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No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

mdwatkins

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Heber, UT
The cherokee just decided to quit on me this afternoon.

The wife drove it to work without problem...came out after work and the damn thing won't start. Just cranks and cranks...

Thought it might be out of gas...2 gal and nadda...just cranks and cranks. The reason I thought it might be outta gas is that the guage isn't registering anything....even after the 2 gal fill up.

When I leave the key in the run position the check engine light will eventually turn on and in the odometer "no bus" or "no bu5" comes up...

I haven't had any problems with it. It hasn't given me any indications that this was coming and has been running great. The last weird thing it did was about a month ago it just quit on me while I was backing into our drive way...but it started right back up; however it did idle a little rough just after that...but it only lasted a few moments and hasn't had a problem since.

The only other thing I can come up with is maybe the throttle position or crank position sensors...I just don't see why it would just quit like this...

Any ideas????

I've got to get this thing up and runnin ASAP...It's a 99 with 90K on the clock

Matt
_______________
 
Plug in a obd II scanner and see what it has to say. Also check every ground you can find. If it is the original battery it might be time for a new one, do the interior lights come on, headlights, all that stuff work OK, did the radio maintain memory of the preset stations and time ??
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

Has power....all the electronics work and have power...that was my first thought too, but nadda...

The scanner is a good idea...but I don't have one and really don't have the cash to get one...

Matt
 
I picked on up at AA for like $150 or so but some parts stores will loan them out. Do none of the gauges work at all, does it go thru the 'gauge check' thing ?? I'd still start looking for loose wires, the cps will still allow it to crank. I'd look at fuses and cables to start if you have no tools... pull some relay and reseat them, look for any that are corroded. Look for any burnt wires. If a heavy ground goes then electricity will take the next path of least resistance even if it's a 16ga wire...
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

The guages work...as far as I can tell...I did the code thing by holding in the mileage reset while turning the key to run and it went through all its diagnostics just fine...also giving me no codes...but then I'm still not sure I'm doing it right...

Will a CPS give a check engine light?

Matt
 
97+ ODB II's do not give codes thru the odometer, you need a reader. Like I said, I'd start with manually checking every wire you can find, every fuse you can check and then if you have a volt meter check the voltage at the starter. I don't know what your weather is like up there but some weird things can happen, seen road ice with a high salt ice melting mix build up and short stuff out. Maybe put it in a warm garage overnite to let any ice and snow boogers melt out...
One thing I have noticed on my kids two 97TJ's, they both can get real reluctant to engage the starter when it's really cold out, just noticed it this year.
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

I wish I could get it in a warm garage tonight...but unfortunately we had to leave it in the parking garage at the wifes work...I'll make sure I check all the fuses, and for any loose/burned wires when I get back up that way in the morning...

Matt
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

I still bet it is the CPS. Make sure the wire hasn't gotten over next to the exhaust manifold and been melted.
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

old_man said:
I still bet it is the CPS. Make sure the wire hasn't gotten over next to the exhaust manifold and been melted.

Good point...didn't think to check that...but then it was like 10 degree and darker than a well diggers butt...

Matt
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

Just to clarify...CPS is cam position? or Crankshaft position? Just to make sure I'm heading in the right direction...

Matt
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

mdwatkins said:
Just to clarify...CPS is cam position? or Crankshaft position? Just to make sure I'm heading in the right direction...

Matt

Looking for CPS? (crank position sensor)

head here:
cps_4a.gif
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

I had something similar happen to me... I was sitting at the light and the truck just died. Tried starting it.. same symptoms as ur having. It turned out to be the wiring harness "disco" between the body and the tank.. took it apart and gave it a good clean out.. was back in business!
 
rock hard said:
I had something similar happen to me... I was sitting at the light and the truck just died. Tried starting it.. same symptoms as ur having. It turned out to be the wiring harness "disco" between the body and the tank.. took it apart and gave it a good clean out.. was back in business!

Oh, that brought something back, when I bought my 98 new one of the first mods I did was a set of fog lights, bought the factory add on kit. When I was installing it I was running the single relay wire thru the firewall down near the clutch pedal where the main harness comes in, under the master cylinder area.
The big connector box on mine, big greay one, was almost falling in half, symptoms were the whole dash going dead intermittantly between bumps on the hiway. Pulled it apart, cleaned it out then put it back together, a single bolt in the middle had backed out that held it together. This helped the problem I was having but I still had the gauge problem and fixed that by removing the instrument cluster and cleaning and tweaking the self docking connectors, that stopped my dash going dead and the airbag light coming one. I never had the whole jeep go dead though and from what you are saying the starter won't even spin over...
Mines a manual, wonder if the NSS can cause this problem..
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

Usually the NSS won't even let the engine crank, if I remember right. Something else besides the Crank Position Sensor would be the Cam position sensor. Had one of the guys that I work with have the same problem on his 95 YJ. Pulled the codes, cam sensor open circuit. Check the harness and found a broken wire. He went down to the local Autozone and borrowed their diagostic reader.It would help greatly if you could pull the codes from the computer. It could also be the ingnition module causing all the problems.

Laters..........Mikey :cool:
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

The same thing happened to me on my 87' about a month ago it ended up being the fuel pump relay. I checked and replaced the crank position sensor and coil then after it didnt start again I noticed that I didnt hear the fuel pump coming on when I turned the key . I swapped the ac relay for the fuel pump relay and it fired right up. I learned to always start with the simple S@#T first!
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

sounds liek s adumb quest to you but, u gettin gas in teh carb? CHeck teh fuel filter / frozen lines. good luck.
 
If I understand correctly it's not even turning over...
 
I had a similar thing happen with my '95... CPS did the trick. If a parts store had been open at 9pm, it might have saved my bacon, but as it was, I was left stranded in Pontiac, IL and had to pay $250 to get home! Oy. Now I keep a spare with me at all times, as I understand they're some tempermental.
 
Re: No start...has me stumped (searched the no start threads and I'm a little confused)

Yeah it turns over...

Tried the CPS trick of plugging and unplugging it and letting it sit...nadda...did this to every connection I could find under the bonnett and the fuel pump electrics...Nada...

So I had to do the worst...call the tow truck.. :mad: Dropped it off at the stealership about an hour ago...just heard back that the scanner isn't reading anything from the computer and that the comp is acting weird like it's been shorted out and possibly fried... :rattle:

Thanks for the help on this one guys I really apprecaite all the quick responses...I tried everything you suggested and that I could think of...Right now I really wish it was as simple as the CPS...I'll let ya know just what it turns out to be...

Matt
 
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