have full battery but no juice in jeep

[black&blue88]

88 WRANGLER 4.2, automatic, 3" lift,3" body, 32x11.5/15 BFG AT/KO, WEBER carb., other stuff by JKS, DAYSTAR, RANCHO, TUFFY, ect. Did Weber carb swap and when I went to start the engine had no juice anywhere. Checked battery, had full voltage but no power to anything. Never had this problem with this jeep. While removing all the hoses and emissions stuff I had to remove the wires from the alternater to re-route wires, in my haste I touched it to metal and heard a crack or pop. After some searching I found a relay next to the battery that had a burnt spot on one of the terminals, ok bought new relay thinking this was the problem, well it didn't. So checking and re-checking, tugging on wires and the harness all of a sudden POWER. Ok, started the motor and in the process of checking linkage and the rest of the carb shut it off went to re-start, NO POWER ARRGGGG! :???: I've done all this work myself and I know my way around my jeep, but this has me frustrated! Could use some guidance and/or suggestions, Thanks!

 

[steady.foot]

Sounds like a bad conection somewhere. When you pulled on the wires it may have moved it enough to get a conection. Maybe a clean all conections is in order. Sometimes a broken wire will gain conection when moved just right. Good luck. Wiring problems suck.

 

[black&blue88]

Sounds like a bad conection somewhere. When you pulled on the wires it may have moved it enough to get a conection. Maybe a clean all conections is in order. Sometimes a broken wire will gain conection when moved just right. Good luck. Wiring problems suck.

Ya, wiring problems do suck! I will be checking and re-checking but a broken wire just doesn't seem right, I had no problems before and everything that was removed was plug in elec. choke & stepper motor on carb., emissions plugs, air cleaner. I think it started when I sparked the alt. wire and heard a pop but I replaced the relay. What else could it be? I have power down to the starter, to the alt. and to the module on the firewall under the battery and that's it. Still stumped.

 

[JPNinPA]

Checked battery, had full voltage but no power to anything.
While removing all the hoses and emissions stuff I had to remove the wires from the alternator to re-route wires, in my haste I touched it to metal and heard a crack or pop. After some searching I found a relay next to the battery that had a burnt spot on one of the terminals, ok bought new relay thinking this was the problem, well it didn't. So checking and re-checking, tugging on wires and the harness all of a sudden POWER.

Ok, started the motor and in the process of checking linkage and the rest of the carb shut it off went to re-start, NO POWER ARRGGGG! :???: I've done all this work myself and I know my way around my jeep, but this has me frustrated! Could use some guidance and/or suggestions, Thanks!

I had no problems before and everything that was removed was plug in elec. choke & stepper motor on carb., emissions plugs, air cleaner.

Something did change and you did touch the wiring. Just saying.

I take it you are checking with a multi meter and not the dash gauge??
Few things. Take the battery and even the alt to be load tested. If you haven't changed batteries in 4+ years it may be time.
Inspect the terminals and lighty sand them to a shine. Do the connectors as well. Inspect the wires for corrosion. If you don't have molded connectors you may check the wire into the connector for how clean they are. Any white/green powder is a sign of corrosion and can be cleaned with a dilute solution of baking soda and water. DO NOT get this solution in or near the cells(battery acid).
Check each ground. The grounds are often overlooked. There should be a ground from the battery to the engine. To the tub and tub to frame. Clean each end and inspect the connectors. Clean them to a shine.

Let me know how you fare after this.

 

[black&blue88]

Thanks for the replies. I did use a multi-meter and the battery was the first thing on my check list next where the grounds, followed by a progressive search to the harness on down (alternator,starter,coil,distributer,ect.) followed by researching my shop manual to no avail. So, I walked away for the night frustrated and in need of an ice cold beverage. Yesterday I woke up feeling positive that would figure it out and I would look back on it as another learning experience, well I didn't learn much,lol. Grabbed my keys went out to the garage got my meter out of the tool box opened the door to put the keys in the ignition, wouldn't you know it the ***** had power. Well I checked things out, pulled on wires,plugs,censers everything seems ok. Don't know if pcm or something else had to re-set it's self but i'm crossing my fingers and hope this doesn't happen again. By the way, WEBER carb. runs great! We'll see if the carb. performs like the claims from Weber on MPG.

 

[JohnnyO]

Had the same problem on my wife's car two weeks ago. I was, err, am, laid up from rotator cuff surgery, not in good shape to be tinkering with cars right now, and said well that's what I pay AAA for every year. Had it towed the half mile to the garage I use. It turned out that a battery terminal had crapped out. NEVER saw that happen before. Total for parts and labor...$15.

 

[frhrwa]

no-ox grease, and put it on every connector, battery posts, ground connectors, even you light bulbs.. everything that has a connection, I even mash it into the connectors for the ECU, wiring harness on the column, everywhere.. you'll never get another corroded wire if you use this stuff... its a non oxidizing grease like we always used at the telephone company, worked there, and its worked for me on every vehicle.. I did find it wouldn't keep you from blowing your darn tail light bulbs on the boat trailer when you forget to unplug them backing into the water, but replaced with LED lamps and never blew another.. they light up under water..

 

[carnuck]

Fusible link or the ground wire on the block loose?

 

[54cj3b]

clean the terminals and check your grounds