Thanks for all the responses. I eventually narrowed down the problem to
most likely a bad wire. I didn't have the time to keep trying to locate the
troublesome wire myself, and ended up taking it to a mechanic. The problem
turned out to be a wire that had to be replaced from the power distribution
center to somewhere under the dash, I think the large bundle of connectors
to the left of the steering column. It took the mechanic, with a lot of
electrical experience, 3 hours to locate the problem and repair it, so I
don't feel so bad about my efforts after all. I'm going to take a better
look at it tomorrow to see just what was done. After studying the haynes
manual, I decided that it had to be the wiring that fuse 17 protects in the
power distribution center. It will be interesting to see if I was right.
Too cold and too dark outside now to go look. Thanks again for all the
replies! (My wife picked the jeep up. She asked what was done to correct
the problem. The service guy apparently thought that she wouldn't
understand , so he said "have your husband call if he has any questions."
??? Needless to say, she wasn't happy. Do any of the lady posters out
there have this kind of problem when you take your vehicles to be
serviced??)

cal

"Mike" <mcarpe2214@localnet.com> wrote in message
news:102fc0785ab0sf2@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Cal" <codom1IHATESPAM@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:tLAVb.4901$ob.815879@twister.southeast.rr.com ...
> > Well, more problems found. Not only do none of the gauges,radio,
courtesy
> > lights work, but the diagnostic connector under the steering column has
no
> > power to it at all. I'm starting to wonder if the computer is halfway
> > crapped out....I have checked every fuse, and they are all ok. I found
a
> > loose ground strap on the engine, fixed that, but can't find anything
that
> > grounds under the dash..
> >
> > cal
> >
> > "Cal" <codom1IHATESPAM@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> > news:4DjVb.2835$ob.462709@twister.southeast.rr.com ...
> > > Thanks for the help Bill, but I have already tried this. I have bent
> the
> > > pins as described and reassembled, but everything is still the same.
> Any
> > > other ideas?
> > >
> > > thanks
> > > cal
> > >
> > > "Cal" <codom1IHATESPAM@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> > > news:ndeVb.2337$ob.372604@twister.southeast.rr.com ...
> > > > Hello
> > > >
> > > > I have a '97 wrangler, with electrical problems. This afternoon,
the
> > > > instrument cluster, radio, and interior lights stopped working. The
> > > > headlights, turn signals, heater blower, all exterior lights,
> windshield
> > > > wipers, work fine. The instrument cluster lights up, and the idiot
> > lights
> > > > seem to work, but the gauges are all dead. The odometer is also
blank
> > > > (digital). Even though I could not figure out a relationship
between
> > the
> > > > cluster and the radio, I removed the cluster and slightly bent the
> pins,
> > > but
> > > > no change. I checked every related fuse on the fuse panel and under
> the
> > > > hood in the power panel, with no luck. I also checked fuses I
thought
> > > were
> > > > unrelated.. all look good. I switched the asd and the fuel pump
> > relays,
> > > > and everything is still the same. The jeep will crank and run. I
am
> at
> > a
> > > > loss here. Something similar happened about a month ago, but
> > everything
> > > > started working ok and has been fine until now. I looked for ground
> > wires
> > > > under the dash, and really couldn't find anything to check. HELP!
> > > >
> > > > cal
>
>
> Cal
>
> I ran into the same problem on a cherokee. Turned out to be a bad
ignition
> switch. The ignition switch would also get very hot while the jeep was
> running, so hot that it would almost burn your hand . Have you checked the
> ignition switch yet?
>
> Mike
>
>

 

Thanks for all the responses. I eventually narrowed down the problem to
most likely a bad wire. I didn't have the time to keep trying to locate the
troublesome wire myself, and ended up taking it to a mechanic. The problem
turned out to be a wire that had to be replaced from the power distribution
center to somewhere under the dash, I think the large bundle of connectors
to the left of the steering column. It took the mechanic, with a lot of
electrical experience, 3 hours to locate the problem and repair it, so I
don't feel so bad about my efforts after all. I'm going to take a better
look at it tomorrow to see just what was done. After studying the haynes
manual, I decided that it had to be the wiring that fuse 17 protects in the
power distribution center. It will be interesting to see if I was right.
Too cold and too dark outside now to go look. Thanks again for all the
replies! (My wife picked the jeep up. She asked what was done to correct
the problem. The service guy apparently thought that she wouldn't
understand , so he said "have your husband call if he has any questions."
??? Needless to say, she wasn't happy. Do any of the lady posters out
there have this kind of problem when you take your vehicles to be
serviced??)

cal

"Mike" <mcarpe2214@localnet.com> wrote in message
news:102fc0785ab0sf2@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Cal" <codom1IHATESPAM@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:tLAVb.4901$ob.815879@twister.southeast.rr.com ...
> > Well, more problems found. Not only do none of the gauges,radio,
courtesy
> > lights work, but the diagnostic connector under the steering column has
no
> > power to it at all. I'm starting to wonder if the computer is halfway
> > crapped out....I have checked every fuse, and they are all ok. I found
a
> > loose ground strap on the engine, fixed that, but can't find anything
that
> > grounds under the dash..
> >
> > cal
> >
> > "Cal" <codom1IHATESPAM@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> > news:4DjVb.2835$ob.462709@twister.southeast.rr.com ...
> > > Thanks for the help Bill, but I have already tried this. I have bent
> the
> > > pins as described and reassembled, but everything is still the same.
> Any
> > > other ideas?
> > >
> > > thanks
> > > cal
> > >
> > > "Cal" <codom1IHATESPAM@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> > > news:ndeVb.2337$ob.372604@twister.southeast.rr.com ...
> > > > Hello
> > > >
> > > > I have a '97 wrangler, with electrical problems. This afternoon,
the
> > > > instrument cluster, radio, and interior lights stopped working. The
> > > > headlights, turn signals, heater blower, all exterior lights,
> windshield
> > > > wipers, work fine. The instrument cluster lights up, and the idiot
> > lights
> > > > seem to work, but the gauges are all dead. The odometer is also
blank
> > > > (digital). Even though I could not figure out a relationship
between
> > the
> > > > cluster and the radio, I removed the cluster and slightly bent the
> pins,
> > > but
> > > > no change. I checked every related fuse on the fuse panel and under
> the
> > > > hood in the power panel, with no luck. I also checked fuses I
thought
> > > were
> > > > unrelated.. all look good. I switched the asd and the fuel pump
> > relays,
> > > > and everything is still the same. The jeep will crank and run. I
am
> at
> > a
> > > > loss here. Something similar happened about a month ago, but
> > everything
> > > > started working ok and has been fine until now. I looked for ground
> > wires
> > > > under the dash, and really couldn't find anything to check. HELP!
> > > >
> > > > cal
>
>
> Cal
>
> I ran into the same problem on a cherokee. Turned out to be a bad
ignition
> switch. The ignition switch would also get very hot while the jeep was
> running, so hot that it would almost burn your hand . Have you checked the
> ignition switch yet?
>
> Mike
>
>