89 Renix wont start
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Philippi West Virginia
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I've been flowing this thread closely because. Only 95 I have the exact same issue. Now I have a pretty extensive checklist to work with. I can't wait to work on my xj. Thanks guys
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,579
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
You do understand that the fuel injection systems have some major differences though, right? Between Renix 87 to 90 and HO 91 on. Not all testing procedures and equipment are the same.
CF ADMIN
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 34,088
Likes: 257
From: Lantana, Fl
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.Slow
Just a thought but wonder if the dowel pin that holds the drive gear to the distributer might be sheared off?
Trying to throw all possibilities out there seeing as our conventional advice isnt working.
Trying to throw all possibilities out there seeing as our conventional advice isnt working.
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,322
Likes: 1
From: Edmonton
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
id like to see pics of the inside of the cap and the rotor...does it even look like the rotor tab is touching the cap button? can you see little swirl marks or arc spots or anything else that tells you for sure they are touching? maybe the dist. is not seated all the way? did you make sure to take off the old gasket and all that? what did the gear look like? was it chewed up? how about the oil pump tang...dunno. good luck man, keep trying!
CF ADMIN
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 34,088
Likes: 257
From: Lantana, Fl
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.Slow
Originally Posted by hankthetank
id like to see pics of the inside of the cap and the rotor...does it even look like the rotor tab is touching the cap button? can you see little swirl marks or arc spots or anything else that tells you for sure they are touching? maybe the dist. is not seated all the way? did you make sure to take off the old gasket and all that? what did the gear look like? was it chewed up? how about the oil pump tang...dunno. good luck man, keep trying!
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
And another thought. Could it be indexed so far off that the rotor is between terminals when it sparks? Keep in mind that the diagrams in the books, as well as the online manuals are dead wrong for the 4.0. #1 is at 5:00 as viewed from the side, and the cap mounting screws point left of center of the front of the valve cover.
Again, see that the spark is blue, and that the rotor is being driven. There is a bunch of Cruiser's stuff if you click on my signature Btw.
Careful with sparks around a freshly charged battery! (unplug the charger first)
Again, see that the spark is blue, and that the rotor is being driven. There is a bunch of Cruiser's stuff if you click on my signature Btw.
Careful with sparks around a freshly charged battery! (unplug the charger first)
CF ADMIN
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 34,088
Likes: 257
From: Lantana, Fl
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.Slow
Originally Posted by cruiser54
We need to see if the knee bone is connected to the ankle bone.......
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,579
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
To continue with Flintstone's train of thought:
Remove the distributor cap and cut a "window" into the side of the distributor cap at the #1 spark plug wire post . The "window" should be large enough to allow easy visual inspection of the position of the distributor rotor at the #1 spark plug wire post. Reinstall the distributor cap.
Install a ¾" wrench or socket onto the vibration damper retaining bolt. Rotate the engine in a clockwise direction until the #1 cylinder is at top dead center. Align the timing mark on the vibration damper with the "0" degree mark on the front cover timing scale. The tip of the distributor rotor should be near the #1 spark plug wire post.
Disconnect the distributor electrical connection. Remove the distributor holddown clamp, holddown bolt and distributor. Remove the distributor cap and rotor.
Place the distributor housing upside down in a soft jaw vise. Scribe a line 1/2 inch from the end of the distributor locating tab. Cut the distributor locating tab at the scribed line with a saw.
Remove any burrs and metal filings from the distributor. Reinstall rotor.
If necessary, using a flat blade screwdriver, turn the oil pump gear drive shaft until the slot is slightly past the 11 o'clock position. The oil pump gear drive shaft is accessible through the distributor mounting bore in the engine block.
Visually align the modified locating tab area of the distributor housing with the holddown clamp bolt hole.
Turn the rotor to the 4 o'clock position.
Lower the distributor into the engine block until it seats. The rotor should now be very close to the 5 o'clock position.
Reinstall the distributor cap with the cutout "window". Rotate the distributor housing until the trailing edge of the distributor rotor tip is just departing from the #1 spark plug wire post terminal .
Reinstall the distributor holddown clamp and bolt.. Reinspect the position of the rotor to the #1 spark plug wire post to insure that it has not moved.
Install the new distributor cap, reconnect the distributor electrical connections.
Revised 07/03/2012
Remove the distributor cap and cut a "window" into the side of the distributor cap at the #1 spark plug wire post . The "window" should be large enough to allow easy visual inspection of the position of the distributor rotor at the #1 spark plug wire post. Reinstall the distributor cap.
Install a ¾" wrench or socket onto the vibration damper retaining bolt. Rotate the engine in a clockwise direction until the #1 cylinder is at top dead center. Align the timing mark on the vibration damper with the "0" degree mark on the front cover timing scale. The tip of the distributor rotor should be near the #1 spark plug wire post.
Disconnect the distributor electrical connection. Remove the distributor holddown clamp, holddown bolt and distributor. Remove the distributor cap and rotor.
Place the distributor housing upside down in a soft jaw vise. Scribe a line 1/2 inch from the end of the distributor locating tab. Cut the distributor locating tab at the scribed line with a saw.
Remove any burrs and metal filings from the distributor. Reinstall rotor.
If necessary, using a flat blade screwdriver, turn the oil pump gear drive shaft until the slot is slightly past the 11 o'clock position. The oil pump gear drive shaft is accessible through the distributor mounting bore in the engine block.
Visually align the modified locating tab area of the distributor housing with the holddown clamp bolt hole.
Turn the rotor to the 4 o'clock position.
Lower the distributor into the engine block until it seats. The rotor should now be very close to the 5 o'clock position.
Reinstall the distributor cap with the cutout "window". Rotate the distributor housing until the trailing edge of the distributor rotor tip is just departing from the #1 spark plug wire post terminal .
Reinstall the distributor holddown clamp and bolt.. Reinspect the position of the rotor to the #1 spark plug wire post to insure that it has not moved.
Install the new distributor cap, reconnect the distributor electrical connections.
Revised 07/03/2012
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 1
From: Oceanside So Cal
Year: 88
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 renix
And another thought. Could it be indexed so far off that the rotor is between terminals when it sparks? Keep in mind that the diagrams in the books, as well as the online manuals are dead wrong for the 4.0. #1 is at 5:00 as viewed from the side, and the cap mounting screws point left of center of the front of the valve cover.
Again, see that the spark is blue, and that the rotor is being driven. There is a bunch of Cruiser's stuff if you click on my signature Btw.
Careful with sparks around a freshly charged battery! (unplug the charger first)
Again, see that the spark is blue, and that the rotor is being driven. There is a bunch of Cruiser's stuff if you click on my signature Btw.
Careful with sparks around a freshly charged battery! (unplug the charger first)
To continue with Flintstone's train of thought:
Remove the distributor cap and cut a "window" into the side of the distributor cap at the #1 spark plug wire post . The "window" should be large enough to allow easy visual inspection of the position of the distributor rotor at the #1 spark plug wire post. Reinstall the distributor cap.
Install a ¾" wrench or socket onto the vibration damper retaining bolt. Rotate the engine in a clockwise direction until the #1 cylinder is at top dead center. Align the timing mark on the vibration damper with the "0" degree mark on the front cover timing scale. The tip of the distributor rotor should be near the #1 spark plug wire post.
Disconnect the distributor electrical connection. Remove the distributor holddown clamp, holddown bolt and distributor. Remove the distributor cap and rotor.
Place the distributor housing upside down in a soft jaw vise. Scribe a line 1/2 inch from the end of the distributor locating tab. Cut the distributor locating tab at the scribed line with a saw.
Remove any burrs and metal filings from the distributor. Reinstall rotor.
If necessary, using a flat blade screwdriver, turn the oil pump gear drive shaft until the slot is slightly past the 11 o'clock position. The oil pump gear drive shaft is accessible through the distributor mounting bore in the engine block.
Visually align the modified locating tab area of the distributor housing with the holddown clamp bolt hole.
Turn the rotor to the 4 o'clock position.
Lower the distributor into the engine block until it seats. The rotor should now be very close to the 5 o'clock position.
Reinstall the distributor cap with the cutout "window". Rotate the distributor housing until the trailing edge of the distributor rotor tip is just departing from the #1 spark plug wire post terminal .
Reinstall the distributor holddown clamp and bolt.. Reinspect the position of the rotor to the #1 spark plug wire post to insure that it has not moved.
Install the new distributor cap, reconnect the distributor electrical connections.
Revised 07/03/2012
Remove the distributor cap and cut a "window" into the side of the distributor cap at the #1 spark plug wire post . The "window" should be large enough to allow easy visual inspection of the position of the distributor rotor at the #1 spark plug wire post. Reinstall the distributor cap.
Install a ¾" wrench or socket onto the vibration damper retaining bolt. Rotate the engine in a clockwise direction until the #1 cylinder is at top dead center. Align the timing mark on the vibration damper with the "0" degree mark on the front cover timing scale. The tip of the distributor rotor should be near the #1 spark plug wire post.
Disconnect the distributor electrical connection. Remove the distributor holddown clamp, holddown bolt and distributor. Remove the distributor cap and rotor.
Place the distributor housing upside down in a soft jaw vise. Scribe a line 1/2 inch from the end of the distributor locating tab. Cut the distributor locating tab at the scribed line with a saw.
Remove any burrs and metal filings from the distributor. Reinstall rotor.
If necessary, using a flat blade screwdriver, turn the oil pump gear drive shaft until the slot is slightly past the 11 o'clock position. The oil pump gear drive shaft is accessible through the distributor mounting bore in the engine block.
Visually align the modified locating tab area of the distributor housing with the holddown clamp bolt hole.
Turn the rotor to the 4 o'clock position.
Lower the distributor into the engine block until it seats. The rotor should now be very close to the 5 o'clock position.
Reinstall the distributor cap with the cutout "window". Rotate the distributor housing until the trailing edge of the distributor rotor tip is just departing from the #1 spark plug wire post terminal .
Reinstall the distributor holddown clamp and bolt.. Reinspect the position of the rotor to the #1 spark plug wire post to insure that it has not moved.
Install the new distributor cap, reconnect the distributor electrical connections.
Revised 07/03/2012
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
Issue lies here guys something broke cauusing diist to self destruct . Did it ever get verified its even turning the rotor?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
just to let you now that dist. is spinning when it is turned over and i havent had time to work on it today due to having to go to school the dist. broke due to it was wore out
Last edited by atom89xjlmt; Oct 4, 2012 at 06:45 PM. Reason: add something