Okay so I have a 1999 Cherokee Sport 4.0 and have this issue where it likes to die when I'm driving it. All of the gauges just stop and it dies. When I try to start it the only gauge that reads is the oil gauge. It will crank and crank and crank, but no start. I've replaced the cps several times and still no start or gauges. I've had it towed to the repair shop and they said it could be the computer put some type of connecter stabilizer gel on the ecm connections and charged me $150. I don't wanna have to do that again. It did it to me again and I unplugged the ecm and disconnected the negative battery cable and the cps , let it sit for about five and hooked it all up and then all of the gauges worked and it fired right up. This last time, same thing. It dies while driving, try to start it up, gauges don't work at all and it just cranks and cranks. Tried what I did before and that doesn't work at all. Replaced cps again, still no go. If anyone can help, please let me know.

 

I would check all the grounds and also check connection at the starter .... also if you cut your finders up and do not have inner finder plastic I would check fuse box and see if has got wet .... I know the gauges are linked in there at the top left plug

 

I think I would start by looking for bad ground connections, especially where the ECM is concerned. It sounds like your main electrical system is staying alive and everything related to engine control is dropping out. I had a Saturn once that had a similar issue and I was able to track it to a faulty chassis ground.

Good luck!

 

Checked grounds from what I could find and everything seems to be fine. Went and got a brand new cps. Still cannot get it started. This problem is turning into a nightmare.

 

First things first... stop spending money until you figure out what's wrong with it. I think you can safely rule out the CPS, so stop "hoping" that is the problem.

Now, with a clear head, and open eyes, go back and, don't just look at the grounds, refresh them. There are several, so make sure you refresh each one. Once you rule those out, then it will be time to move on to the next step.

 

Next time it dies, make note of what works and what does not. That may lead you to the failing circuit. For example: Does the fuel pump spin up when you turn the key to "on"?
Do the warning lamps, CEL, Brake, etc light up?
Is there power to the coil + terminal? Spark? Do you smell fuel?

Agreed with disassembling the grounds, not just eyeballing them. Check the ignition switch connector for signs of overheating too, it's a common failure.

 

So I refreshed all of the grounds I could find and put it all back together and it started right up! I did notice on the oil dipstick one that it has the two wires and that they were showing. I don't know if that will do anything but I taped them up the best I could so no wires were showing.

 

Sounds like an issue I had recently. Different symptoms when it died, sometimes I would start, sometimes it wouldnkt, sometimes ran fine, sometimes sputtered or overrevved... I refreshed grounds 4 times, changed the coil, the cps, the nss, the sensor on the trans, refreshed every connection I could find, plugs, wires, cap, rotor...

Took it to the dealership... they put it on a tester, and the main wiring harness that runs along the back of the engine was the issue. Cost 150 for diagnostic and replacement. Might be worth cutting some casings off some wires and making sure the aren't worn-thru.

If you're trying to do it all yourself, have someone crank it, while you "wiggle" wires and connections... it's an "old-school" trick. Be careful tho, it might spring to life when you get the right one. One of the best to check, is the wire going to your coil. Make sure to wear gloves, so you don't get bit.

 

Sorry man, that's harsh. You gettn those CPS's from the same shelf? Sometimes they don't catch a problem "off the line" until some went out. For my Renix Jeep I will only use a Napa or dealer CPS.

Chuck, have you heard of the gauges going goofy with CPS issues?

 

Make sure those are in good shape, splice in new wire and ring ends if you have to. Darn near everything important grounds there.



I've heard of a failed CPS doing strange things to the gauges, but only to the extent I've read about it here. Later models with the CCD bus.

 

I had the exact same problem a few years ago. Mine turned out to be that the harness behind the block had come loose, worn on a bolt and one of the wires from pcm would ground out on the block on some bumps. It took me replacing the fuse box/PCM/CPS and tracing wires for hours on end to find it. Soldered the wire, wrapped the whole thing in 3x convoluted tubing and the issue hasn't repeated itself.

 

Have you had it checked for any codes?

 

Sounds like what I described...