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1995 xj starts fine when cold, wont start after its warmed up

Z

ZsmXJ450

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Torrance CA
I have had this issue for about 2 months, starts just fine when cold, but after driving around town stopping somewhere coming back to try to start it within the hour it will just crank..but won't start, Ive tested the fuel pressure, its around 35psi give or take a few. Ive changed the CPS, (autozone, maybe needs OEM??) Ive changed the TPS(autozone) and i recently changed the ignition coil(Crown from 4WP) It had a CEL codes, Pointed towards the CPS, TPS or MAP.
Today it happened, i just waited for it to cool down, and it started. Got home and its not starting, tried it right after turning it off..Im lost and would be very grateful for help. Oh, and Distributor was replaced 3-4 months ago with an engine rebuild.
Thanks in advance
 
Sure sounds like what happened with my old carburetor Dodge. It had a dead spot in the choke.

when warm - had to push the gas peddle to the floor, hold while starting

Tom
 
I had that problem once with my 87 Renix XJ, and it started out as a high idle issue when hot and then went to a no start when hot as I recall. The IAT Intake Air Temp sensor was bad.

The IAC (Idle air control valve)may be sticking, it is in the throttle body or the relay timer that resets the IAC after the engine is turned off may not be working. The IAC sets the air flow rate for idle and for restarts.

Try using WOT, floor the gas peddle and crank it when hot to see if flooded, that will dry it out, then try a little bit of throttle while cranking to see if it starts. Or just pull and clean the throttle body and the IAC. Look for old post on cleaning the IAC, do not force the parts to move when cleaning the IAC. Spay a little light oil lube on the threaded shaft before reinstalling.
 
Who rebuilt the distributor?
Knew someone with this problem turned out to be cam sensor in the distributor.

Vatozone parts can easily be the problem. I always replace the CPS with mopar just because it can be a pain to get to.


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Do a search on heat soak. There is a TSB on this.
 
Someone else mentioned heat soak, i fount the thread on here. sounds about the same as mine. I'm looking into a timer, my aux fan is already aftermarket and on a switch, not the OEM way.
 
Not sure about 95 having this as a common issue. Seen plenty of later years with it.

Had two cars with similar issues, one figure it was leaking injector/cold start. Maybe relevant to this problem.

The other was a mystery, turn it off to get gas or stall it at a drive through it have to be roll started. Ended up putting a switch right to the starter. It'd fire up perfectly with the switch. But that car had all kinds of wiring demons after the previous owner ripped out the aftermarket alarm system. Obviously it's not your problem because you can crank it.



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Today, stopped to get gas. Temp gage was close to 210, i want to say maybe around 190-200, after getting gas i try to start, and just cranks. Which i wasn't surprised. I did leave my aux fan running while i went to pay and pump, when the temp got at and below that first line it didn't start, again, so i put it in "N" tried starting, it started just fine, ran like nothing was wrong, like always. Putting it in N doesn't always work, at least not when i figured its a heat issue. Was thinking about testing the FI?
 
Did it crank in park and neutral? If it was a no crank in Park, the Neutral safety switch is the problem
 
what could it be if i'm not getting spark while trying to crank? I tested with an in-line spark plug tester and when cranking, it wont even light up.
 
For no spark it Sounds like cam sensor or CPS, well in common trouble shooting. Not sure what already been ruled out.
Maybe ignition coil.


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ZsmXJ450 said:
Yes, it cranked in both.
Click to expand...

Very curious that the engine would run in neutral and not in park and yet crank/turn over in both.
 
Try using a hot air dryer to pre-heat one part at a time, like the CPS, ICM/HV Coil when the engine is cold to see if that gives you a no start with a cold engine. You may have CPS or ICM/coil that is failing when too hot to start. You can also try cold water on the CPS, or cold compressed air if you have it on the ICM/Coil, on a hot no start to see if it starts then, to isolate the bad part.

Also you can use a Noid light to see if the fuel injectors are getting a firing signal during a no start to confirm if the CPS/ECU are working and narrow it down to the ICM/Coil.

It could be flooded on the hot restart or the IAC, Idle Air Control valve, could be at the wrong air flow setting (which is a timer-relay issue, B+ latch relay???).

If the engine is flooded (leaking injector or IAC valve not reset right) you can dry it fast by pressing the gas peddle to WOT and cranking, that shuts off the fuel injectors while cranking. When it tries to fire, then take your foot off the gas peddle and crank again.
 
Ecomike said:
Very curious that the engine would run in neutral and not in park and yet crank/turn over in both.
Click to expand...



Could just be coincidence. It fired up that try and it didn't matter whether it was park or neutral.

I'm curious to know if the injectors are firing when this happens. Not getting spark at these times, yet running fine otherwise is interesting, it seems like it would be something in that line (cam, crank sensor, ignition coil, ecu?) , the temperature variable strange, with it not appearing to be heat soak. Could be several things failing maybe.

Some good advice on trouble shooting it.




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Last edited:
I forget that the HOs 1991-2001 need the cam sensor working too to fire and start. Renix does not. Doubt it is the ECU since it runs fine once it starts.
 
Yeah..this is really making me run around in circles trying to find out whats actually causing this.. runs like nothing is wrong, then just wont start after driving around..but cranks everytime. other post i find all have something else, like a really bad rough idle or stalling or something.. i have non of that.
 
That reman distributor... Do you have the old original one still? If you do i would swap the cam position sensor, it should be easy to do in a 95. 91-92 the distributor has the be pulled.


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