Fastwalker

My Cherokee will NOT start.
When i try to start the jeep it just turns... in a healthy way but it dosent want to fire up... i aquired it not running and it seems as though the last owner said the jeep just wouldnt start after he returned from the shops, they took it to the garage and replaced the crank shaft sensor but it still wouldnt work, am i to say that this sensor dosent work and to replce it or could it be the CAM shaft sensor in the distributer cap? although it dosent look like much! i took out one of the spark plugs, still attached to the lead and turned the engine but i didnt see a spark... did i do that right or should i have grounded it or somthing? not sure, but i even get a spark if the crank sensor wasnt working?. i need my Jeep running gotta family to take out, i got home today and my children and wife were bouncing off the walls
Thanks for your time
Fasty

91familyxj

Well lets start from square one. Do you have spark and or Fuel?

Fastwalker

How do i check on the spark, and yes i do have fuel i can hear the pump charge and i get good pressure on the rlease valve at the injectors.
Fasty

McNamara

you need to ground the spark plug to the engine block to check for spark, that was a good start though, when ever you have a clean crank the first three things you check are Spark, Fuel, and Compression, even an engine with major problems will run with the three basics. so pull the #1 spark plug have some one crank the engine while you hold it to the engine block and look for a spark, if no spark, check distriubor cap, rotor, spark plug wires, when test the coil if you still cant find the problem, you test this the exact same way as the distributor just pull the lead from the coil to the center of the distributor off, put a spark plug wire on the lead out of the coil ground it out watch for a constant spark, if all of this checks good, no spark problem, also smell thee exaust pipe while its cranking, if you dont smell any gas and the trucks not starting your not getting fuel, last while checking spark witht he #1 plug out, cover the hold with your thumb and have some one crank the engine, you should feel it suck your thumb then blow it out, confirming compression. just the basics

Fastwalker

Ok so i just went out and removed one of the plugs with the lead connected and put the tip of it on the body of the jeep a bolt and a bolt on the starter(as far as i could reach) and no spark i then did the coil trick and the same with the spark plug and no spark there again... so does this mean it could be the CAM positioning sensor or the coil...? can i even get a spark if the CRANK positioning sensor doesnt work?
Thanks
Fasty

McNamara

dont do the body of the jeep, use the engine block, its really useful if you have some one helping you, you cant 100% rule out the no spark till your holding it to the engine. and for the CAM positioning sensor, comming straight from the coil you should be getting some kind of a spark, you may just have a bad coil. but test to the engine block first and coils are cheap enough, its not a bad idea to just go ahead and replace it. and you have to hold the starter let it crank over for a good 5-10 seconds to to be sure.

Bustedback

Sounds like the pick up coil in the distributor is bad. Use a test light at the neg side of the coil and see if the light flashes when cranking the engine. No flash means the pick up coil is bad.

XJs-R-us

Any chance of this stuff workin on an '87?

I turns over...but no spark... already replaced the coil, cap and rotor. It has newish wires, and plugs...fuel pump is good, I can smell the gas when its turning, plus it purges from the line...

Whats next?

Crank sensor
Cam sensor
Distributor (itself)

Its not my money, Im using....a friend wants the Jeep after I swap out the D44.

rweaver138

check the balast resistor above the airbox, common problem on RENIX motors, but yes you can still run these tests.

McNamara

yes, all of these checks will work to isolate a problem with EVERY enigne, ALSO chaniging the distributor its self is a good idea too, i know its not a jeep but i had an 89 ranger that after a complete ignition system replacement, and distributor rebuild, the truck still wouldnt start the only thing left was to replace the actual distributor, did so...ran great.

XJs-R-us

Alright, thanks. Whats the resistance suppose to be?
I'll see if I can check it tomorrow, before going in to work.

McNamara

as for your 87, chances are there are no crank shaft or camshaft position sensors atleast I dont think

XJs-R-us

Yeah....thats what Im thinking....cause its suppose to spin fast, correct? ...Like really fast, considering engines dont run at a snails pace....

This thing is spinning slow as ***** = REAL F***ING SLOW!
I had my friend, crank it over as I watched it, without the cap on....I thought to myself, aint this thing suppose to spin a helluvalot faster?!?!

No one else thought this was odd??? So I just brushed it off.

McNamara

im not sure on the resistance maybe wait till rwaever replys im honestly not even sure of which resistor that would be...

XJs-R-us

Well cool!
Less **** I have to mess with!

My friend is buying everything...but I should have him do everything too, since he wants the Jeep so bad...