Need Some Electrical Help!!!

[86 CJ]

I have been through this before, owning this CJ and others for 18 years, but still helps to have some input.

I just finished restoring my 86 CJ back to Great condition and had all the lights and guagesworking 2 weeks ago, now things have changed. I dropped the fuel tank, changed out the sending unit and cleaned up the rear light conections and after that I have an issue with the front lights being very dim I have not remounted the new high beam switch on the floor yet, deos it get it's ground from teh floor pan and screws? I am also in the process of putting on a Meyers plow and wiring the lights ( Nightmare) and was drilling a hole in the dash near the light switch too add a toggle when I might have hit something behind the dash and saw a quick spark or two

Now I have NO dash lights, no rear lights, Brake lights and the headlights turn on and are dim as hell. I have also been messing a bit with the front headlights out and in and battery connections on and off a couple times..

Where should I start?? You think I did something to the new Headlight switch??

[IOPort51]

pull the dash back off?
is that a ray of sunshine or what?
I would start checking grounds and find out where the sparks came from.

[Petescj]

Im not very much help with electrical, but when I replaced my floor pans the high beam switch was screwed into two plastic clips. So as far as getting its ground from the screws Id say no. Mine is an 82 by the way.

[86 CJ]

Pull the dash back off...I'd rather bang my head on it 10 times I made the mistake 1 year ago of getting paint on the back side of the dash and then putting it back on and hooking everything up So I have had it back off since to sand down I have a good ground to it and everythig was working great 2 weeks ago. The sparks came from when I made the new hole over teh lights swith for the Plow light Toggle, I think I hit the magnet on the speaker I have in the dash, did not hit the light switch, but wonder if it did somthing to it, because after that I had no dash lights I have checked all fuses. The Very Dim headlights is a differnt issue, with them I can push teh high beam switch and get one Bright High beam on one side, but back to low beam and it looks like a candle is lite in both of them????

[mylittlecj5]

Originally Posted by 86 CJ Pull the dash back off...I'd rather bang my head on it 10 times I made the mistake 1 year ago of getting paint on the back side of the dash and then putting it back on and hooking everything up So I have had it back off since to sand down I have a good ground to it and everythig was working great 2 weeks ago. The sparks came from when I made the new hole over teh lights swith for the Plow light Toggle, I think I hit the magnet on the speaker I have in the dash, did not hit the light switch, but wonder if it did somthing to it, because after that I had no dash lights I have checked all fuses. The Very Dim headlights is a differnt issue, with them I can push teh high beam switch and get one Bright High beam on one side, but back to low beam and it looks like a candle is lite in both of them????

I'm betting you pinched a tail light wire when you re-installed the gas tank...so you need to drop the tank again...after you take the dash back off...

[IOPort51]

I have had problems with the connections on the back of the headlight itself a couple of times, that is something to check. The dash lights are a different matter, I think everything comes off the light switch.

Originally Posted by 86 CJ Pull the dash back off...I'd rather bang my head on it 10 times I made the mistake 1 year ago of getting paint on the back side of the dash and then putting it back on and hooking everything up So I have had it back off since to sand down I have a good ground to it and everythig was working great 2 weeks ago. The sparks came from when I made the new hole over teh lights swith for the Plow light Toggle, I think I hit the magnet on the speaker I have in the dash, did not hit the light switch, but wonder if it did somthing to it, because after that I had no dash lights I have checked all fuses. The Very Dim headlights is a differnt issue, with them I can push teh high beam switch and get one Bright High beam on one side, but back to low beam and it looks like a candle is lite in both of them????

[86 CJ]

You guys crack me up and are making my crappy Saturday weekend shift much better at work...

Ok, you Braniacs..I love your suggestions, so what time can you guys be over to help me tear the lovely dash back apart and drop the freshly cleaned out with new sending unit, gas tank back down ??? I live near Baltimore, MD ???

[IOPort51]

You go ahead and get started , I'm flying out the door right now , be there before you know it. you better have beer.

Originally Posted by 86 CJ You guys crack me up and are making my crappy Saturday weekend shift much better at work... Ok, you Braniacs..I love your suggestions, so what time can you guys be over to help me tear the lovely dash back apart and drop the freshly cleaned out with new sending unit, gas tank back down ??? I live near Baltimore, MD ???

[CJ]

Don't know about an 86 CJ but my CJ has individual grounds at each head light. The dim head lights sounds like a ground problem.

[86 CJ]

Yea I know where the seperate grounds are and have not messed with them, it's just wierd that when I hit the high beam switch that I get one bright high beam light...