lurk520

OK. Just did this job. Jamesbond info was helpful and probably even essential but there was NOTHING EASY about this job, not on a WJ any way. The 4.0 on a WJ sits further back in the engine bay than on an XJ, so you can not have some one help you from the top. Getting to the shift cable plate and removing it was pretty easy, took 30 minutes or less ( make sure you have a set of metric wrenches though or at least a 10mm). Once you get it off you will need an assortment of extensions and a U-joint, I believe the crank sensor bolt was 11mm on my 2002. Breaking the bolt was a little bit of a task but not too extreme. But pulling out the old sensor is a PITA, working through that little hole is a PITA. You will definitely need a flash light too to shine on the sensor. And tieing a string to the plug didn't work out for me either because you need to do that before you unbolt the sensor. Once you get the sensor out you're about half way there. To put in the new sensor was tough, I actually did that from underneath using a pair of needle nose vice grips to hold the sensor I reached my up all crazy and got it in, but the vice grips and sensor must be at the perfect angles. Then the hardest part is getting the bolt back in. You gotta line up the sensor hole perfect. It looked like it would be easier going from the bottom with long extensions, but in the long run I did it through the cable plate hole, Once I got it started I did the rest from the bottom. And using a little tape to hold the bolt in the socket definitely helps. Then I kind of pryed the sensor wires up toward the engine bay with a screw driver through the shift cable hole, climbed on top of the engine bay, reached down and pulled the wires and plug where I needed it. All in all it took 2.5 hours and was a nightmare. WORKING THROUGH THAT LITTLE HOLE IS A PITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully this fixes my problem of inconsistent starting but I kind of doubt it will.

lurk520

Nope. Still having the problem. Starts fine when hot or cold, stumbles after sitting for 1-2 hours or if it hasn't ran all day but is sitting in the sun.

pcride

Great post, just starting mine on the 2004 Jeep Grand.

Didn't need the string, I was able to straddle the front of the engine block, reaching my arms around the back side of the engine, I was able to put the sensor into position and run the wire around the back side.

The trouble I'm having now is trying to get the bracket cover back on over the sensor which I didn't see referenced anywhere in this post. Its a bracket that covers the exposed wires where they go into the wire cover. I think this could be related to the recall that someone mentioned around the frayed wiring.

Anyways Having a heck of a time trying to get the bracket on, then getting the bolt on through the firewall. Even with 2 people its difficult.

pcride

Alrighty then, I am finished and the jeep started right up!!

Summary of the issue
1) One morning the jeep wouldn't start, it would crank but I knew it wasn't getting fuel, wasn't even sputtering.
2) Did the Diag check turning the key 3 times on/off, on/off, on then displayed code P0320 and P1490
3) Looked up codes and found Crank sensor and this forum (THANK YOU JAMESBONDPOST!!)
4) Followed the steps exactly and it worked
5) There wasn't mention of the bracket (wire shield) which took over an hour and several attempts with me grappling the engine from the top and thank god for my long arms With just the tip of my fingers I was able to get the bracket around the sensor, then my wife under the dash with the socket trying to bolt it together. After 4 tries it worked!!!
6) Started the jeep right up
7) I hope this will make it more improved. (Sometimes I would get shaky idle when starting up or if the AC was on prior)

Another $300 bucks saved I am sure from taking it in to the mechanic!!!

DFlintstone

?? Maybe because yours is a Grand? This is the "Cherokee" section.

(CF has a Grand Cherokee section)

pcride

I'm sure that's not why as the post made by JamesBond was a Grand as well.

In the end, it doesn't matter what year or model, it's just a pain in the butt to do this!!

Jer

So, I'm about to tackle this project, since my 2000 XJ didn't want to turnover this morning at 4am trying to get to work.

My question is…….my sensor seems to run back under the bell housing, and not up the firewall. Are there different pug ins somewhere else?

DFlintstone

The CPS won't stop it from cranking....NSS can... All the CPS's are located at the same place on the bell-housing. I hear the plugs for the later models might be over on the right, not sure there though.

Jer

Not gonna lie, that was a b!tch to do. Didn't help that I didn't have the XJ on jack stands or anything.

Getting the new sensor lined up and then getting the bolts to the holes was a challenge.

Feel better saving myself a few hundred bucks though.

ssecoy

I am hoping the cps is the culprit on my 95 XJ.... I dropped the tank today to fix a leak and then after replacing a fuel line and reinstalling the tank I now have no power to my fuel pump somehow?? I have checked all fuses and they are good. I checked for power at the pigtail and there is nothing. The pump will turn on if I wire it up directly so that tells me the pump is good but what is causing this? I have swapped out the fuel pump relay with the A/C relay and nothing happened, I jumped the relay from 30 to 87 and nothing happened either.. after reading this thread I am thinking it could be my cps. Can anyone help with this?

Jer

Are you getting the NO BUS error on your speedo?

Muddz

Changes were made to the fuel pump & fuel gauge circuits for 97+. IIRC 96 fuel pump & fuel gauge circuits are different from 95.

Do you have a 95 schematic for the fuel pump and related circuits?

Could be a faulty plug-in or wire. Did you test for continuity?

97+ _____ should pertain to earlier XJ's.

Engine Start-up Mode — (open loop mode)

The following actions occur when the starter motor is engaged:

1. The auto shutdown and fuel pump relays are energized. If the PCM does not receive the camshaft and crankshaft signal within approximately one second, these relays are deenergized.

The starter is able to turn over the engine with a bad sensor. Only the relays are de-energized if the crank and/or cam position sensor is not providing a good signal.

The NSS controls the starter motor by grounding a relay. If the relay ground or NSS (or nss plug) is bad or out of adjustment the starter won't turn over.

ZombieResponseJeep

This.

I ordered the part 2 months ago for my 96 ZJ, the Jeep was just sitting because all the stories about how impossible it was to change.

I got bored today and did it in 15 minutes. Try jacking just the body up for a little extra working room. Easy as can be.

DFlintstone

I call BS. Had to be 16 minutes or more.

ZombieResponseJeep

Lol, no more than 20 and I was being slow and steady.