89 won't start has fuel, spark, weird cranking
04-06-2016, 07:23 PM
#1
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Year: 89
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
89 won't start has fuel, spark, weird cranking
I have an 89 with the 4.0. Ran fine one day parked it, washed it, next day went to start it and nothing just cranked and cranked. This was back in September. So I got on these forums and read everything I could find so since then I've replaced: CPS, distributer, plugs, plug wires, coil, starter, battery, ECM, cleaned all the grounds, good compression and timing is correct. If I spray starting fluid still a no go. Has a good strong spark and fuel on the plugs. Unplug the crank sensor and it cranks even and normal. Plug it back in and cranks then bogs down cranks then bogs down. I've used 3 different crank sensors and no change. I'm out of things to try I've checked and rechecked everything I know. Any ideas would help.
04-07-2016, 01:41 AM
#2
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Model: Cherokee
You've changed so many things now, it's gonna be tough sorting the original problem from a new one that may have been introduced with all the changes.
For starters- is the distributor timed correctly? From your description it sounds like it may be off.
For starters- is the distributor timed correctly? From your description it sounds like it may be off.
04-07-2016, 06:27 AM
#3
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Did you wash your engine?
If it won't run on starting fluid, you most likely have a coil, CPS or other ignition issue. The starting fluid will run most any Cherokee even with terrible compression or spark issues. I would be thinking along what Radi is saying: timing way off, wires on wrong plugs etc. I wouldn't start looking at fuel issues either (pump, filter etc) until I could get it to run on ether spraying into throttle body.
How did you check for good spark?
If it won't run on starting fluid, you most likely have a coil, CPS or other ignition issue. The starting fluid will run most any Cherokee even with terrible compression or spark issues. I would be thinking along what Radi is saying: timing way off, wires on wrong plugs etc. I wouldn't start looking at fuel issues either (pump, filter etc) until I could get it to run on ether spraying into throttle body.
How did you check for good spark?
04-07-2016, 06:47 AM
#4
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Year: 89
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Did you wash your engine?
If it won't run on starting fluid, you most likely have a coil, CPS or other ignition issue. The starting fluid will run most any Cherokee even with terrible compression or spark issues. I would be thinking along what Radi is saying: timing way off, wires on wrong plugs etc. I wouldn't start looking at fuel issues either (pump, filter etc) until I could get it to run on ether spraying into throttle body.
How did you check for good spark?
If it won't run on starting fluid, you most likely have a coil, CPS or other ignition issue. The starting fluid will run most any Cherokee even with terrible compression or spark issues. I would be thinking along what Radi is saying: timing way off, wires on wrong plugs etc. I wouldn't start looking at fuel issues either (pump, filter etc) until I could get it to run on ether spraying into throttle body.
How did you check for good spark?
04-07-2016, 08:14 AM
#5
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Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
04-07-2016, 08:23 AM
#6
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I've ran through the tips cleaned every connector on the jeep. Refreshed all the grounds (some were pretty bad) but it didn't change anything. I was looking on this forum and I found a thread from last year where the guy had the same problem. He posted a video where you could hear the weird cranking and it sounds identical to mine. But the thread never said what was wrong so I decided to start my own
04-07-2016, 08:28 AM
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Year: 1990
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I've ran through the tips cleaned every connector on the jeep. Refreshed all the grounds (some were pretty bad) but it didn't change anything. I was looking on this forum and I found a thread from last year where the guy had the same problem. He posted a video where you could hear the weird cranking and it sounds identical to mine. But the thread never said what was wrong so I decided to start my own
Is your CPS wire routed properly where it isn't getting burned by the exhaust? Have you verified the output of the NEW one?
You really need to do Tip 13.
Last edited by cruiser54; 04-07-2016 at 08:42 AM.
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04-07-2016, 08:42 AM
#11
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04-07-2016, 05:22 PM
#13
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Year: 89
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So I have a new development. The injectors are not squirting now. Can the distributer fail but still have spark? I have a buddy who has a code reader but he won't be able to bring it over for a couple weeks. I'll put what I found out on the crank sensor
04-07-2016, 06:12 PM
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Year: 89
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0