Bought a 76 CJ5 a couple of weeks ago (Hooo-Yahh!) Couple of days after I bought it she wouldnt start. Replaced battery. Couple of days later, she wouldnt start, battery was dead. Replaced alternator & external voltage regulator. As the days went by... engine developed 'irregularities': sputtering, backfiring, stalling. Some days it would crank right up and idle nice and smooth... other days it would take me 10 minutes of cranking to get it to fire, and then it would sputter and cough and backfire and generally have a bad attitude all day long. She finally stalled out at a light and refused to cooperate any further. Got it over to the local starter and alternator guy (local mechanic with a good reputation) and he replaced the ignition module & a piece called a pick-up coil? Or maybe it was the 'pick-up' piece of the coil? Anyways... she fired right up and idled smooth when I picked it up. I was happy. Drove it the rest of the afternoon, and into the evening. Had the lights on all evening, and I noticed the lights getting dimmer, and the engine running rougher. Didnt like low gears/low torque.. didnt want to drive down the block in 2nd (coughing/sputtering) but when I shifted up to 3rd, it would idle along better. Had to wait to pick up my daughter from dance, so I sat outside with the lights off and the engine idling waiting for her. Was idling ok, but I was nervous about getting home fer sure! Finally had to go in and get her, so I turned off the engine. Of course, battery was dead when I got back out there. Jumped it the next day (yesterday), got it home no problem. This morning I was encouraged when it wanted to turn over, but she wont start. Now the battery is dead again.
Recap:
76 CJ5 w/AMC 304 New battery New alternator New voltage regulator New ignition module new pick-up coil fan belt still tight, can't turn alternator fan by hand. dont have a multi-meter yet, getting one this weekend.mechanic said I needed to change plugs cause of all the gas that had been dumping on them as I was trying to start it, so gonna do that this weekend. Gonna start replacing plugs, wires, filters, etc... but methinks it's something deeper.
did I mention the wiring is a nightmare? previous owner had a wire fetish... I've pulled out 3 miles of wire that didnt go anywhere. He has lights mounted everywhere (purple lights UNDER the tub, mounted to the frame?? .:shudder:.) There's wires hanging everywhere, some hot, some not (got a little tester with a bulb). New harness is on my wish list, but spool of wire and cutters and solder iron more budget realistic. The headlights, for example, come on and off. The cheap little 'fog-lights' dude wired up shine great, but the headlights? Nope... the little floor-kicker for the dims/brights is severly rusted, and by nudging it I can get the lights to stay lit up... yikes.
Any suggestions for something I need to check first? This weekend I'll check out the alternator and every connection I can find with the multi-meter, but is there something obvious I need to know? The 'Charging System' so to speak, is obviously in trouble.. but what's the cure?
thanks!
Mel