I Need Help Please
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: NW Wisconsin
I Need Help Please
I have a 93 jeep cherokee with the 4.0 HO in it and i am having 3 problems. 1st is somethimes when i get in hot or cold the battery guage says just into the red by the 18 (real high) but then sometime or after driving for a little bit it will drop down by the 14(middle) or just into the red bythe zero,and when its down the headlights get really dim. I thought it might be battery connection so i took a good battery and put in it ant used small skrews to get better connection. ok now for number two. hot or cold a mojority of times when going down the road no matter what speed when i stop or push in the clutch it will die, it seams like it does this more often when the battery guage is not up high. #3 This might be a stupid question but in the same vehicle the heater fan only works on high no medium or low does that mean the i need to replace the blower motor?
Thank for any help
Thank for any help
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,868
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From: Rhode Island
Your alternator is shot, you need to replace it. The dying at stops is probable the bad alternator dropping the battery voltage to low to sustain engine operaion. Or your idle valve is bad, but your alternator is defintely shot, and is probably slowly cooking the battery.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: NW Wisconsin
i was thinking it was shot but of course i was second guessing it, thank you
no for a nother stupid question what/where is the idleing valve?
And am i right about the blower motor needing replace?
thanks for the help so far.
no for a nother stupid question what/where is the idleing valve?
And am i right about the blower motor needing replace?
thanks for the help so far.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Lakewood, Ca.
I don't think a bad alternator will put out that much voltage. You should probably check the voltages with a volt/ohm meter in case the gauges are not reading accurately. Check all of the grounding connections for the battery.
You have to have the clutch engaged to start the vehicle, right?
You have to have the clutch engaged to start the vehicle, right?
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Kalispell, MT
I think Steve meant disengaged.
Heater trouble could be a bad blower motor, but could be as simple as dirty contacts in the switch.
Electrical problems are covered in the Haynes manual, section 5-11 details test procedures to check if alternator is bad. Really too much material to cover here.
Otherwise I pull mine and take it to NAPA where they can test it.
Heater trouble could be a bad blower motor, but could be as simple as dirty contacts in the switch.
Electrical problems are covered in the Haynes manual, section 5-11 details test procedures to check if alternator is bad. Really too much material to cover here.
Otherwise I pull mine and take it to NAPA where they can test it.
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2007
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Heat issue is more likely the blower motor resistor. If the motor works on any speed, its OK. The switch sends voltage through a resistor before it reaches the motor. The speed is determined by the resistance in the circuit (More resistance, slower speed, and vice-versa). Sounds like one of the resistor coils is open. Possibly the switch, but most often I sell and replace the resistor units....
TomD
TomD
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: NW Wisconsin
ok as for the clutch, i can start the jeep with out touching the clutch. second i am going to get the altinator tested in a little bit, third what/where is the resistor unit? the fan only bloews on high no other settings.
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From: Lakewood, Ca.
It seems to me that the truck should have some sort of electronics that prevent the vehicle from turning over unless the clutch pedal is depressed. It could have been bypassed.
I would not worry about the heater(I know it's cold in Wi.) until the alternator issue is resolved.
Are all the ground wires and battery cables good and tight?
I would not worry about the heater(I know it's cold in Wi.) until the alternator issue is resolved.
Are all the ground wires and battery cables good and tight?
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: NW Wisconsin
yeah the heater dont blow to hard when the altinator guage is not up. so i was just wondering about the heater for when i get the altinator replaced. yes the battery terminals are clean.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: The Big, Oregon
The alternator is shot, the idle air bypass is gummed up (it's mounted on the throttle body), and the blower motor resistor is burned out.
Jeeps didn't have the clutch pedal interlock until the mid-90s, maybe 96?
Jeeps didn't have the clutch pedal interlock until the mid-90s, maybe 96?
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Senior User
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From: NW Wisconsin
OK i got an update, I took out the altinator and brought to oriellys to get it tested it passed the tests saying it was good?????? but when i put it back in its still doing it. volt meter said something like 12.3 with engine running and nothing on, aroung 11 with engine running and headlights, heater, radio, rear defrost on???? could oriellys tester be wrong-all arrows pointing to yes for me??!!!!
ok heater resistor bad can anyone tell me where it is located???
do i just take off throttle body and clean the whole thing??
Thank you for all the help so far!!!!!!!!!!!
ok heater resistor bad can anyone tell me where it is located???
do i just take off throttle body and clean the whole thing??
Thank you for all the help so far!!!!!!!!!!!
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From: Lakewood, Ca.
Originally Posted by bigern26
OK i got an update, I took out the altinator and brought to oriellys to get it tested it passed the tests saying it was good?????? but when i put it back in its still doing it. volt meter said something like 12.3 with engine running and nothing on, aroung 11 with engine running and headlights, heater, radio, rear defrost on???? could oriellys tester be wrong-all arrows pointing to yes for me??!!!!
ok heater resistor bad can anyone tell me where it is located???
do i just take off throttle body and clean the whole thing??
Thank you for all the help so far!!!!!!!!!!!
ok heater resistor bad can anyone tell me where it is located???
do i just take off throttle body and clean the whole thing??
Thank you for all the help so far!!!!!!!!!!!
And I know you said the battery connections are clean, but is the ground to the frame tight and is the ground cable in good condition.(not frayed)?
That heater pulls a lot of juice, and if things are not well grounded all kinds of weird stuff can happen.
Also, you might check to be sure you have a ground from the motor to the frame. If you don't, remember, the engine is rubber mounted and the alternator may not be grounded. I fought with a problem similar to this on my 62 f250 years ago. Not saying your problem is exactly the same, but The ground wire from engine to frame solved my troubles.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Lakewood, Ca.
Oh yeah. If the blower resistor was shot, the heater would not work at all.
Take care of the charging system problem first, and you may save a bunch of dough by not buying stuff you don't need.
Take care of the charging system problem first, and you may save a bunch of dough by not buying stuff you don't need.