onestrongwriter

it was the distributor cps connector ripped off.. she starts now so on to the previous drivability issues. green means go lol
1991 Cherokee 2.5 4x4 5 speed multiport fi 102k.. she had 094k when I bought her
I bought her after she was sitting for an undetermined amount of time. My husband basically rebuilt the front axle, new shocks, new tires, new brakes, new air filter, new battery, new blower motor, newish plugs and wires we thought.
history.. didn't want to accelerate in 4th... it was fine if I skipped 4th
was driving about 80 on the highway and it just quit. I have a full tank of gas. I assume it isn't getting any spark lol
had to have it towed... This was in like February, it was either running really well, or didn't need to be just in 4th to have problems accelerating. The entire driver's side was soaking wet. I do not know with what.
There does appear to be some fluid all over the valve cover and running down under it. there is

She is amazing and is still trying to start. There may or may not be any fuel smell on that dipstick. there is nothing leaking under it except the power steering. the coolant leaks ever so slowly and we have tried to replace the rad cap a few times, to no avail.
She has codes 12 and 54....

why? what would cause the wires to all come off the distributor, seemingly all at once? Today when I checked the codes by key, there was not a smell of gas. the pump does make noise when I turn the key. it was suggested she isn't getting fuel, probably should change the oil .. any ideas?

it happened all at once...

no idea what this goes to

or these

way at the top about where the orange dot is.. going to the right.. is that supposed to be attached to anything?

onestrongwriter

Also, it made a loud noise when it all happened...

tech

Maybe a rat was under there ?

onestrongwriter

my husband would prefer a cat... just sayin.

it was my daily.. i had driven it about an hour n half to the big hospital and this happened 30 minutes of less of leaving the gas station after leaving the hospital. this hospital isn't in the best areas so anything is possible.. plus I used the valet and got yelled at.. no one knew how to drive a stick...lol

got m/y hands on online chilton
coolant is full and pretty.. power steering is way less than full... which I already know is on the driveway. pre existing condition..

the only gauge she has is volts my hubby installed... there wasn't any idiot lights until it died.. then they were all lit up.. check engine and engine maintenance were the only ones that stayed on for a while. I just felt like duh lol

the whole driver's side of the engine compartment was totally wet... i bet it scared the **** out of that rat lol

I took more pictures. these seem to be the wettest areas today.. 2 months later. I'm wondering if maybe the oil pressure sensor is bad and failed to alert me and maybe blew something that wreaked total havoc.
spark plug wire 1 is easily identified as it tore the wire out of the boot. i'm wondering if the wire on the bottom of the distributor is supposed to be frayed and not connected to anything.

anyway, I want to try to figure it out and fix it. my hubby had a severe stroke and cant even hardly move at this point much less fix anything. he lost his ability to speak so he can't tell me what to do or where to go lol

dmoe69

In your original post, photo #1: The distributor should not turn by hand. If you grab the distributor cap, can you turn it? Photo #2: I do not recognize that connector, but it appears to be intended to be in service. Perhaps a picture back a little bit to get more of the engine compartment in the picture would help. It almost looks like part of the air filter housing attached to it. Photo #3: Unused connectors are not that unusual on an XJ, but if the connector is clean, that most likely indicates that it was connected. You should be able to find the other end of those connectors within easy reach of those connectors. If the retainer clips are broken, let the forum know and you will get some help with fixing that. Photo #4: That photo is at the back of engine looking down the firewall? Is that a red wire? and you are saying it is disconnected at one end?

lawsoncl

Looks like a pretty significant valve cover leak to me. As for the plug wires coming off, maybe they weren't pushed all the way on or someone is messing with you? Here's a picture for where the wires go back on. I'm not very familiar with the 2.5l engine so can't offer much advice on the other connectors. Have a look at https://cruiser54.com/?page_id=365 for a copy of the 1993 factory service manual (which will match the 1991 better than the 1990). That will likely be much more helpful than the Chiltons. Hope the hubby feels better, I'm sure he's very frustrated with the inability to communicate well.

onestrongwriter

Leaking that much may be new related to this. I do no know for sure. My hubby can communicate some, enough that if I show him the pics and its new he can indicate yes. it might be a couple days though. (gas money mostly, we have 79 grand marquis and I'm tired of readjusting the carb lol)

I do need to get at least a new wire for plus 1, If you look at the 1st pic in the 1st post, right under the dipstick tube you can see the red wire with a black tip. the boot is the one still on the distributor.

onestrongwriter

It does not turn by hand.

I took more photos. photo 4 is a bad photo. it looks like steel iine with a little hose on the end.

this is the weird connector.

I found the fuel pressure regulator I think. I wanted to make sure it wasn't the thing above, and also look to see if I could detect a leak... thought the thing may have exploded

this wire is coming off the bottom of the distributor (rotor?) I wonder if it goes to the yellow wire....

This is a better pic and closer look at the thing down the firewall...

dmoe69

You seem somewhat concerned that something exploded. I don't believe that to be the case. If I were to speculate, I'd say something was drug through the engine bay. The pipe between the engine and the firewall appears to be a vent, so lets not worry about that for now. Like Lawson, I'm not really familiar with 2.5L. The black wires coming out of the distributor should be a sync sensor, the PCM should be able to operate the engine without it. Is the coil wire still in the engine compartment somewhere? That is the one that went to the center post of the distributor cap. There are members with 2.5L engines, like pineapple tree. Perhaps we can get them involved to sort out the rest of those connectors and the one on the other side by the throttle body.

With the key in the ignition (without engaging the starter) Does the vehicle seem to have power when you turn the key to the run position?

onestrongwriter

I was driving at dark, it was feb. The roads were clear, weather wise. It was chilly but not froze. I left where I was, went 2 blocks to the gas station and filled the tank. Went a couple more blocks and entered the highway. I went about 2 more miles and merged onto another highway. Got to highway speeds, and lasted about 10 miles. there was a loud noise, I was in the passing lane. there was no traffic around me, so I was able to coast to the right shoulder without issue. I did not see anything in the road. It did not lurch or jump, just the noise, the idiot lights and nothing else. I got out and looked under the hood. the entire driver side of the engine compartment was wet, from the engine to the side. The weather was clear, the roads were dry. My first thought was that I blew the engine. I tried to start it, it would crank but nothing. Someone stopped that was a roadside assistance guy, out of the kindness. Asked me to try it and suggested it was not getting fuel, but he did not look under the hood and then just left me there, likely because he saw my grown autistic son, thinking whatever.. I tend to have tunnel vision, especially lately, so did not even really think to look at the other side of the engine where the distributor is. I called my oldest and AAA and waited 2 hours to be towed home. then we got blizzards. After the guy said no fuel, I did my own little dr google, and got back out, checked the oil, ant thought I smelled a tad of fuel on the dipstick, leading me to think pressure regulator, combined with the prior history of poor acceleration, that seemed to get worse just that day.
I went out after my neighbor plowed my driveway just to check if I had lost all that precious fuel. My tank was still full. I went back out later to get the mail and smelled gas so bad I thought a pump sprung a leak (Or I lost the tankful as that happened to me before in another vehicle). That happened a couple times on different days. I left it alone and went to figure out what my hubby was doing to the 79 merc grand marquis, as he was working on that when he had his stroke. He was beginning installation of a digital tach. I talked to my oldest son a bit about it, tried it, it worked.

Today was the first day I decided to actually go look again. the above pics are what I found. The engine compartment where it was all wet is now dry. My gas is still full, though maybe not quite as much, the oil, you see on the dipstick. The coolant is full. the power steering has a leak anyway and generally I use atf in it.

It was today that I checked the codes, so yes, there is power when I turn the key. for s&gs I did try to crank it just to see if it would, not actually expecting it to start. My interior lights work, the buzzers all work annoyingly well lol. The fuel pump makes noise that does not sound whiny. I went back out there 3 or 4 times to take the pics and some video. I have not smelled any fuel like I did in those days immediately following the incident.

Just to make sure I knew what i was talking about... I went and tried to make sure I wasn't turning the key too far. I opened the door, the dome light came on. I put the key in, the incessant buzzing started. I turned the key, the volt gauge lit up, then the idiot lights lit up.
And yes, all the wires for the distributor are there, seem to be intact except plug 1. I even put them sort of back on, but did not push them down. seems kind of pointless with a broken one.

whoever mentioned that it may have been tampered with.. that could be possible. I have property about 20 miles from home, DNR sold it to me. I like primitive camping, I also apparently am willing to glamcamp as I put a tiny camper out there. I have a 2001 F250 super duty I left out there for a while. Has a no start condition on one visit. When I went again, the fuel tank was punctured... I stayed out there with the cherokee for a couple days last summer,,and I sleep great out there. It could be possible someone failed at attempting to disable it. There is a dirt road near my normal home, the city/county doesn't take well care of, so it gets bad. I try no to drive it when it gets bad but sometimes its just quicker to the grocery store. It seems odd it would fall off on a smooth road if someone was messing with me to mess with me. It was with the valet while I was at the hospital and they didn't even want to touch it. I doubt they would have done something to it. They always parked the cars right by the door. well, I usually parked my cars lol. Someone could have messed with these wires in the driveway but I would have no idea who. I have owned the vehicle for approximately 2 years. I started driving it about a year ago after the major repairs were done by hubby. It has been about that long since I changed the air filter. I will look at that tomorrow in the daylight and see if it has any symptoms.

onestrongwriter

they aren't in the right spots but they are all there. The one on the very bottom, is plug 1, i just kinda put the wire back in the boot a little. Everything that works now worked before I did that as far as power to the vehicle. My hubby once disabled a vehicle of a sitter that was driving drunk with my young son in the car by switching a couple plug wires.... I just wanted them to be sort of not dangling around and out of the way for other pics. honestly, until I can figure out something for sure, I don't want to try it. I'm stuck on the change the oil before actually starting it thing. My hubby couldn't have done it for the previously stated reasons.. he was in a coma.. I do not know if he checked those as he did tell me that he thought the person I bought it from had done the plugs and wires before we even looked at it. I put like 8k miles on the thing since then.

Veeb0rg

I'm inclined to think someone was messing around under the hood. Plug wires don't just fall off/apart like that. Its more likely someone yanked em off. The black wires off the distributor are also an issue, they'll need to be fixed before the ignition will likely work. I'm trying to find pictures of 4cyl cherokees to compare with but they're difficult.

The middle should go to the coil pack.

Where are you located, maybe someone is local and could lend a hand.

onestrongwriter

I'm inclined to think I just need a new distributor at this point. Maybe that's why the dead top center info keeps popping out at me when I look at the repair manuals.
I'm about an hour north of Grand Rapids, Michigan

the air filter and housing is wet... IDK if that means anything, its been raining.

Anyone in Chicago wanna go to lkq and get me pics off one there? lol
Its going to be some time because parts cost money I would rather use for a night aide for hubby to get home.

pineapple_tree

That yellow wire you took a picture of goes to the AC clutch. If you don’t have AC, ignore it.

The red connector I saw in one of the pictures looks like the connector to the ignition coil. It’s mounted behind the dipstick on the left hand side of the block from the front of the engine.

The connector coming off of the bottom of the distributor is the pickup sensor, or cam sensor. Make sure that’s plugged in or it won’t start.

The connector that goes into the cylinder head on the right hand rear side of the engine is the coolant temp sensor for the gauge. There is another temp sensor for the ECU that’s on the thermostat housing. If that’s unplugged, nothing will happen. You’ll just notice less MPG and less power.

As far as the wires coming off, they don’t just do that. They either weren’t attached fully or someone unplugged them.

You should check your codes by flipping the key on-off 5 times, and watch the check engine light. It will stay solid after the 5 flips for a few seconds, and then it’ll blink. If it blinks 2 times, and then pauses, followed by 2 more blinks, that’s code 22. There is lots of info how to do the key flip on here as well as on YouTube if you get confused. Record the codes and report back.

As far as the no start goes, I would check to make sure the ignition coil is plugged in, like I said previously. Make sure the connector coming from the bottom of the distributor is plugged in. Check the ground at the middle-bottom of the dipstick, make sure it’s intact. Check that the fuel injectors are plugged in, and make sure the crank sensor is plugged in as well. The crank sensor is located on the transmission, looking behind the rear right of the engine. The connector plugs in near the rear right of the intake. I’ll attach some pictures of my engine to help you find the sensors i referenced

This is the left side of the engine. The distributor, ignition coil and dipstick ground should be visible if you zoom in. The dipstick ground is located right above the golden end of the ignition coil where the plug wire goes from the coil to the distributor.

This is the front, and you can see on the right hand side there is the throttle position sensor, intake air temp sensor, injectors and the manifolds.

This is the rear of the engine, you can see the coolant temp sensor right near the middle of the the picture, near the rear of the engine closest to the stand



There’s a lot of stuff in these pictures, but everything should be mostly the same

pineapple_tree

Save the images to your phone to get a better quality photo. I don’t know why they’re so blurry