Help !! she died

1992 jeep xj. 4.0 automatic.

drove her to work today.
coming off the freeway she stalled at the light.
started her.
she died again.
held gas down. she started. hit her into drive. drove to work.
As I pulled into work she kept stalling and stumbling.
died pulling into work.
would not start again.

can turn her over.
sounds fine on turnover. (doesn't sound like a mechanical issue)

when I start by holding gas now she stumbles and dies. when she does run its super rough.

No coolant in oil or vice versa.
I think this is idle are control valve or mas going bad.
there is fuel in the rail. I popped the line off and there was no lack of fuel.

help ?
jeep is stuck at work until I figure this out.

This motor was rebuilt like 5k miles ago.

without hitting gas starting she just turns and turns. will not start.
NO CODES AT ALL code 12 and 55 battery disconnect and end of codes only ones showing.

I cannot tow her home til I get paid Friday. So I am trying to figure this out before then. if its just a sensor I can swap it in the parking lot and save myself the cost of a tow that's the main goal here.

I have yet to pull the spark plugs to check for other issues. I will get back with information if I get the plugs out.

Im going to go check if the distributor is turning on my next break at work to see if timing chain broke but I doubt it since it will start. when holding gas.

Sounds like a loose or failing crank position sensor. Check to make sure wiring isn't melted to the exhaust. Sensor is on top of transmission bellhousing behind intake and exhaust manifold.

90xj06 said:

Sounds like a loose or failing crank position sensor. Check to make sure wiring isn't melted to the exhaust. Sensor is on top of transmission bellhousing behind intake and exhaust manifold.

Click to expand...

Was just reading other posts about this.
highly likely seems like issue.

(I did replace that cps like 2 years ago~) but wiring melted. could be.
I have a break in an hour. Ill get back with results.
Wouldn't cps throw a code ? I think it did before if my memory serves.

Yep.
CPS sensor is melted really bad at the connector.
its melted to the point I cannot pull the pieces apart.
guessing wiring wont be in better shape until the loom.
I have wiring in the car. so ill cut it and see if I can connect the wires.
Ill get back with more info later.

Get a pair of vice grips on the sensor and be happy you dont have a xj.... You have to take the intake off to get at the sensor on them. Like I said vice grips. If it is actually melted on (not sure how thats even possible) then try applying heat to melt it again. Apply the heat on the bell housing so maybe you can make the exterior of the sensor tacky and pull it out. You may need to take the intake off for this and keep it away from all wires and hoses... More importantly, find out how it melted to begin with.

Cut the connector off. Spliced the wires. No change at all
Ideas ?

still replace cps ?

I gave up after messing with her for 2 hours and rode the bus home from work.

I When I cut the connector apart the terminals were corroded internally. (brown metal). So I just cut them off. marked where each wire was. and stripped and twisted (until I can solder it) the wires together.
this proved nothing different in results.
I have another crank position sensor in storage (the oem one) nothing was wrong with it. so Ill swap that in tomorrow when I go back over.
Other than that. What else could it be.
Pretty sure i have fuel pressure.
engine is fresh rebuild so think compression is good.
when I can get her to turn over. she acts like the timing is way off.
Idles super rough.

Im thinking must be cps or iacv.
opinions on this ?

One more thing I think I should say.
Last week she wouldn't start either.
Had to hold the gas.

When this happened. I was throwing code for idle air control valve.

I popped the hood to find the vacuum line from intake man to the main computer on the firewall was broken in half. I repaired it with a tight fitting bit of fuel line . connecting both broken pieces of plastic. (hose is so tight its not leaking air) this fixed this issue.
I feel like it is odd it threw a iacv code at that time and maybe is related. but no codes at the moment.


So.
Here is my current plan.
I am going to go to my storage (no garage at the moment ).
My list so far of what I am going to go back over with.

noid light (for if I can get her started)
compression tester
spark tester
fuel pressure gauge
(HOPEFULLY MY OEM CPS)
and we will see if we cannot deduce the root of this issue.
Battery is a new yellowtop D34 and was put in 2 weeks ago, I have no worries about this. replaced because my old one was 11.5 years old and at 9 volts was still cranking the car. Yellowtop all the way.
I am like 99% sure I still have my oem cps. or at least I really hope I am. since I just cut the connector off the O'rilleys one, I am sure they will try to say that voids the lifetime warranty. lol did not think of that one.

My roommate just made a really great point. I was messing with the distributor like 6 months ago. he said what if that bolt was loose and the distributor moved.
This could be a very valid point.
Going to check into everything I can and get back.
Sorry for the mass of posts just trying to solve this asap. Its been a fun week.
Dropped the motorcycle due to loose ground a week ago. lucky it was low speed. still did some *fixable damage tho. so do not have other transport aside from the train and bus. And if you have not experienced public transport recently. its like hell. except worse because people constantly ask you for money....

maybe try disconnecting the battery for a bit. might need a reset.

Are you sure it isn't fuel related. Get a can of carb cleaner and squirt some down the intake. If it fires for a few seconds you are fighting a fuel related problem. You can also check the fuel pressure by pushing the Schrader valve and seeing if it has a healthy squirt of fuel.

My guess is a bad fuel pump or the hose between the fuel pump and the mounting, inside the tank.

I thought of fuel supply in my first read through. Had a old vw that did something similar when it fuel filter got clogged. But never had a jeep do it.

Second thought was I thought faulty TPS caused WOT starts. But I'm not sure, I'll do so searching when I can.

Definitely check fuel pressure if the CPS swap/wiring doesn't fix it.




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sputter and stall sounds like fuel pressure to me. Get a pressure tester and hook it up. That's the first test, not the last. Could be electrical, could be pump itself

I could not find my fuel pressure tester. nor my 2nd cps.
I did push the shrader valve down with the key in. and did not get a spirt of fuel.
popped the hose off. and there was fuel in the rail. a lot leaked out.
Should it spray out if the key is in the on position ?
may I actually have a fuel issue ?

Pressurize the system by Turing the key just before the car cranks 3 times, the should pressurize the system.
Carefully Try valve after that.


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I did. turned the key. let it sit for 10 seconds. didn't crank the engine.
pushed Schrader.
no fuel coming out.
Fuel is coming to the rail.
I replaced the filter about 6 months ago. (napa)
The fuel pump was replaced 2 years ago. (napa)
I think we may have a winner.
(on a side note) I pulled every plug. all look good


I am thinking there should be a healthy amount leaking out ? right ?

can you hear the pump running? there should at least be some drips of fuel.

Yes I can hear the pump
I am suspect the filter is blocked in the bottom of the tank. Or it fell off. (again) and is now blocked


So I want to confirm. With the key on. If I depress that Schrader valve. Fuel should spray out right ?
Cos I have 0 fuel coming out. But removing the pipes on the rail fuel is in there.
Im going to fully remove the Schrader on my next break and see if we get a flow of fuel. that way I can rule out faulty schrader

Pulled Schrader off. Turned key. Tons of gas shot everywhere. Not fuel pressure