Hey guys, I have a problem with an engine swap I did , I have a 99 Cherokee that had a rod knock so I replaced that with a 96 4.0, all went well with the swap, I had to take the coil off the 99 engine that worked before and put it on the 96 because the plug was different , I also swapped out the distributor from the 99 and put it in the 96 for the same reason, the plug was different, I lined up the rotor and distributor from the 99 as close as possible to where the original one was on the 96 . My problem now is I am not getting any spark whatsoever! I am getting fuel, she cranks good and strong but no spark, I would appreciate any suggestions or ideas , thanks in advance for your time!

 

Do you have power at your coil?

 

I don't know this for sure I read here that 96 was a strange model year and you may need to reuse all the sensors and the CPU from the donor vehicle.

 

Keep the puter' with it's year, and change sensors where needed. There is plenty of stuff you don't want to get into installing a PCM from a different year.

For lack of a better idea, assuming the dizy & coil/ICU is right, I might look at part #'s and see if they list the same CPS for 96 & 99. Again I don't know, but generally you want to match the puter to the Jeep, and the sensors to the puter.

Hopefully more that are more fimiliar with your Jeep will chime in.....

 

Thanks for all the great advice guys it's really appreciated by us who know very little about these Cherokees but I have an update, it turned out to be the cps , when installing the new motor I must have take. Out one of the mounting bolts for the cps , I put that bolt back in which In turn positioned the cps in the correct spot and she fired right up! Ran a lil rough so I figured I would try to tweet the distributor a tooth and that perhaps might make her run a bit better but you know how it goes when you mess with something too much and I did and now I can't find my place on the distributor , I get it in a position were she tries to fire so I go one tooth forward and nothing , I go another tooth back and nothing, is there a way to find my way back or get the timing where it needs to be or at least close?

Thanks

 

http://www.angelfire.com/my/fan/dist_index.html

 

I don't believe you can be off by a tooth on these distributors; the gear will cause the shaft to move as you seat it, but the end is slotted. So, it will only go on correctly, or 180 degrees out,


Mealticket

 

If motors not at Tdc and oil pume slots not position correctly when dist inserted it will be off .

 

Heres a better write up......http://tomasz.korwel.net/2006/12/19/...omment-page-1/

 

When motor is on TDC and you put in the dist. the rotor should be pointing at 5,Oclock position or 6 Oclock position.. I had simular issue when I did my motor swap..
Notice the 2 pics below, Look at the #1 position at dist. One is at 5,Oclock and the other is at 6 Oclock...
What setup do you have?.. Notice Screw Placement..




Ant...

 

I have the 5 o clock position, I do appreciate all the help guys , I truly do, it's very frustrating when your so close !

 

Find TDC. - Remove the number one spark plug and stick your finger in the hole. Have someone slowly turn the engine by hand until you feel pressure (compression stroke) then bring the piston all the way up (I used a really bright flashlight to monitor its up and down movement.

Move the slot in the oil pump to ~11 o clock (from the front) I suppose 5 is the same

The 4.0 alignment (distro) hole is at the edge of the half moon shape pulse ring (right hand side). I used a 3/16 allen wrench to go through that hole and through the mating hole on the bottom of the distributer. (hold it in proper location)

Insert distributer (don't forget oring). I had to turn it back a lot more than I expected to slide down on the teeth in the proper place.

I had to do it twice on my stroker because I did not properly prime the oil pump the first time around. Took me a few times to get it all lined up right but it runs great now! I feel your pain! haha

Heres some pictures-

 

All pretty good info above.

Here's some pics you can look at.

Note that when the index mark on the vibration damper is aligned with the "0" mark on the timining chain cover you should be able to drop a 3/16" punch or drill bit in the alignment hole in the distributor. If the punch or drill won't drop in the hole and go through the bottom of the distributor when at TDC Compression, #1 cylinder, the distributor is out of time.

I made the special distributor cap so I could keep track of the cylinder positions when doing lifter preload work. Note the position of the rotor compared to the #1 cylinder position on the distributor cap.

 

You guys think there is any chance running a 96 CPS on a 99 PCM could make it run crappy? Not sure which CPS the OP used.

 

Hey guys I did exactly what you guys suggested and it worked great, she fired right up, thanks again , your knowledge is very much appreciated.!