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'93 XJ STARTING ISSUE

MEEMERS

NAXJA Forum User
MY '93XJ HAS ALWAYS STARTED IMMED UNTIL NOW. I HAVE REPLACED THE PLUGS/WIRES/ROTOR/DIST CAP/FUEL FILTER/STARTER SENSOR. IT HAS A NEAR-NEW BATTERY & CABLE CLAMPS AND STILL TAKES 4-5 TRIES. ONCE IT'S WARM IT STARTS UP W/NO PROBLEM AND RUNS SMOOTHLY. HELP!!!! ANY SUGGESTIONS????

THX.....MEEMERS
 
I went through this with my '93 some years ago and it turned out to be fuel drain back due to a faulty check valve in the tank. Check this by pressing the valve on the fuel rail after the Jeep has been sitting awhile and the engine is cold. A strong squirt means that your problem is probably something else.

Solved by adding an inexpensive external check valve off eBay (~$16). Installs easily back by the fuel filter which is probably due for replacement in any event.

Mine now holds full fuel pressure indefinitely -- at least 3/4 days -- and starts first time every time.

BTW this is an OEM Tech item -- no problem but you might tend to get more answers there.
 
Well at least you know where it is if you end up needing to add the check valve, lol.

Let us know if you need the valve and have a problem finding it.

Good luck!
 
PELICAN....I DECIDED TO GIVE IT A TRY TODAY AND THE GAS REALLY DIDN'T SQUIRT OUT.....IT PRETTY MUCH WAS JUST A MINIMAL TRICKLE (IT SAT OVERNITE) AND I ASSUME THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING, RIGHT? IT'S THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED SO THIS IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. THANK YOU
 
Sounds like your problem. You can double check by priming without starting which is essentially what you are doing by cranking for an extended time brfore start.

Do this by turning the key to run a couple of times without actually turning all the way to engage the starter, You should hear the fuel pump prime briefly each time. Mine primes very briefly and is quiet so you may have to listen carefully to hear the prime. You can then again immediately check the "squirt" just to see what you get for future reference.

In any event, after a couple of primes, (you can search for "poor man's prime" in OEM) the engine should start normally by turning the key on to Start.

If this all works, adding the check valve is not to difficult, although some apparently just make do with the pre-start prime, maybe till warm weather?

Let us know.
 
A QUESTION: DOES YOUR JEEP START WITH NO PROBLEM AFTER USING IT FOR A FEW HOURS? I CAN GO TO A FEW PLACES AND IT STARTS EASILY EACH TIME.

ANYWAY I'M GOING TO FOLLOW YOUR ADVICE AND TRY YOUR SUGGESTION LATER. I REALLY NEED TO GET THIS RESOLVED. THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN, WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. FINGERS & TOES CROSSED
 
Mine starts exactly the same hot or cold, after a few minutes or few days.

I guess simplest explanation for your situation is that your internal valve has not failed completely but allows fuel to drain back into the tank slowly over a period of time. There can be other things that affect hot and cold starting but we know from your test to date that you have a drain back problem after Jeep has been sitting for a period of time. And we know that a fuel injected engine will not start without a pressurized fuel source.

All of this suggests that your problem is a failing internal check valve but I hope someone else will chime in if there is some other explanation for the easy warm starts versus the difficult cold ones.

I'm with you on not going through the lengthy crank or pre-start priming process. Drives me nuts.......Await further developments.
 
WELL I DID WHAT YOU SUGGESTED (COULDN'T HEAR THE FUEL PUMP PRIMING BUT I HAVE STUFF IN THE BACK) AND AFTER 2 TRIES I 'ACTIVATED' THE THROTTLE AND IT STARTED....BUT I THINK I'LL INSTALL THE CHECK VALVE ANYWAY UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS. I'M REALLY AFRAID I'M GOING TO CHEW UP THE STARTER IF I KEEP THIS UP!!! PS: I WAS OUT TODAY AND IT ALWAYS STARTED EITHER RIGHT AWAY OR ON TRY #2. GO FIGURE

:explosion<-------THAT'S WHAT MY BRAIN FEELS LIKE
 
Sounds like you have it figured out but I have had this problem twice on two different XJ's and the solution was different for each.

1) '93 XJ - injectors were pretty clogged and weren't atomizing the fuel very well. I couple of tanks with injector cleaner fixed them up and also improved fuel economy
2) '90 XJ - hose was loose on the fuel pump (in the tank). It creates the same issue as a bad check valve. What essentially happened is that the hose that connects the pump to the output tube had gotten old and could flex off of the tube a little so while it would build pressure (eventually), it was also working its tail off to spray gas around the inside of the tank. If this is your problem, a new check valve is only a band-aide since it will help maintain pressure when sitting but your fuel pump will have to work harder than normal and that hose will eventually weaken enough to blow off. The fix was to crawl under the beast, remove the fuel pump and install a new hose (with clamps this time).

HTH
 
I should add that you may be able to diagnose this externally by waiting until your tank is down to 1/4 and having someone turn the key to the "on" position (don't start it) while you lie under the tank and listen for gas spraying. You may need a mechanics stethoscope to hear it well but I suspect it will be obvious without.

HTH

Sounds like you have it figured out but I have had this problem twice on two different XJ's and the solution was different for each.

1) '93 XJ - injectors were pretty clogged and weren't atomizing the fuel very well. I couple of tanks with injector cleaner fixed them up and also improved fuel economy
2) '90 XJ - hose was loose on the fuel pump (in the tank). It creates the same issue as a bad check valve. What essentially happened is that the hose that connects the pump to the output tube had gotten old and could flex off of the tube a little so while it would build pressure (eventually), it was also working its tail off to spray gas around the inside of the tank. If this is your problem, a new check valve is only a band-aide since it will help maintain pressure when sitting but your fuel pump will have to work harder than normal and that hose will eventually weaken enough to blow off. The fix was to crawl under the beast, remove the fuel pump and install a new hose (with clamps this time).

HTH
 
REALLY APPRECIATED THE XTRA INPUT; I'M GOING TO TAKE YOUR SUGGESTION TO THE MECH AND LET HIM DO THE DIRTY WORK. IT'S BEEN SNOWING AND IT'S COLD AND I NEED MY JEEP (I DON'T HAVE A CLOSED-IN GARAGE). WITH ANY LUCK THE MYSTERY WILL BE SOLVED AND IT WILL BE ROAD WORTHY ONCE AGAIN!!!!!
THANX
 
FINAL CHAPTER: YESTERDAY WAS THE 4TH DAY AT THE MECH AND THEY FINALLY SOLVED THE MYSTERY.........IT'S THE COMPUTER. I ORDERED ONE AND WITH ANY LUCK I'LL BE MOBILE AGAIN. THANX FOR ALL YOUR INPUT!!!!!
 
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