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Where can I find the right Crankshaft Positioning Sensor

O

One_Sick_XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Riverside
I have been having starting issues lately, and after doing some tests, I have concluded that my crankshaft positioning sensor is going out on me and I need to get a new one. I have a 1989 Cherokee Pioneer 4x4 Auto Trans Renix 4.0 (non HO) engine with tow package. I have already checked with Auto Zone and the ones that they have are a 2 wire 3 prong plug on the end that snaps into the plug mounted by the fuel rail and NAPA doesn't show them on their website at all. I have a 2 wire 2 prong plug and the available 3 prong plug will not work even with some "altercations" and I am trying to avoid going through the dealer. Any help with places and part numbers would be appreciated! I will even appreciate the dealer part number so that I have something to reference to. Thanks in advance!
 
One_Sick_XJ said:
I have been having starting issues lately, and after doing some tests, I have concluded that my crankshaft positioning sensor is going out on me and I need to get a new one. I have a 1989 Cherokee Pioneer 4x4 Auto Trans Renix 4.0 (non HO) engine with tow package. I have already checked with Auto Zone and the ones that they have are a 2 wire 3 prong plug on the end that snaps into the plug mounted by the fuel rail and NAPA doesn't show them on their website at all. I have a 2 wire 2 prong plug and the available 3 prong plug will not work even with some "altercations" and I am trying to avoid going through the dealer. Any help with places and part numbers would be appreciated! I will even appreciate the dealer part number so that I have something to reference to. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I believe you'll be wanting Borg/Warner #CSS582. You can also score the part (Crown, I believe, but I don't recall the P/N) from Morris 4x4 Center - they're a sponsor here - for a reasonable price.

The OEM sensor uses a three-pole Delphi Weatherpack connector with only two wires installed, so that's not off. If you've got a third wire, it's a dummy or someone did something wrong - both sides of that connector should only have two wires in it.

The later HO sensors (1991-up) use a three-pole Deustch connector - which is signficantly different from the earlier Delphi Weatherpacks.
 
Thanks for your reply 5-90! I don't have a 3 pole connector or 3 wires. My XJ has a 2 pole connector with 2 wires, so when I went to Autozone, I found that they only have the 3 pole 2 wire connector, so that will not work on mine. :( Is the above part number for a 2 pole 2 wire connector?
 
Thanks for the link lawsoncl. I found that link along with this one:http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoCPSchange.htm in a thread when I was searching for info on the CPS. If you look at the link, it contains a picture of the sensor with the exact same connector on it that I have on mine. I also took my hand and followed the line coming from the sensor that is in the bell housing up to the connector and it was the 2 prong one that I described above. I tried to start my XJ for 20 minutes today without any luck, then I found the sensor, followed the line up to the connector, unplugged and replugged it in and the XJ started right up, so I am assuming that it is the correct one and that it is the cause of my starting issue. Any help on where to find the 2 prong connector CPS sensor without being price gouged would be great!
 
One_Sick_XJ said:
Thanks for your reply 5-90! I don't have a 3 pole connector or 3 wires. My XJ has a 2 pole connector with 2 wires, so when I went to Autozone, I found that they only have the 3 pole 2 wire connector, so that will not work on mine. :( Is the above part number for a 2 pole 2 wire connector?
Click to expand...

Either you're looking at the wrong sensor wiring, or someone has changed it on you.

What are your symptoms, what's your year, and what colour wires are you looking at? I know there's another sensor that's wired in back there using a two-pole connector, but I don't recall which one it is offhand...
 
One_Sick_XJ said:
Thanks for your reply 5-90! I don't have a 3 pole connector or 3 wires. My XJ has a 2 pole connector with 2 wires, so when I went to Autozone, I found that they only have the 3 pole 2 wire connector, so that will not work on mine. :( Is the above part number for a 2 pole 2 wire connector?
Click to expand...

Either you're looking at the wrong sensor wiring, or someone has changed it on you.

What are your symptoms, what's your year, and what colour wires are you looking at? I know there's another sensor that's wired in back there using a two-pole connector, but I don't recall which one it is offhand...
 
One_Sick_XJ said:
Thanks for your reply 5-90! I don't have a 3 pole connector or 3 wires. My XJ has a 2 pole connector with 2 wires, so when I went to Autozone, I found that they only have the 3 pole 2 wire connector, so that will not work on mine. :( Is the above part number for a 2 pole 2 wire connector?
Click to expand...

Either you're looking at the wrong sensor wiring, or someone has changed it on you.

What are your symptoms, what's your year, and what colour wires are you looking at? I know there's another sensor that's wired in back there using a two-pole connector, but I don't recall which one it is offhand...
 
5-90: I have a 1989 XJ with all of the options mentioned in my original post. My symptoms are: getting crank, getting battery power, but the engine not turning over. The wires going from the connector that is attached to sensor are: Purple with a White stripe and White with a Black stripe. The reasons why I believe this is the correct connector are because: the connector matches perfectly with the connector shown in the write up that I linked in my post above and I followed the wire from the sensor to the connector that I am 90% certain is the correct one. I also took a few pictures so you can see what I am seeing. The connector is located on the drivers side of the block right above the fuel rail. The one thing that I am uncertain about is if a previous owner swapped engines for a newer non HO RENIX engine but I am unsure. Here are the pictures:

2010-12-08_01-12-39_6.jpg


2010-12-08_01-13-11_668.jpg


2010-12-08_01-15-38_825.jpg
 
It looks like someone has spliced a different connector onto your harness and CPS(I've never understood why there was a 3 position plug in the first place) To get a replacement, you're gonna have to cut-n-splice the two position plug onto the new one or splice the factory three position plug back onto the harness.
 
Shorty said:
It looks like someone has spliced a different connector onto your harness and CPS(I've never understood why there was a 3 position plug in the first place) To get a replacement, you're gonna have to cut-n-splice the two position plug onto the new one or splice the factory three position plug back onto the harness.
Click to expand...


I agree. I just got done bypassing the C101 connector so the CPS wires no longer run through it. You have the correct color codes on the harness side, but in a 2 position connector. Weird.

If you're gonna be cutting and splicing, solder only with shrink tube BTW, now would be a great time to bypass the troublesome C101 firewall connector. Factory had a bulletin on doing it, but it's much more difficult than doing it the way I did.
 
Rock Auto has Wells CPS sensors for $42. probably higher quality then the Duralast.
 
there was a TSB years ago that was to fix the wires when they melted on the exhaust, can't remember the info on it
 
didnt know that.... I only have a advance near me. But regardless its cheaper from rock auto :cheers:
 
to further add to this mystery, my 87 MJ had a two prong connector, and had no evidence that it had ever been changed from the factory.

I removed the connector, since weatherpak connectors suck anyway, and used two wire nuts. I was going to get around to soldering those, but wire nuts have been working for 5+ years now. You use what you got when you're on the side of the road, and I ran into the same connector discrepancy the OP has.
 
That's wacky as hell.

That is exactly the right connector and it looks like it was never spliced on the CPS sensor side, so I think you're in the same boat as 87manche.

I would get the pin removal tool for the weatherpak connectors, buy a new RENIX CPS with the 3 pin connector, and swap the connector shell from the old sensor onto the new CPS cable. Shouldn't take more than a couple minutes with the proper pin removal tool.

OR you can get a 3 pin weatherpak of the appropriate gender and splice it into your harness so you can use standard 3 pin RENIX CPSes in the future.
 
1. Don't buy a 1995 crank sensor.

2. Buy the correct crank sensor with the 3-prong connector and convert it to the 2-prong connector after you pull the old sensor out--that would be easiest.

3. Completely change the wiring to the TSB fix (mentioned earlier) and wire straight into the ECU. If you want I will email you a copy of the TSB instructions, just PM me your email address.
 
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