Tankpb

(1987 Jeep Cherokee 2.5L) Changed Dist cap, rotor, plugs, and wires. Checked Plug wires for proper order over, over, over, and over just to be sure and they are correct in the order of 1,3,4,2 Clockwise. Plugs are Bosch. Wires Cap Rotor are all Napa Brand. Checked for Spark and it is present. Checked Ignition Coil it is fine. Been Searching forums all day and have not found anything. Every time I try to start it, it cranks and backfires straight out the throttle body with a nice puff of smoke. It will try to fire just slightly right before the backfire but other than that I've got nothing. Gotta love project XJ's

DFlintstone

Looking in from the right, passenger side #1 is at 6:00, (nearest to the fender), on my carbourated 84 2.5. I don't remember if I changed it, or if that's even possible. (well, anything is possible). Crisp blue spark? Check out Cruisers stuff in the link in my signature. I strongly suggest you do the sensor ground test with a digital meter. Cleaning the grounds almost always helps, and will likely save you time and $ in the long run. No kidding! I'm a big fan of checking the CPS, AC output mainly, and for 200 ohms +/-- 75.

Manual trans? Might have clutch "stuff" on the cps. Just cleaning it might help.

Oh, then the "dreaded" C101 connector...

Tankpb

It is a Manual Trans. It fired right up before I changed everything. I'll do the C101 tomorrow or friday as well as the ground tests. This project has been keepin me on my toes. Could the issue I'm having be related to the ignition switch at all? I've been battling that thing for awhile had to replace it due to no interior lights, gauge lights, blower, turn sigs, hazards, or door buzzer. Still can't get my turn signals, door buzzer, and gauge lights to work. I doubt it, but could it possibly be related?

DFlintstone

I'm curious if it's a crisp blue spark. And if your #1 location is the same as mine. (the firing order is)(and clockwise).

Get this. On ours when the clutch master cylinder goes it pees brake fluid out of the fuse box. I'm not sayen your 87 is leaking, but it might have. The gauge lights are on the same fuse as the running lights. I might add checking the fuses and fuse box to your list.

OK, "It fired right up before I changed everything". Two things...the firing order, (and proper #1 location), and check your MAP tube, wherever it is. On our 4.0's it's up on the firewall near center, and the tube comes forward and connects on the inside of the TB. If that got bumped loose while you were working on it, it won't work right.

Agreed, I doubt your fuses are causing the backfire. Did the wiring plug for the ignition switch look good?

Tankpb

The Spark is a blue almost white color. And yes my #1 is roughly 5:00-6:00 position from Pass. Fender.

My master cylinder is bad and I can def. tell it leaked everywhere over the fuse block. This Jeep had been sitting for a few years before I bought it so the master is Frozen with rust from the top of the clutch pedal through to the Master itself so its been soaking in Liquid Wrench. I've already changed fuses and cleaned corrosion and of course it was after this that everything stopped working on the inside of the jeep. Also double checked fuses again today and not a single one is blown.

I know the firing order is correct as I said I have checked it over and over 1,3,4,2 with #1 being closest to me from the passenger side fender. I will have to look into the MAP Tube.

The plug for the ignition switch had a lot of corrosion. I got a lot of it cleaned up but I fear I will need to replace the connector because there is still a fair amount of corrosion in it.

Tankpb

I'm running out of ideas guys. New CPS cleaned every electrical connection I could find. Checked all the grounds I can find. Changed plugs again still nothing

BIGCOOK91

It sounds like your 180 out on your distributor which could cause it not to run and backfire out the carb.

Tankpb

Alright I'll check that

Tankpb

Got it fixed. Turns out I had to move each wire clockwise 1 terminal on the distributor. Now I feel like a complete idiot.

BIGCOOK91

It happens to the best of em. Glad to hear that you got her fixed now

DFlintstone

And the crowd cheers! . Well done!

BIGCOOK91

^x2

Tankpb

Hahaha thanks guys