2004 LJ electrical issue

[myjeep3]

2004 Jeep LJ, did an LS swap a few months ago. Today I put the key on, turned and nothing, no lights on the cluster, couldn't start. Everything was dead . Under the hood, relays in the fuse box were making loud clicking sounds, and the battery positive terminal post was getting hot to touch, battery terminals are tight. After a minute or two, I was able to start the engine, the clicking stopped and the battery + terminal got cooler, drives fine, I can turn it off and back on with no issues. What is going on? This happened again another day. Where to look?

Thanks

 

[Cooper Smith]

2004 Jeep LJ, did an LS swap a few months ago. Today I put the key on, turned and nothing, no lights on the cluster, couldn't start. Everything was dead . Under the hood, relays in the fuse box were making loud clicking sounds, and the battery positive terminal post was getting hot to touch, battery terminals are tight. After a minute or two, I was able to start the engine, the clicking stopped and the battery + terminal got cooler, drives fine, I can turn it off and back on with no issues. What is going on? This happened again another day. Where to look?

Thanks

Positive getting hot insinuates resistance somewhere. Electrical systems and heat are almost always due to resistance (because I'm sure there are exceptions lol). Did you take the terminals off and clean them? Is the positive wire from the battery possibly shorted to ground somewhere? Are the ground straps clean? Battery negative post to frame clean?

It may seem like a bad ground/connection would be a "it works until it doesn't and that's game over" but bad grounds and connections in general can come and go. It's fucking asinine, so cover all your bases, and check all your ground straps (if the TJ has any I don't remember). It doesn't take much corrosion to stomp all over your parade.

 

[myjeep3]

Positive getting hot insinuates resistance somewhere. Electrical systems and heat are almost always due to resistance (because I'm sure there are exceptions lol). Did you take the terminals off and clean them? Is the positive wire from the battery possibly shorted to ground somewhere? Are the ground straps clean? Battery negative post to frame clean?

It may seem like a bad ground/connection would be a "it works until it doesn't and that's game over" but bad grounds and connections in general can come and go. It's fucking asinine, so cover all your bases, and check all your ground straps (if the TJ has any I don't remember). It doesn't take much corrosion to stomp all over your parade.

I did find a loose connection between the battery+ and the jeep fuse box. Cleaned up both battery terminals, rerouted and tightened all the wires. All seems good so far.

 

[Cooper Smith]

I did find a loose connection between the battery+ and the jeep fuse box. Cleaned up both battery terminals, rerouted and tightened all the wires. All seems good so far.

That is pretty much one of the worst places to have a loose connection, and one of the first places I'd expect your problem to be coming from not being a ground issue.

Glad you found it.