88 Woody XJ wont start (already searched and need more help)

Here are the stats: 88 XJ Wagoneer with AW4 and 4.0L Renix

Here is the issue: Battery went dead. Replaced battery and now vehicle won't start. The starter turns the engine but it never cranks.

What I've already tried:

1. Reharnessed and replaced the CPS sensor (done by dealer when having rear main seal fixed 1000 miles ago) and tried reconnecting several times.
2. Vehicle has new distributor cap, rotor button, plugs and wires from a service 1000 miles ago.
3. Vehicle will turn over in both Drive and Nuetral but won't start.
4. Good new battery(Optima red top).
5. Bypassed the fuel pump ballast resistor.
6. Verified all connections to the TPS and MAP sensors and reconnected them with connector grease to make sure they were getting a good connection.

I am certain it is something simple I am forgetting after working on this beast for 8 years...but I am stuck and don't want to send my baby to the dealer again if I don't have to as they don't have alot experience of with Renix model XJ's and will tinker with mine to "find" the issue...

Help...

Did you bump the coil/wire? (Do you have spark from the coil/plug wires?)
Do your ground connections look good?
Do you have proper fuel pressure at the rail?
AKAIK, only the CPS & MAP sensors will keep an XJ from starting, the NSS only keeps it from cranking.

Renix XJs are pretty simple, as long as you have a good CPS, fire & fuel it should start/run.

Unplug then re-plug the c.p.s. connector, that worked on my 90 renix.

Sean

Check your grounds on side of block

I'm currently having the exact same problem, and dealt with all the same things you did in order to try to fix it. I'm struggling to find the problem. Someone mentioned possibly the camshaft position sensor...

a renix will start without a valid camshaft position sensor signal....it just takes a while longer

Is your CPS sensor seated hard? I know you don't want to hear CPS again, but it is worth another go. Mine is notched and i f I don't press very hard downward on it when tightening the bolts, it won't work right. The gap is supposed to be .82 mm and that is close.
I have definitely gone thru this the hard way.

First, pull one of the spark plug wires at the spark plug. Have someone crank the engine, and see if the plug wire sparks to ground. If it does spark the CPS is OK. If not, work back to the primary spark wire, try again, if no spark look up a test of the HV coil and volatges to the ignition modual (another computer attached to and a part of the HV coil.

You can test the CPS sensor output with a multi meter for a peak DC voltage output. Testing details are in a thread here somewhere.

IF you have spark, then try holding the gas pedal to the floor (WOT) while cranking. This tells the ECU to stop feeding fuel. If the engine is flooded this will dry it out and start it.

If it still does not start get the multi meter and test the IAT and CTS temperature sensors. My IAT went bad one day and made cold starts nearly(95% of the time) impossible.

Lastly if all these fail, disconnect the TPS and crank the engine At idle first, then at WOT if it does not start at idle). Also if you have not done so already test the TPS voltages with the multimeter.

Fuel Pump Relay? That was my problem

check for spark, if thats good look at the pump and the relay as mentioned

My cps wire was burned by the manifold and was grounding against it. It sat for 5 months before the weather was nice enough for me to mess with it. It was a 3 minute and $0.15 fix. Try that on for size