ub3rn00ber

Ok let me start from the begining, i dont know if it is relevent but...
About a month ago my jeep started spuddering on the road, like it was out of gas. So i filled up and same thing. It would try to start, and sometimes it would start for a min then die. For some reasonit only started with the hood up. When i closed the hood it would always die. So after a few days i started looking at it, when i wiggled the wireing harness that went to the injectors it affected its starting or lack there of. So i pulled apart about a foot of the wires and didnt see anything wrong but i taped each wire individualy. That fixed it.

Now it was working fine, untill... This weekend i did some work to the jeep, i replaced PS hoses, changed the oil, and degreased the motor. Well it wouldnt start it would just backfire and turn over and sound like it wanted to start. So i took of the distributor cap and found an abundance of water from when i degreased it. The cap and rotor looked warn so i replaced them, i used brake clean on metal part of the distributor, i left it open to dry out for about 3-4 hours. I dont know if it matters but when i put it back on i silicone the bottom of the cap to prevent water from getting in anywhere but from the vent hole. So then it turned on, but it still ran like doo doo. It would cut out while driving lose power, die when stopped, ect. So i pulled the wires and let them dry for a few hours. Then it started and ran good untill the next morning when i went to leave for work.


I poped the hood yesterday morning and pulled the wires from the cap and put them back on and jiggled them a little. It ran decent on the way to work it cut out once or twice but i didnt think much of it. On the way home yesterday it started to do it a little more. Then today when ever i came to a stop it would die, on the freeway it would cut out and i would have to push in the clutch and give it gas to keep it from dieing.

I am considering getting some new wires for it but i dont want to throw away money, but i need to make sure i can get from home to work without being stranded. It has been 3 days since the cap got wet, could water still be causing problems? I am in texas and its like 100% humidity... Oh also yesterday i hooked up an fishing air pump (to keep shrimp alive, a baitbuddy) to the vent and let it pump in fresh air all night, that didnt affect it either way, i was hoping it would help dry it if it was wet inside. If it matters i cleaned up the brass peice inside the dist with some scotch bright, i didnt polish it i just wanted to make sure it was clean.

Im thinking i should go buy wires and take off the cap and let it air out for a few hours. But i also dont have much time on my lunch break so i dont have time to go doing things i dont need to, or will not help. If anyone can tell me if im on track, or if it might be something im overlooking. Also i think the netural saftey switch is bypassed because the car will start in gear (i didnt do it it came that way)

Its a 1993 chero 2d 2.5L

Any help is greatly appreciated.

CodeXJ

Take the cap off and spray it down with WD40, liberally. WD40 evaporates and will displace the water off the contacts. May also want to pull each plug wire individually from the cap and spray those connections too.

Of course when you pull the cap if the contacts are burned, it's probably just time for a new cap/rotor.

ub3rn00ber

Ok, if its burned already i think orillies will warenty it, i bought the cap 2 days ago.

Do i just spray it with WD-40 and leave it, or should i try to wipe everything down.

Also i just went out and looked at it and it seems like the old wires ride up on the dist cap, like it makes a good snapping connection, but the rubber boot raises up on the connection and you can push it down. When it happens it dosnt seem like it is losing connection.

CodeXJ

Just go ahead and spray it, let it sit for a while though. The WD-40 will displace the water then evaporate and you should be fine.

Always a good idea to have WD-40 around.

ub3rn00ber

well i got some plug wires, i put them on and i was about to pull the cap but decided to start it. It seems to be working fine now, i drove it for like 10 min and no problems. If it starts doing it again ill wd-40 the dist, i did get a can while i was at the auto store. Hopefully the wires fix everything.

Oh in order to finish water proofing the dist, should i just run a tube from the vent up to the top of the fire wall? Can i put a small amount of silicone on the white outer casing of the spark plug (insolation?) as well as a small amount on the plastic prongs on the dist cap? Is there a vent hole in the bottom of the dist?


Thanks for all the help!

ub3rn00ber

Ok so the auto store sold me the wrong rotor and plug wires, they gave me one to long and it hit the prongs on the cap, and the wires were 8mm mine are 7mm. So they gave me a new new cap, rotor, and wires i let the dist cap dry over night i wd-40ed it and cleaned it out and let it dry. That was last night.
This morning i get almost to work and it broke down, i was on the side of the road for an hour till i had the bright idea of putting the old wires on, well it started got almost to work and died again, so i mess with everything take the cap off check everything pull all the wires, and it starts then as im pulling into work it dies.

What should i check next? Im stranded at work an hour + away from home and no ride :-s

ub3rn00ber

if anyone helps me figure out the problem, ill send u 20$ today

R Cannon

The only thing I can think of is plugs.??? Have you pulled them? I just got a 95 and have been having probs with it. Did plugs, wires cap, rotor air and fuel filters. Its better but not fixed. Im trying to do the injectors now. Anyhow, my plugs looked ok, but the gaps were WAY off. I mean .035 between the smallest and largest gap. I have two 4.0s, so Im not familiar with your engine. Not sure if the plugs would leave you stranded, but check or change them and Gap them to specs. Good luck working on it Texas in this heat! Ive been waiting till dark and dealing with the mosquitos instead of dealing with the sun.

ub3rn00ber

Ya i got some new plugs, im going to install them in a little while. I didnt think that would leave me stranded

ub3rn00ber

plugs didnt fix it..
there was a little peice of alu tube about 2" long and 1/8-1/4 wide below the dist could it have fallen out of the bottom?

R Cannon

the gap number "should" be under the hood on a sticker. get a cheap keychain gap gauge. hope it works.

R Cannon

Do you have a repair manual for it? If it was a 4.0 I'ld go tear my dist apart and check. But its not so I cant. Dang. I always rip through stuff taking it apart and end up scratching my head afterwards. theres got to be a diagram of your dist somewhere on the web.

sosalin

The wires shouldn't leave you stranded. The car will just run crappy, I had that happen to me and it just ran bad. But it didn't leave me sit. Kind of off the wall but could it be any sensor. I had some problems with mine, a 4.0 though, and replaced all that and it ended up being a sensor. Just a thought...

ub3rn00ber

well im stumped i had a bad plug in #4 it had carbon build up bridging the gap, i put in new plugs and nothing. Sometimes its getting spark sometimes its not. Sometimes the spark is just weak. Whats next ignition controle module and the igntion coil?

205jumper

A little late on this reply, but did you replace your ignition switch in the steering column to fix the problem if fixed? My jeep was doing the same thing.

Replaced:
plugs
wires
distributor (aka crank positioner)
cleaned and secured ground contacts

Ended up a relatively simple fix.. replace my ignition switch and key lock cylinder in the steering column and whallah!!!