Hello all, I am new to Jeep TJ's and hope there is someone out there that can help me with an issue I am having with my recently acquired 2006 Rubicon TJ.
To start off I will let you all know that I am a very experienced mechanic but have been working on Hot rods and 50's/60's Chevy's for the last 18 years... I have a lot of electrical experience so you can talk technical with me... but it's been a while since I have done much on modern cars and why I hoping to find a little help here.
First: I had noticed that when the Jeep sat for 3 or 4 days that the engine cranked noticeably slower than it did after I drove it for a while. I checked alternator output voltage and found it running 13.8 to 13.9v... a little low but still enough to charge the battery. one day after the Jeep had sat about a week or so I went to start it and got just the old click-click-click of a very low batter that could not engage the starter.... two minutes on a shop battery charger and she cranked right up.
Second: I replaced the battery... I knew nothing about the battery other than it was a heavy duty "Die Hard" and it had a 2015 date code on it and the battery terminals had some green buildup on them. I had cleaned the sulfate off the battery posts, terminals and cables. I installed a battery disconnect on the negative cable (something I do on almost all of the old cars I work on). I checked the jeep ever few days to be sure it would start and noted the alternator output. (BTW the alternator output went to 14.0v). I thought the problem was solved with the new battery and a better alternator voltage output until 3 days ago. The Jeep had sat for 10 days untouched when I went to start it... you guessed it... click-click-click.
What I did next:
Charged the battery to 100% with an automatic battery charger
Installed an ammeter inline with the negative battery cable
Checked battery draw and noted the following:
1 amp for about 1 second when the connection through the ammeter was initially made and then .5 amp steady.
.5 amp withy hood light on, I unplugged the hood light and the draw went to down to .3 amps
I unplugged the 2 wire connector at the back of the alternator (no change)
I took the main battery wire from the alternator to the battery (no change)
I started pulling the fuses under the hood and noted the following:
The 10 amp "Acc 2" fuse and the draw dropped to less than .05 amp (the draw you expect to see with an ECM and radio memory).
I do not have a wiring diagram for this Jeep so I am asking for some help.
Addition bits of information. I noticed that the Acc 2 fuse powers up the under-hood light. Also, my jeep came to me with half doors and the interior lights do no come on when the doors are opened. It has door jam switches but they do not activate the interior lights when the doors are opened. The interior lights come on for about 10 or 15 seconds when you turn the ignition switch off and you can manually turn them on using the dimmer function for the dash lights on the headlight switch.
I will be posting additional threads for a Code PO440 which only comes on when the fuel tank is below 3/4 full
To start off I will let you all know that I am a very experienced mechanic but have been working on Hot rods and 50's/60's Chevy's for the last 18 years... I have a lot of electrical experience so you can talk technical with me... but it's been a while since I have done much on modern cars and why I hoping to find a little help here.
First: I had noticed that when the Jeep sat for 3 or 4 days that the engine cranked noticeably slower than it did after I drove it for a while. I checked alternator output voltage and found it running 13.8 to 13.9v... a little low but still enough to charge the battery. one day after the Jeep had sat about a week or so I went to start it and got just the old click-click-click of a very low batter that could not engage the starter.... two minutes on a shop battery charger and she cranked right up.
Second: I replaced the battery... I knew nothing about the battery other than it was a heavy duty "Die Hard" and it had a 2015 date code on it and the battery terminals had some green buildup on them. I had cleaned the sulfate off the battery posts, terminals and cables. I installed a battery disconnect on the negative cable (something I do on almost all of the old cars I work on). I checked the jeep ever few days to be sure it would start and noted the alternator output. (BTW the alternator output went to 14.0v). I thought the problem was solved with the new battery and a better alternator voltage output until 3 days ago. The Jeep had sat for 10 days untouched when I went to start it... you guessed it... click-click-click.
What I did next:
Charged the battery to 100% with an automatic battery charger
Installed an ammeter inline with the negative battery cable
Checked battery draw and noted the following:
1 amp for about 1 second when the connection through the ammeter was initially made and then .5 amp steady.
.5 amp withy hood light on, I unplugged the hood light and the draw went to down to .3 amps
I unplugged the 2 wire connector at the back of the alternator (no change)
I took the main battery wire from the alternator to the battery (no change)
I started pulling the fuses under the hood and noted the following:
The 10 amp "Acc 2" fuse and the draw dropped to less than .05 amp (the draw you expect to see with an ECM and radio memory).
I do not have a wiring diagram for this Jeep so I am asking for some help.
Addition bits of information. I noticed that the Acc 2 fuse powers up the under-hood light. Also, my jeep came to me with half doors and the interior lights do no come on when the doors are opened. It has door jam switches but they do not activate the interior lights when the doors are opened. The interior lights come on for about 10 or 15 seconds when you turn the ignition switch off and you can manually turn them on using the dimmer function for the dash lights on the headlight switch.
I will be posting additional threads for a Code PO440 which only comes on when the fuel tank is below 3/4 full