rewire

[drumdude6113]

Hey everyone! So Did a bunch of work to try to get the jeep running a bit better. After I was done, i tried to start it and the tumbler, which was always very loose feeling, stopped working and it won't engage the ignition. So i bypassed it with a button. We were cranking on it, then it stopped. Nothing turns on at all, and we can't find any blown fuses. So unless there is an in-line fuse somewhere, my guess is something grounded out. The wiring on this thing looks like whoever put it in was on drugs, or hated whoever owned it before me! worst I've ever seen. So I think I'll skip some frustration and add some value to it by rewiring. Anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking about the painless kit. I have a 66 CJ5 with 82 buick lesabre 4.1 motor and turbo 350 Transmission .
Thanks in advance. And sorry about my lack of posts. The jeep had taken the back seat with other stuff going on, but I'm back on it now.

 

[BusaDave9]

You say you replaced the tumbler and put in a starter button. Well that's where you need to look for the solution. Get rid of the button and put in a stock ignition switch.

 

[mylittlecj5]

look into a EZ wire kit. Much cheaper than Painless, and some say its better quality.

 

[dslywalker]

Here you go
Wiring Harness

 

[drumdude6113]

Thanks guys! Thats way cheaper. Are there any harnesses I need to get if I go with the EZ wire? And I might just replace the steering column.Its from an old malibu I think.

 

[JEEPURZ]

What harness did you wind up using? I'm thinking about going with the EZwire. My present wire is a total mess , have some scary pics I'll post when I do the install.

 

[BajaEdition]

EZ wire is the way to go

oh and a 66 did have inline fusable links, good luck finding them, that EX wire with fuses will be the shiznit

 

[Thick]

I used painless and it was just fine. I also moved as much as I could out of the steering column in case I ever change. Only thing wired in the column is the turn signals.

 

[drumdude6113]

What harness did you wind up using? I'm thinking about going with the EZwire. My present wire is a total mess , have some scary pics I'll post when I do the install.

I'm actually ordering the ez wire kit today. I decided to wait a bit for it to be my birthday gift

 

[BrockGrimes]

I went to the JY and pulled one from a fairly new wrecked GM and used it.
Worked out great the length was good and it had extra space in the fuse box for extra addon's later.

But if you want to use new wire to rewire the jeep sit down with a wiring diagram and see how many circuits you need, then decide on what extras you'd like to add, winch, radio, CB, lights, etc. Then just pick up a universal kit, it's usually cheaper than a kit specific to a certain year.

 

[BajaEdition]

I agree brock
however
So many of the early jeeps had no fuse block and everything relies on fusable links
so when you want to rewire and go modern you are looking at getting a fused system and going with the directions as they see it.
With Jeeps we usually go with the 12 circuit GM system s it is a great system.
I prefer easy wire over Painless as it saves around 80 dollars up front and is just as easy to put in
I also get the Painless aux fuse system to use for my electronics, it runs on 2 30 amp relays and is a great system to protect radios, cbs, and other system that you are going to install.

 

[BrockGrimes]

I agree brock
however
So many of the early jeeps had no fuse block and everything relies on fusable links
so when you want to rewire and go modern you are looking at getting a fused system and going with the directions as they see it.
With Jeeps we usually go with the 12 circuit GM system s it is a great system.
I prefer easy wire over Painless as it saves around 80 dollars up front and is just as easy to put in
I also get the Painless aux fuse system to use for my electronics, it runs on 2 30 amp relays and is a great system to protect radios, cbs, and other system that you are going to install.

That's why I said sit down with a diagram and see what your gonna need, I just didn't put it as well as baja did, lol.
I also like the 12 circuit GM system, and prefer the universal kits to vehicle specific, I like to relocate .

 

[IOPort51]

I think if I were to be wiring from scratch I would look at something like the XJ power distribution center. It has buckets full of fused circuits and a fair number of control relays. It is mounted on the fender well where you can actually see it and it is, or at least can be made, water resistant.
I don't think I would make any effort what so ever to put the fuse block back in the under the dash , where you can't reach it and can just barely see it, position. as far as the path through the fire wall I think there is very little reason to be running any more than one high amperage circuit through the fire wall , for the heater motor, unless you have the later externally mounted motor which eliminates this one as well . The rest should be relay control circuits with 2 or 3 amp fuses and 16 or even 18 Ga. wire. I think I could a through the wall connector that would work quite well. I think I could do this for about half the money and end up with something I would not curse every time I had to check a fuse or wire a circuit.
I really enjoy going to the PYP and looking at something that some one did very well and thinking about how to use it for my own evil purposes. A great fan of spontaneous creativity.

 

[drumdude6113]

I'm almost ready for the rewire! pulled the seats, risers, column, and carpet. carpet and seats are trashed. Any Ideas for seats/risers? I'll post some pics soon. What was going to be a tune up, turned into a restoration

 

[BrockGrimes]

See the seat topics here:
http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f49/useful-info-thought-id-share-665/