Newbie electrical woes

[Duhwhat]

I am honestly not to lazy to search for my answers, just too lazy to read through all the threads I will get with the few words I would use to search with.

This is the last frontier to getting my baby on the road. Any suggestions would be appreciated

I hope somebody out there is an electrical guru.

This is a list of my current known symptoms.

When I turn the lights on, the head lights and left rear comes on but
the right rear doesn't come on.

HOWEVER, the right rear does come on and stay on for reasons I have been unable to determine. I can unplug the the light switch and it stays on. Seems like it must be a brake light.

The thing is, I believe I have everything hooked up like it was before I tore it down. As far as I know, everything was working before I took it apart.

There are more symptoms, but I don't know if they could be connected to this.

 

[LongHorn]

I take it for granted you tried replacing the bulb & that didn't have the desired effect.
IMHO the problem is a classic CJ lack of ground issue.

 

[Duhwhat]

I take it for granted you tried replacing the bulb & that didn't have the desired effect.
IMHO the problem is a classic CJ lack of ground issue.

I didn't replace the bulb, but I will try swapping with the one that now works when the light switch is pulled.

Maybe you over looked where I said it stays on whether the light switch is pulled or not and stays on when I unplug the plug to the light switch.

I looked and don't see a ground for the tail lights like the head lights have and assumed it is grounded through the mounting screws.

 

[LongHorn]

I didn't replace the bulb, but I will try swapping with the one that now works when the light switch is pulled.

Maybe you over looked where I said it stays on whether the light switch is pulled or not and stays on when I unplug the plug to the light switch.

I looked and don't see a ground for the tail lights like the head lights have and assumed it is grounded through the mounting screws.

My bad, I guess I need to engage brain before mouth.
Yes the lights ground at the mount.
You do seem to have a more unusual problem than most.
There is a switch behind the dash over the brake pedal that could be part of the issue, but since they don't both stay on I would guess not.
Do you have a trailer hitch pig tail?

 

[Duhwhat]

My bad, I guess I need to engage brain before mouth.
Yes the lights ground at the mount.
You do seem to have a more unusual problem than most.
There is a switch behind the dash over the brake pedal that could be part of the issue, but since they don't both stay on I would guess not.
Do you have a trailer hitch pig tail?

The previous owner has a trailer pig tail wired in. I am thinking about removing it.

There are several other issues, but I didn't want to get things too complicated.

I put in a new fuel sending unit and the gauge shows nothing. (It didn't work before either) Temp gauge has no reading, but it did work before. No parking lights of markers and the blinkers don't work.

What a mess. There just isn't that much stuff to plug up and it all looks like it's right.

Man, this sucks.

 

[LongHorn]

The previous owner has a trailer pig tail wired in. I am thinking about removing it.

There are several other issues, but I didn't want to get things too complicated.

I put in a new fuel sending unit and the gauge shows nothing. (It didn't work before either) Temp gauge has no reading, but it did work before. No parking lights of markers and the blinkers don't work.

What a mess. There just isn't that much stuff to plug up and it all looks like it's right.

Man, this sucks.

CJ's are famous for electrical problems, especially from PO's!
My money's on the pig tail as to why it comes on & stay's on with the switch unplugged.

 

[Duhwhat]

CJ's are famous for electrical problems, especially from PO's!
My money's on the pig tail as to why it comes on & stay's on with the switch unplugged.

It will be gone this time tomorrow.

 

[LongHorn]

BTW as far as the gages I recommend "AutoMeter Pro Comp" I never have any faith in the stock gages. My Oil pressure gage would lay limp at start up & gave me a heart attack the first time.
After that I would give it a couple of quick whacks with my knuckles & it would come back to life.

 

[Duhwhat]

OK, the brake light staying on turned out to be the brake light switch not being compressed. Adjusted that and it went off. Doesn't explain why it doesn't turn on when the lights are on or why the left one wasn't burning when the brake light should have been on.

One small step.

 

[PaStomper]

Make sure you check the grounds and the wiring. There is a black line in there that is the ground. The wire could also be broken near the plug or corodide bad enough to not make a connection. Also when you turn on the lights does one of the turn signal indicator lights come on and stay lit? If so this is a dead give away to no ground. Also I think the tank sending unit shares the same ground wire so look on the driver side were it all plugs in.

 

[Duhwhat]

Make sure you check the grounds and the wiring. There is a black line in there that is the ground. The wire could also be broken near the plug or corodide bad enough to not make a connection. Also when you turn on the lights does one of the turn signal indicator lights come on and stay lit? If so this is a dead give away to no ground. Also I think the tank sending unit shares the same ground wire so look on the driver side were it all plugs in.

Turn signal light does stay on, thanks

 

[Duhwhat]

OK, much of my problems were solved by attaching the parking lights.

Had no idea they had to be attached to complete the circuit. Live and learn.

I also had to remove the trailer plug the PO had put on and connect a couple loose wires.

Two issues left, the proverbial gas and temp gauge.

I hope it is OK to start a new thread for those.