1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ 2 Door, 2wd, AT. ALL stock.
I just bought this. Engine had been seriously overheated, cracked head. Pulled motor, Replaced head, rebuilt lower end. Honed, New Rings, Gaskets, Bearings, Oil & Water pump, Timing chain & Gears.
Put it all together and crank but no start. I spent a week double checking my work and testing systems when home.
Here are the testing results:
1. Compression test all around 140. High 148+- low 130.
2. Fuel Pressure at Rail 50 PSI when cranking. Slowly leaks down over several minutes, hovering at 120 for a while. I also took the

Rail off with injectors plugged in and cranked it. Not a fine mist but each squirted fuel out of single hole injectors.
3. Spark tested with inline test light. Each cylinder. Then pulled plugs and held to block while cranking. All have spark.
So I have, Air, Fuel & Spark. Why for the love of GOD is it not firing.
As for Timing, I am attaching picture of timing gears showing perfect line up. Distributor installed according to the book.

Background I have 3 XJ's currently and have had 4 others. I am very familiar with them. I have also rebuilt 4 or 5 engines in the past. No weird-assed problems like this.
Please help. What am I missing?
Thanks, Sean


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Probably timing. We just had a thread similar to yours, and the poster was absolutely sure he had the timing right. He finally gave in and rechecked from the start, and found it 180 degrees off.

Another possibility is that you followed the spark plug wiring diagram from a Haynes or Chilton manual. They are wrong, and they have spread their error all over the 'Net. The problem is they have the starting point on the distributor wrong. It's off by one position. Here's the correct diagram:




Distributor to spark plug wiring.

 

Thanks. Good call. I can completely see how someone would get the timing (distributor) off 180. I have checked though. Even took the timing cover off to make sure I had the Timing marks on the gears lined up at TDC. I agree it feels like a timing issue. Oh and the firing order is correct too. That's not the only thing the internet shares incorrectly. Thanks for the suggestions though. I appreciate it.

 

It's not the order of the spark plug wires that is incorrect. It's the starting point on the distributor, and it's very easy to miss.

 

I get it but I think I have it correct. I basically followed this procedure ( ) If this is not the correct way please let me know. It would make sense. It appears that the rotor is in the correct position. But this would explain the problem.
Thanks

 

Just look carefully at the diagram I posted. Don't even pop the rotor cap. Look at where you have #1 on the rotor cap.