Help Me Diagnose pleeease
 

Hey guys I have a 2000 XJ. only lifted 2" and not a lot of mods on her. Basically stock for the most part. Anyhow a couple weeks ago the check engine light came on blinking on a rainy day and was sputtering on me. After about a mile The CEL went solid and she drove fine. I thought maybe just something got wet so I cleared the code. Code said something about timing I don't remember now. Since then she will sometimes start first crank sometimes I two but the CEL did not come back on and she drove perfect once she was running, Until yesterday!!! I went to the mountains to do some wheeling and I got to the trail, aired down and engaged 4x4 high. She got really mad at me and started sputtering, miss firing and dying on me. I took it out of 4x4 and back into 4x2. still miss fired until I shut her off and turned her back on quit a few times. Then I got a start and she sounded perfect again i left her in 4x2 and rode a 10 Mile trail keeping her in 4x2. Luckily it was not a bad trail.

From the research I've done and heard what people are saying I think this problem is caused by my Crankshaft position sensor. I'm thinking when i engaged 4x4 it though the timing all off and then after putting her back in 4x2 and starting and shutting her off so many times she lined back up...What do you guys think?? HELP!!

Have the codes checked to zero in on your problem. Unless you cleared them, of course. Otherwise its just a guessing game.....

Coil packs, or distributor?

it runs great right now though..

I'm having a hard time thinking that 4x2 vs 4x4 would in any way affect the engine timing. You sure it wasn't just a fluke that the issue happened after you engaged 4x4? I would be inclined to engage 4x4 several times and see if you can verify this being an issue before diving down the rabbit hole.

Electrical issues can be funny, and intermittent so you would be well advised to put some time into the troubleshooting.

I've heard the coil packs can lead to an issue similar to yours (however, my 2000 is still running on the factory ones so I can't give first hand experience). I used to have a Chevy Corsica, and it would run fine, then run like crap, then fine. Turned out to be a coil pack.

it may have been just a fluke that it did that once in 4x4. I agree putting back in 4x4 a few times to see if i can duplicate it.