Jeep Wrangler Forum banner

Hello Help Please

3K views 34 replies 10 participants last post by  Junior815 
#1 ·
Hi all new member with a Tj that has some issues.Was hoping someone could help me figure out what wrong running out of patience and money.
Here is what i have and done to it.I bought a 1999 tj with a locked 4.0 ,brought it home pulled motor and rebuilt all new parts.Noticed all cylinders had rust in them so i pulled gas tank and found water mix,drained and blew out lines.Installed new fuel injectors,crank sensor,coil pack ,ditributor.Tries to start but will not unless i feather the gas pedal back and forth and hold at about 1/4 pedal then runs extremely rough seems like on 3 cylinders wont idle at all.Smells real rich,plugs have black soot but not wet with fuel.Checked for codes and the only thing I got out of it was a bad coil or secondary ignition issue and have change all.Still no change.....Sorry this was long winded but just hoping somebody knows what is going on because I sure do not.Thanks in advance!:confused:
 
#2 ·
I just rebuilt a 4.0 into a 4.7 Stroker. I had the same issues!

For me it was a timing problem. Getting the body of the Distributor aligned properly. Let me look for the proceedure....

:popcorn:

OK pal - I could not find it. But here is what I remember:

1) Get your engine to TDC
2) Take the distributor cap off and ensure your Rotor button is pointing at the #1 plug
3) Pull distributor
4) Turn your oil pump to slightly past the 11 o'clock position
5) Start to set your distributor back into the engine using the monting bolt hole as an alignment - like you want to put a long bolt thru the distributor and into the engine
6) Turn the rotor button so the oil pump pick-up tab is aimed at slightly past the 11 o'clock position - so the tab will fit into the oil pump slot.
7) Insert the Distribuator into the engine - the rotor button should move to the 5 o'clock position

The main thing that messed with me in this proceedure was: 12 o'clock is the engine block. 3 o'clock is the headlights...9 o'clock is the cab. You will be standing in the 6 o'clock position.

Let us know if this helps pal!

-johnnie
 
#3 ·
appreciate the help

yeah I had thought timing issue but was not sure,you get so many different possible fixes but have not come across the right one yet.I had started second guessing my timing gear set but im sure thats right.Thanks I will recheck distributor. Dave
 
#5 ·
Trying to not start a new post. I need help with my TJ 1997 4 cyl. The series of events up to my current issue was this.

Jeep died on me on way home from school.
Towed to house, getting no fuel, figured pump but found blown 20 amp fuse. replaced.
Jeep would try to start but not start.
Read forum and found related posts pointing to cam and crank sensor.
Replaced the cam sensor- jeep runs but very badly. rough idle will not go away.
bought new wires and distributor cap and rotor. Same condition...
Pulled spark plugs and the number two plug looked to be blown up. End was all mangled and porcelain gone.
Replaced all of the plugs. Same thing... Rough idle will not go away.
Bought a new crank sensor and replaced. same thing.
Cleaned all connections with electrical parts cleaner.
same thing...
I am at a complete loss. And running out of money. What else could have caused this issue. I have cleaned the iac. and tps connections. Also after pulling new plugs the number 1 and 2 plugs were soaked with gas. 3 was semi ok and four was black and dry. Also intake has fuel in it. Any ideas??? Could the timing chain have slipped? Could the flywheel be messed up causing sensor to not work right??? I am out of ideas. Thanks to any response given!
 
#6 ·
Junior815 said:
Trying to not start a new post. I need help with my TJ 1997 4 cyl. The series of events up to my current issue was this.

Jeep died on me on way home from school.
Towed to house, getting no fuel, figured pump but found blown 20 amp fuse. replaced.
Jeep would try to start but not start.
Read forum and found related posts pointing to cam and crank sensor.
Replaced the cam sensor- jeep runs but very badly. rough idle will not go away.
bought new wires and distributor cap and rotor. Same condition...
Pulled spark plugs and the number two plug looked to be blown up. End was all mangled and porcelain gone.
Replaced all of the plugs. Same thing... Rough idle will not go away.
Bought a new crank sensor and replaced. same thing.
Cleaned all connections with electrical parts cleaner.
same thing...
I am at a complete loss. And running out of money. What else could have caused this issue. I have cleaned the iac. and tps connections. Also after pulling new plugs the number 1 and 2 plugs were soaked with gas. 3 was semi ok and four was black and dry. Also intake has fuel in it. Any ideas??? Could the timing chain have slipped? Could the flywheel be messed up causing sensor to not work right??? I am out of ideas. Thanks to any response given!
number 2 looked blown up I'd start there, you've problem got a problem with timing.
 
#8 ·
Ok thanks, I will check the rotor, but would the motor even run if it wasn't?
Is it easy to do a compression test? I have never done that before. And also how would the timing change if the distributor has not been removed?? Thanks for the responses.

Update. I also checked the 02 sensor and it seems to be good.
Checked all of my grounds from frame to motor and firewall. Found loose one on motor but didn't help after tightening.:banghead:
 
#14 ·
Setting distributor.

I see what your saying, I was talking about if you had pulled the distributor on a 1997 4cyl. I have seen different ways of setting it to the correct position depending on the year and motor i think. I have replaced the crank shaft position sensor also.

So to recap. The jeep is running but very rough idle that will not go away. I have checked all wires, grounds, and 02 sensor. Replaced the Distributor pick up and the crankshaft position sensor. Also new plugs, wires and cap and rotor. I have not pulled the distributor out so nothing should have changed there. I have no CEL but the CEL never lights up even when turning key on so it may not be working. Could i be looking at computer replacement? Also does anyone know the easiest way to check fuel pressure? I do not see a schraeder valve to connect to.
 
#15 ·
Battery terminals

I also did what I have seen you talk about many times in other posts Jerry. I removed the battery terminals and cleaned them in/out with wire brush and the posts of battery to ensure good connection. They tighten down fine. But I read in other posts that a battery that is on its way out will cause the jeep to idle rough. How rough? Should I just pull it and get it checked?
Thanks for the help.
 
#16 ·
Ok. My guesses lead me to the fuel pressure regulator.. The motor is getting to much fuel and everything else I have done seems to check out. So I pulled the tank yesterday. Is there any way to check the regulator on the bench? I rented a fuel pressure gauge from parts store but no fittings would work on my jeep. No valve. I will probably just buy a new pump and assembly and install because the jeep had the leak down causing a slow start Anyway. Any further ideas are welcome.
 
#17 ·
The engine wouldn't be getting too much fuel even if the fuel pressure regulator was wide open... which I strongly doubt it is. The amount of fuel delivered via the fuel injectors is strictly controlled by the computer... the computer only opens the fuel injectors long enough to achieve the required air/fuel mixture.
 
#20 ·
I had a 84 Cherokee with the 2.5L One day it wouldn't start. Found the the dist. drive gear was chewed up. Replaced it, and after a month, same thing. I found the the cam gear was also chewed up so I replace the cam. Went a few months and it started again. This time, I checked the dist. and found that the shaft was catching on a part inside and the bumping it was doing was causing the problem. Put in a new dist and problem solved.

Bottom line, you might want to check the dist for problem that might be causing the timing issue.

Hope this helps.
 
#21 ·
distributor problem

You need to check your oil thru all of this because after i got mine running I noticed low oil pressure on my new rebuild.Pulled oil pan and looked up at the cam and saw damaged bearings,with the engine not starting was dumping fuel past my rings and washed all lube of my bearings so when it started it had ground off about 10 thousands off the bottom side of bearings.Pulled motor and replaced bearings runs great now.GAS IN OIL BAD!!!!!
 
#23 ·
You do not need to be running to get the codes out of a 97. Here is what you can do:

1) Get a notepad
2) Sit in Jeep.
3) Cycle the key from off to on 3 times.
4) The CEL will blink out the codes. Sorta' like Morse Code.

Long blink...blink...blink Would be 12

Always ends in 55.

Long story but, my Jeep shows the numbers where the Odometer is. I do not know what my computer is from though.

If all else fails I have a ECU for a 97 2.5L 5 Speed. (I do not remeber if you are a 5 speed?)

Let us know what you get pal!
 
#28 ·
I would definitely like to help you troubleshoot more, along with all the other fellas, and ladies, before I even tried to sell you a part you may not need!

I would also like some others to suggest a fair price, for both of us, if you do need a computer.

Can any others get us in, or near, a ballpark. I know the computer works – I was testing my ne motor with the ECU in question. Let me just say a ECU WILL tell your motor a lot of things! LOL!

Seriously want to help. The only other idea I had for this ECU was silver plating it and making a necklace out of it! I heard that always gets the chicks! :punk:

Let me know if I can be of anymore assistance Jr.

-johnnie
 
#29 ·
Sorry for the time gap. Been busy at work. I was able to test the jeep with an obd ll reader. The only fault that it came up with was the O2 sensor, which I would believe is partly due to the condition the motor is running in. Either way I pulled it and am going to get a new one. But I just don't believe that is the problem. What else could it be? If it throws no computer codes then can I rule it out? I get plenty of exhaust out of tailpipe so I don't think the cat is clogged. Any ideas?? Thanks.
 
#30 ·
The Culprit...

I performed a compression test on each cylinder and found that the number 2 cylinder which had the damaged spark plug has no compression.. Live and learn I guess. Thanks to everyone for the assistance, without your help I would be even more stuck. So what should I do first? Pull head or pull motor? What do you guys think?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top