muddeprived

Just after replacing my gf's car's alternator, my jeep decided to act up. We went to pittsburgh (40 min drive) to eat at Joe's Crab Shack (YUM!) and then came home. No issues at all. I parked in front of her grand am to jump it cuz the battery was dead. Once i had the cables hooked up, i started my jeep and ran loud for the first 2 minutes and then eased up. I think the fans were running or something, i dunno cuz i can't really hear what's going on. But anyways, after jumping it, i turned mine off and we decided to go to my mother's garage to replace her alternator. When i started my jeep it started sputtering and rumbling and the check engine light came on. I thought maybe it was cyl #3 misfire since i had that before but i don't have my code reader at the moment to check it. On the way there, it was sputtering on acceleration just a little and the check engine light was flashing on and off when i drove. Once i came to a stop sign or stopped, it would stay on but not flash. I was like "wtf is going on here" cuz i never had a flashing check engine light before. Once i got to mom's i popped the hood and let it cool down a little. A couple hours later i drove it home and it seemed fine but the engine light is still on.

ANyone experience this before? Any ideas till i get my code reader back from my buddy?

thanks

BlueXJ

Sry mudd your Heep is too new for my area of expertise. I got no CEL on my junk. Sounds like electrical on the misfire thing. Could you have shorted something when jumping the GFs Grand Am?

okcjeeper

Eh I have this stupid Maintenance Required light staying on on mine..gotta go have a autozone hook it to their scanner to turn it off..

Only thing I could think is check the usual but like blue yours is newer then I am familiar with...Wish I could help..

muddeprived

I'm not sure. It was running fine after i jumped it till i turned it off and then on again. The engine was at 220 degree at that time. I'm thinking misfire again but the last time that happened it didn't flash off and on like it did today and sputter on acceleration. Hmm...

okcjeeper

Typically at least in my experience on cars/trucks is a sputter/hesitation has always been a timing issue such as miusfires, out of time distribs, bad plugs and so on...also could be fuel starvation...Now all this has been on older cars not newer one and not jeeps..

muddeprived

It seems i may have the P0303 Misfire Code. I haven't checked it yet but seems that's what i have based on a million experiences over at JF. I also had this code last fall and it did something similar. There's a TSB out on this:

TSB
1803103 - 4.0L ROUGH ENGINE IDLE AFTER RESTART FOLLOWING A HOT SOAK
Date: 09/05/03 (supercedes 1802702 dated 09/06/02)
Model Year(s): 1999-2004

Description: NOTE: This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a 4.0L engine. This bulletin involves the installation of a fuel injector insulator sleeve.

Details: Customers may describe a 20 to 30 second rough idle following the restart of a heat soaked engine. This condition may be most noticeable when the engine is restarted following a prior 10 to 20 minute heat soak in hot ambient conditions of approximately 32 C (90ºF) or higher. This condition may be consistent with short city stop-and-go driving trips and can be aggravated by the use of fuel with a high ethanol content. Depending upon various conditions a MIL may occur due to DTC P0303 - Cylinder #3 Misfire.

This condition may be caused by heat from the exhaust manifold that following engine shut down migrates to the area around injector #3 and causes fuel vapor to form within the injector. This in turn may cause a momentary misfire of cylinder #3 until the fuel vapor is cleared of injector #3. The insulator sleeve lowers the injector #3 temperature to a point below which the fuel will not normally vaporize.

If vehicle exhibits a rough idle, and if a misfire of cylinder #3 is observed following a 10 to 20 minute hot soak, perform the Repair Procedure.

Parts required:
56028371AA Ignition Wire Shield

Repair procedure:
1. Cut insulator sleeve, p/n 56028371AA, to make two (2) insulator sleeves about 25-30 mm (1 in.) in length. See diagram.
2. Install one sleeve around injector #3, with the slit on the upward facing side of the injector. Install the other sleeve with the slit on the downward facing side of the injector.
3. Confirm sleeve is flush to intake manifold surface around injector.
4. Check injector #3 wire and ensure that the injector is rotated to a 2 o'clock position.

muddeprived

I am going to seafoam it and then get the heat shield from the dealer. I just emailed them to see if they have it in stock. It's running fine and dandy now so i guess that's the problem.

kmanxj5050

camshaft? happened to me ill explain later (itll take a while im at work right now)

BlueXJ

I have read that the TSB for heat soak never really solves anything. Check that you don't have a carbon track on the dizzy cap that is causing the misfire or a pair of sparkplug wires touching.
I saw a similar problem here on CF and someone said that the heatsoak thing that the dealer installed never worked. I think the dealer has to be the one to install the heatsoak solution kit so that they can get paid for it. It costs you nothing but your time.

muddeprived

If it was the camshaft, wouldn't it happen all the time?


Blue, I don't think it's the spark plug wires since i don't have any I read a number of threads over at JF on this topic. Some say the heat shield worked, some didn't. Other says it was about carbon buildup and seafoam cured it. So i'll do both and see how that works. I don't know how else to fix a heat soak issue with an injector unless i lower the engine temperature considerably. It only does it when you restart the engine while it's HOT. I got a reply from the dealership. The part is $5.99 so i'll pick it up and install it tomorrow maybe. I rather do it myself than have them touch my vehicle. Don't trust them. They could screw something up and say "oh this needs fixed along with that and that and that...". Been there....

drgnhrt1979

Mud,

I am having simular issues with my 2000 XJ. Here is the link to my post on my issue, https://www.cherokeeforum.com/showth...light+flashing. I have tested my coil rail and two of the three packs tested higher than the upper range. The misfires we are both having could be because of the rail, I am gonna replace mine as soon as I get the money (apx $130 at either the AA or AZ)

Willys55

I would look further along in the area of the missfire. When the CEL is flashing it is an indication that the cat convertor will be damaged if you continue to drive, because of excess unburndt fuel entering the exhaust system. If the injector was as the TSB states then you would have no fuel in the cylinder and no flashing CEL

nasonguy

Bingo, +1 on that. Flashing CEL on most vehicles means that it is misfiring, causing an extremely rich condition. Cat damage ensues as stated. Go to CSK or what ever and either have them scan it, or just buy a code reader, they're like 60 bucks with tax...

muddeprived

I've come to the conclusion that it's related to my injection system. My only question is why did jeep switch to this unreliable injection system? Why not stick to the tried and true distributor setup? What a headache this 4.0 has been since it's been in my possession. I will never buy a 00-01 4.0 ever again. I will take a 2.5L over this motor any day.

Whenever money starts flowing into my bank again I will replace the entire injection system from the rail to the injectors and be done with this shi$.

Sorry if I'm kinda moody, the damn thing misfired on me today.

drgnhrt1979

Dont worry, i have been feeling the same way since the acident earlier this month. mine misfires on my everyday, i know the feeling. I cant seem to get over about 2800 RPM, so going up hill is fun

the only think i can think of that would be a bonus to our ignition setup is that since it is basicly self contained, less to go wrong with fording if the water gets that high