The have different names and some have chains in different states, but I've heard them called:

self service junkyard
pick and save
pull your part
and the ones up here, Pull a part

It just a junk yard full of cars on blocks, you pull what ever the hell you want, you can even bring sawzalls in some and fender pieces for body repairs. The prices are as cheap as they come and you can actually find new parts in there too. They're the best!

Just google junkyard and the zip code you want and see what comes up. You could try posting in the pacific southwest forum and see if those guys know the best place to go, they're all in your area too and might have an ECU laying around for a case of beer. If your Air Force ask some guys on base, somebody will know something.

A lot of these places don't spend a lot on advertising so don't expect flashy signs. Mine puts a 3 ft. tall sign out by the street(country highway) and then you drive 1/2 mile down an empty road next to a regional airport, past some warehouses..you can't even see any cars from the highway! I found out about them through a buddy.

 

ecu in the jy near me $35

 

Check and clean all of your ground connections, even the battery cables. Sounds like it could be an intermittent ground connection.

 

Did you check the spark plugs? fuel injectors? Maybe ignition coil pack or spark wires? check compression too? I would assume these would cause it to die too. Lack of anything the engine needs can cause it to die. Since you said it dies before you get it to half a tank gives me the impression lack of fuel @ combustion chamber.

 

Just wanted to add, when a transmission feels like it's stuck in 2nd gear it usually means it's in "limp" mode. This could be due to many things such as: blown fuse, bad trans control module, faulty ECU.

Keep in mind that an engine need 3 things to run; air, fuel, and spark. Find out which one you're losing and it will help narrow down the run problem.

And this might help:http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...7204dc07534ddc

 

can you limp it to autozone? they will scan it for free, obdII leaves big clues with there codes. when it is running is it running good or like crap? if you have no speedo, niether does your trans which it need in order to shift. thats why your in limp, or one of the reasons. if its running good and dies randomly you could have an alternator regulator going out which is why the gauge is erratic and its dieing...

however it could be as simple as a fuse. have a test light? if not some needle nose work and pull EVERY one and make sure there good. some times big symptoms are from small problems. good luck

 

heres the link for a company that will send u a ECU flashed with your vin and mileage for a good price. Link

 

I just wrote up a 2 page history of all the maintenance I have had to do to this vehicle, and I noticed from day one of owning I have been fixing it on the go. My dad told me to write up this history so if I do end up going to a dealer I can show them what I did, and how the problem didn't get fixed.

1996 Jeep Cherokee 4WD 4.0Liter Maintenance History

Oct 2010

Purchased

New Oil Filter

New Oil Pressure Sensor

Changed Front and Rear Axel Diff Fluids

Discovered fuel gauge would not go to Full, would only go to ¾.

Discovered erratic loss of acceleration below ½ tank of fuel, going up hills, and or changing from street to highway or highway to street speeds.

November 2010

Replaced Fuel Filter, suspect rust in fuel tank.

Replaced Fuel Pump and Strainer, discovered crack in sending unit wiring harness, unable to acquire new sending unit, cleaned up rust off sending unit and reused. Filled tank and sprung massive leak from old sending unit seal.

Acquired new seal and reinstalled sending unit, stopped leak, filled tank, discovered small fuel leak coming from the cracked sending unit wiring harness, a single drop.

Drove offroad and system died placing it into reserve. Able to start it after a few attempts and drove it home.

Drove it to work.

Drove down off-road trail, vehicle got some air on a bump, and came down hard. Upon landing the Tachometer and Speedometer spiked and fluttered erratically. Battery gauge read 19V and GEN, CHECK ENGINE, and LOW WASHER Fluid lights flashed. Vehicle would not shift properly, and died on the asphalt twice.

Discovered vacuum lines towards cruise control snapped off, cruise control never worked prior.

Started vehicle and limped it home on a back road.

Disconnected the battery terminal, inspected engine wiring and reseated wiring harness connections and checked ground. Patched small leak in fuel sending unit.

Test drive showed fluttering electrical power and slight engine surging, however shifting returned. Taped cracked vacuum line back together.

Drive to work, however 10 feet out of the driveway engine died and would not start, disconnected taped vacuum line and engine stayed on, but engine sounded starving for air.

Replaced Idle Air Control Sensor, started engine, ran at idle just fine, shut engine off.

Left work and started engine, drive out of the parking lot and engine died. Engine would then not start at idle at all, would only start if throttle was applied. Disconnected intake manifold cap engine stayed on idle, closed the hood and the engine died. Opened the hood, started and then closed the hood slowly, placed into reverse engine died. Repeated process and placed into drive, engine lasted till stop sign.

Started engine again and drive it towards Autozone, engine died, able to start it while rolling in Neutral. Engine died 1 miles from Autozone. Got ride, picked up Carburetor cleaner. Reinstalled old Idle Air Control Valve, engine started but only with the vacuum caps off.

Drove back towards work, engine died once, replaced old Idle Air Control Sensor with new one, engine stayed alive for 15-20 minutes, died just outside of Edwards AFB. Had vehicle towed to friends house.

Removed battery, removed throttle, disconnected ECU. Installed new Idle Air Control Valve and new Throttle Position Sensor. Reconnected throttle and ECU and battery. Started engine, still CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, back out of driveway, died on the way backing out, parked and left.

ODBII reader reads Idle Air System Error as well as very small emission leak, also FYI Autozone cannot do a free ODBII reading in California because it hurts small businesses :P

So hows that sound? Perhaps it might help diagnose the issue.

I wish I was still in Virginia, at least there I know people and places and would have the time to fix all this. Since I am military I need this vehicle to drive to work, and I don't have money for a new car, nor a desire to get any car that's California Registered.

 

Well when you slam the hood and it dies it tells me there's a loose wire somewhere, going over bumps could to the same thing, interrupt the connection. Your batter going up to 19V I think it might be shorting somewhere, is your battery warm or hot after your gauge does that? I think that's all it is, a loose connection. Just my thought though, others are thinking ECM but I disagree. It would be hard to find exactly where a short circuit or loose connection would be. Start with the hood of the truck, if it's not touching any exposed wires or battery terminals then just move down the line from there. That's what I'd do. I'd also look for a loose connection or ground from computer to crankshaft position sensor and IAC. When you stop, the computer will adjust IAC to keep it idling, if it has a short it'll die. If it doesn't get info from your CPS, it'll probably sputter and die. anyway... just my idea, trying to help... my local dealer here charges 120 to OPEN a work order. Then they just add after that

 

Check your battery terminals, make sure they are not corroded or loose. It wouldn't be your nuetral saftey switch either, but It may be one of the connectors loose running down to the tranny. There is a couple sets of wires towards the firewall under the hood on the left side of the motor. disconnect and reconnect them, make sure the connections are clean.

disconnect and reconnect all the connectors on the throttle body, make sure they are clean and connected well

delete the IAC code on the OBD2. then re scan it.

pull out your oxygen sensors and make sure they are somewhat clean and not covered in carbon.

What comes to mind would be a loose distributor cap. Take the dist. cap off, make sure there isn't any corrosion in there, and then re-install the cap. make sure its tight, and note if the screws were loose taking it out.

Is your battery in OK condition? If you have one, try another battery, or have yours load tested. It might have enough juice to start it, but not run the ECU commands.

to reset the ecu after everything you do, disconnect the battery for 30 seconds at least, and connect the 2 terminals together while its unplugged.

And this is a long shot here, but I would also make sure you have enough coolant. If you are low on coolant your ECU will get thrown out of loop and run weird.

If you spend 6 hours doing/ checking what I just said, you will more than likely find it, and not be spending 100/hr (probably 600 bucks) at the dealer. If you want to save money, get out there and work on the damn thing. You said you didn't have enough time to fix the cracked vaccum lines? Well thats the first thing you should do. Why be so lazy not to fix something so obvious and then tell us you dont know what to do and to take it to a shop?

AFTER you fix those broken lines, it might be worth changing the exhaust/intake manifold gasket also. Its only like 15 bucks at napa and takes an hour or two to get done.

 

Well it 1am and im locked in a frozen garage with my friend passed out inside. I let the door close and it locked if it wasn't for this small space heater I would be hosed. I was working on this jeep for 4 hours after thanks giving dinner and was about to call it a night when I realized i'm locked in. Boy I wish I had a second car to at least drive home in/ get parts... oh but I don't. Still havnt solved the problem.

 

Keep us updated on how your doing with your Jeep. Looks like you got plenty of good help now!

 

Why does it sometimes do a violent shaking knock when I try starting it? It never actually starts though, man its cold.

 

^ You just beat me by a few minutes! That really sucks man! If you really need to get out and your truely trapped, just call 911 and tell them its a non emergency. I got a buddy whos a firefighter and he gets calls like this all the time. Being trapped isn't good, because if you do have an emergency, your all of a sudden in a REALLY bad way. Good luck, hope things turn around for you.

Renting a car or taking a cab to get parts will STILL save you money over going to the dealership.

When I was a kid a buddy had to take a horse to get parts once..kinda funny seeing a horse outside a Napa, but then again, another buddy's uncle took his horse to the bar every night because he got his licence revoked. When you don't have what you need, you improvise. Yup, I grew up in the sticks.

 

Might be timing issue.....back to the damn ECU. It controls timing advance and retarding..