Also, not sure if this is related or not, but the left turn signal indicator remains on, steady, all the time. Unless I use the turn signal, then it blinks, slooooowly.
Now for what I have fixed/discovered so far: I first took off the headlights and turn signals. I cleaned up all the grounds and plugs, and checked all the connections looking for shorts to the body in the wiring (didn't really find any
). After that, I started looking all around and down the clutch linkage itself. Nothing shorting to the linkage or anything really electrical around it at all. What I did find is that the stem from the pedal to the pivot rubs on the firewall slightly when the clutch is out.
Initially this did not concern me, but after some messing around and testing I think this may be a major factor in my problem. When the Jeep is off, and the lights are on, I can manipulate the clutch shaft (in the firewall) to a spot where it contacts the firewall. When this happens, I can hear a tiny buzzing from the alternator (sounds like someone is laying on a horn in the next neighborhood or something). Why does my alternator have a tiny horn?
Upon further inspection of the alternator, I find that the plug going into the top of it has two wires. One wire goes back into the harness/rats nest. THE OTHER WIRE IS CUT. To about a freaking inch and a half!
I'm assuming this is some sort of ground or something important. When I unplug this plug, everything is fine. The engine runs, the volts read 12, the gauge needles dont bounce or dance, the lights are on and bright.
So my question here, fellas, IS WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG?!? And what do I do?!
