I can't figure it out, I had a check engine light for a few weeks, code reader said crank position sensor but it still ran fine. Then one night it quits and wont start, and when it did, it wouldn't stay running.

New CPS and it was running again, 3 miles later it dies and wouldn't run again. It would start, run maybe 1-3 seconds and die.

Took it to a jeep/chrysler dealer tech who works on the side, his scanner said the CPS was not giving a signal again. He replaces it and the cam sensor in the distributor and it runs again for about a week then starts cutting out on the highway. I finally make it home and now it is back to starting, runs for 1-3 seconds, then dies. The mechanic had said something about it possibly being a worn out bushing in the distributor causing it to damage the cam sensor?

It has fuel to the rail just loses spark after it starts. I hate to keep putting cam and crack sensors in it every week. Could it be the ECU maybe?

 

I spent a week chasing down a no start gremlin in my 95 just recently.
It ended up being my ECU but I had different symptoms than yours.

My engine cranked fine but I had no spark at all, and there was no power going to my coil.

Do some trouble shooting before you go throwing a new ECU in there (I got mine from salvage yard)

Did you check all your grounds under the hood?
Do you have a multimeter?Make sure there isn't a broken wire between the harnesses for the CPS and the ECU as well as the Cam sensor and ECU by checking for continuity.

 

The guy i took it to check all the grounds and wires for the sensors. i have a distributor coming for it but for some reason i am just not buying that a bushing on the dist. shaft is causing electrical problems.

 

You can pop the distributor cap off and shake the rotor side to side. If the distributor has a worn bushing in it you would be able to tell with obvious side to side slop. If it just moves it's regular amount I'd look elsewhere than a distributor bushing. That is a tuff gripe, though.
I know you said it has fuel to the rail but, does it have the proper fuel pressure? I found out the hard way that a bad fuel pump can still get fuel to the rail but does not maintain the proper pressure to keep the motor running. Since you have already changed your CPS and cam sensor, I'd start chasing a possible fuel problem. Don't keep taking your Jeep into that mechanic unless he is a friend and he is cutting you a deal. Dealership mechanics will let you keep on coming back. It's usually $100 minimum to put it on the engine analyzer EACH VISITplus parts and especially LABOR. They will rape you.
Get yourself a Haynes manual and keep in touch with the guys on Cherokee Forum. I'd check to ensure you have fuel all the way to rail and at the proper pressure. This will eliminate the fuel pump, fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator as possible problems. If the fuel componants are all good and you have spark at the plugs with a good CPS and distributor If she still won't run it must be an ECU issue. Most dumb engines will run with fuel, air and spark. We as XJ owners also have an ECU that we have to convinse all is good to make the Jeep run. I hope this helps.

 

It had nearly 40psi when cranking when i put a gauge on it. it will start and run for a few seconds then cut out, not just crank with no start.

I can't see it being a fuel problem because it was temporarily fixed with the new sensors, and when it acted up on the highway it was a spark/sensor problem when it cuts out because its an instantaneous loss of power, its like turning the key on and off almost.

The guy is a friend of mine, but I can't even afford to pay his $60/hr rate plus parts...he suggested this distributor thing to me so I guess I'll start there. Its just that its supposed to be my reliable daily driver and it hasnt been a driver since october. I'm ready to set fire to it and call the insurance company.

 

I totally understand your pain, brother. I've had my XJ for 4 years now. Nothing but gas, tune-ups and oil changes until about mid October of this year. Between then and today I have done a starter, alternator, vibration dampener, serpantine belts X 2, waterneck gasket and water pump gasket...and I still need to swap out the wiper/washer switch. Yeah, you could say mine didn't handle the summer to winter weather change too well, either...Spent half the day yesterday digging the alternator out. That was a B****Now, I get to perform surgery on the guts of the steering column.
Have you looked around your battery, alternator, relay boxes and fuse boxes for any burned or shorted looking wiring? Sounds like you have something causing a voltage spike to go through your ignition system since you're frying cam sensors and Crank Shaft sensors.

 

im gonna try to sell this thing as a package with my other jeep. im done with them...tired of working on my daily driver.

 

problem solved, i set it on fire last night and im gonna get something new.






j/k

 

I want the headunit out it before you do that

 

as much as I love them, if you want a DD that's over ten years old and you don't have to do upkeep on, maybe you shouldn't be a Jeeper

Do you know anyone who has an XJ that's ECU would be compatible with yours? Maybe you can swap to see if that's your problem?