Renix distributor

"Not sure if you have a hall effect or magnetic pickup in the distributor, but did you try changing it?"

That was a question posted to me on a local car site. Any thoughts?

not sure what type it is (i know its a standard ford distributor and the cam position sensor rarely goes )

Considering my XJ spent time in the water, you think the cam position sensor would have defied odds n went byebye?

the more i think about it the more i think your xj is rolling with bad grounds.. the time in the water would have added to the corrosion and that would explain all flukes when everyting else is good

It's tough to change without special tools, you can buy a re-man with a new pickup. It has nothing to do with spark, a renix will start and run without the pickup connected.
Moose did you ever ask one of the FedEx mechanics to take a look at your XJ?

Bad grounds... How many grounds are there? I took off the one I know and did clean it some weeks/months ago... Anymore that one? The one main from the battery is all I know.

FedEx mechs... Never thought about it. I play rugby with a few. I'll ask them at practice.

I got an offer for $1000 for my Jeep as is... Tempting but I dont think I can do that. I dont wanna start over. It's a better story to tell when u say u fixed it from death. Very tempting in these times but I'm 97% sure I will turn it down.

What goos would pulling my distributor out. All I know is it will cause me greif cause the timing would likely be messed up upon replacing it. But this local forum, the people tell me to pull the distributor. I don't wanna do that.

Pulling the distributor is relatively simple - and something you're going to do if you build the engine anyhow.

Have a piece of chalk or a paint marker handy when you're doing the job...

Remove the clamp at the base. It should not allow for much variation in the distributor alignment, but make a "match-mark" at the base of the distributor and the engine block to ensure alignment anyhow.

Pull up the distributor, and make marks at the rim of the housing to note the alignment of the rotor AFTER YOU PULL IT OUT. This is where you'll want the rotor to go before you put it back in. The gear should not matter on alignment, but it's safe to make "match-marks" on the gear and shaft to make sure...

Once you have the distributor out, there is a roll pin down through the drive gear. Remove it, remove the drive gear, and pull the shaft out through the top. This will allow you to service the sensor, and possibly the bushings as well.

Reassembly and installation is the reverse of removal. I've read your little essay that you sent me - that seems to be the only thing you haven't serviced. I'm still kicking around ideas anyhow, but do remember that the XJ is not a "Schwimmwagen..."

5-90

As for the grounds other than the battery.
1. On the dip stick bolt.
2. Back of engine to firewall.
3. Driverside fender.
4. Under Driverside kick panel.

my favourte ground is the one from the back of the engine to the firewall it will kill a renix motor in a heart beat

cool cool, yall wouldnt happen to have diagrams or pics of what exactly i am looking for on the 4 grounds?

no pics handy but the one off the battery is #1 then the second one is going to be over by your tranny dipstick it bolts to the engine block... the third one is the main engine killer and its by your last injector near the coolant temp sensor in the rear corner of your engine block it goes from the valve cover to the firewall kind of near the emissions decal... fix them and im kinda thinking your xj may start

MOOSE16285 said:

cool cool, yall wouldnt happen to have diagrams or pics of what exactly i am looking for on the 4 grounds?

Click to expand...

Don't need pictures, there just a bunch of wires bolted/screwed down.
You need to take them off and clean them, you can't tell nutton by lookin.

what about the one near the kick panel... where is that?

would these b eobvious ground? Like thicker gauges and got a few things tied into it?

the firewall one is a copper strap... the other ones are just 3 wires bolted to your block down by the oil filter area... if u go out with a flashlight right now you should at least be able to check the firewall one you wont be able to miss him sitting there..

Str8, I'll get on it Monday morning. I'm dressed in my cleans n smell goods for tonight. Work 7 - 5 tomorrow and off to supa bowl fiesta with the buddies. So Monday will hafta do it. I'll let ya know how it goes. - MOOSE

Body Grounds - 1989 FSM:
Driver's Side Fenderwell, behind Electrical Fan Relay. Light Gage w/screw
Driver's Side rear of Cylinder Head - aluminum braid to firewall. Bolted.
Battery to Engine Block - near Dipstick attachment point. Bolted
Behind Driver's Side Cargo Area Linger - for rear lighting. Light gage w/screw

I believe there's one to be found near the battery as well, on the Passenger Side Fenderwell. I can't say for sure - but I seem to recall seeing one there, even though it's not in the FSM.

Second taking them apart - you aren't going to get a look under the lug and the sheetmetal without taking them apart. Take them apart, clean them with a wire brush, remove a small patch of paint around the screw, and apply Ox-Gard before reassembly. If the lug is too far gone - replace it. Might want to replace the screws as well, just to be safe. I'll usually put a washer under the screw head as well - it helps keep the lug from being malformed - and helps keep a nice even clamping load on the lug to the sheetmetal (apply a little Ox-Gard to that as well - can't hurt.)

I haven't found any grounds under the dashboard, but I'd have a look for one or more under there as well - the ECU ground is listed as going to the main engine block ground, but don't count on it. Same treatment there as with all the other grounds.

5-90

i feel you.. we gotta get it running somehow with the expertese on naxja somehow it will run here are some pics though that i just took on mine

1st is an engine overview

And here also. The kick panel is the plastic by your left foot.