hi everyone. i have a 95 cherokee xj with a 4.0 and it recently started stalling out on me while i was driving with no warning. it just turns off and sometimes itll start right back up, or other times it will take 5 to 10 minutes, very scary on the freeway . ive been researching and everyone says its the CPS. so i changed it the other day and this morning it stalled again .i just bought the jeep and the wires plugs look brand new with one of those hi performance coils. i dont know what it could be!!! please any advice will help ! thanks

 

What does it feel like when it dies? Does it hesitate, sputter, then die or does it just cut off?

 

it just cuts off. no sputtering or no hesitation

 

Where did you get the new CPS from? If it's an after market it's still probably still your problem. After market cps's are garbage and most are bad right out of the box. You should only use OEM.

 

Despite the seemingly new-looking wires, check the coil wire carefully for any signs of damage and firm connections to the coil and center post on your distributor cap.

Where did you get your CPS?

 

When my '00 Sport did the same thing I replaced the CPS with a NAPA CPS and have not had any problem since, FWIW.

 

This,again, seems like a (bad/cheap) CPS related issue. Any other work done?

So:
Get a quality CPS
Do a whole new tune up (is relatively cheap)
Get back to us.

 

Besides a bad CPS, it could also be a Camshaft Position Sensor (pick-up coil in the distributor) or it could be a heat soak problem.

 

i got the cps from auto zone. i also changed the pcm earlier today. the other looked all old anyway. ive heard of lots of people replacing the cps and it still give the same issue, and that the computer was the problem.

 

any other parts already thrown at it...?

 

Duralast (AutoZone) CPSs are notorious for out-of-the-box failure. I have one in my Jeep that's been working fine for the last 18 months but there is much, much anecdotal evidence that my experience isn't typical. The best thing you can do now is to have the codes read. You can do it yourself or have AutoZone do it.

P.S. After reading all the horror stories about Duralast CPSs I bought a NAPA CPS and tossed the box under my back seat cushion. Just in case.

 

Smart Man!

 

ok so after i replaced the pcm and the cps, the jeep stalled out on the freeway twice this morning . im hearing the duralast ones are crap from everyone so i ordered a napa cps and im gonna try to return the one from autozone.

hope it works cuz i have a 6 hr trip right after i change to the napa cps
i also hear the cam position sensor can do that too but when i look it up on auto part stores it says theres none for the 95 cherokee? geez this is a freakin nightmare. jeep runs so well , just this damn problem!!

 

The problem most novice technicians make is jumping to conclusions rather than diagnosing the problem.

I concur that the Crank Sensor is a very common problem in Jeeps, HOWEVER it is not a magic bullet.

Considering how much of a PITA changing the CPS is and the expense of a quality replacement, I would recommend doing a bit of diagnostic work before reaching into your wallet and toolbox.

You said the engine dies and sometimes takes time to restart. When this happens, do you have a "No Cranking" "No Spark" "No Fuel" or No Spark or Fuel" condition?

These conditions all indicate different problems and not all call for replacement of a $100 CPS.

I don't mean to step on toes here, but with 40 years in the auto repair field as an ASE Master Tech since 1975, watching shade tree wrenches doing credit card diagnosis is painful.

I recently ran into a no start with my own 96 Cherokee and being hundreds of miles from home I found myself without any manuals. That's what brought me to this forum... looking for the correct "pin outs" on the CPS and Cam Sensor.

Mine wasn't a CPS or Cam Sensor, instead a shorted O2 Sensor lead taking out the fuse powering the ASD Relay controlled circuits. A quarter for the fuse, some electrical tape and a chunk of heat shrink tubing and I'm done.

Slow down and use the best tool a good mechanic has in his arsenal (NO NOT THE HAMMER), his brain. Think it through and you'll spend less money and time in the end.

 

i get you man

when it dies sometimes it will just start right back up.. other times it will just crank like it wants to start so i wait like 5 minutes and then it will start. i dont think it would be a fuel issue cuz it does start back up. ive seen many posts that are the exact same problem and that the cps or pcm fixed it. i dont mind buying these new parts as it will be something less to worry about later, but yeah ive heard the o2 can cause similar problems. i use that jeep for school thats why ive just been replacing stuff. need it to be fixed asap. also so many people say duralast is crap, even the dealer implied that some of their stuff just doesn't work