99 Cherokee Sport
173,xxx miles
4.0, Auto
New battery & terminals (3 weeks ago)


Other than on the property, only drive the jeep on the highway every now and then. Runs and drives fine.

Wife drives it today (about 45 miles) and stops at the store on the way home. Comes out and it won't start. Cranks it's **** off, but won't hit a lick.

Had it towed home so I can try and figure this out.

I've been searching the "no start" threads, but every one seems to be a little different circumstances, so figured I'd post mine and ask for advice from you that have been there, done that already.

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Just went out and checked a couple things:

- confirmed fuel pump primes when key switched to ON
- Put in Neutral, no start
- swapped fuel pump relay with cooling fan relay, no start
- swapped ASD relay with cooling fan relay, no start
- pulled fuel line off injector rail, gushes fuel when cranked

I'll check spark tomorrow and anything else that is recommended.

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Post deleted by me.

 

I'll place my bets the CPS went bad. It's either a CPS or a pickup coil (inside distributor cap below rotor). But it's 99.9% usually the CPS. Don't get aftermarket. Get a authentic dealer CPS. There's plenty of threads out there to test the CPS.

 

Thank you! I'll dig those threads up on how to check CPS and try to do that today.

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Use a stethoscope or a rod/screwdriver and touch it against the injector while engine is cranked. You should be able to hear click click click noise as injector fires.

If the injectors are NOT firing, then its one of: crank sensor, cam sensor in the dist, ASD relay, or ECM

If the injectors ARE firing, then its probably spark or fuel, small chance of it a problem with air. I would buy an inline spark tester somewhere (less than $20 from HF, $25 off the MAC tools truck, sold at some other places) then put it on a couple of plug wires and also the coil wire to see if you are getting even spark or any spark for that matter. Sounds like you did the basic fuel test, but you might want to buy/borrow a pressure tester to be sure (HF sells one that will work for $30ish).

 

disconnect your battery for 30 minutes, then reconnect and try to start it.

 

So I checked the CPS today as described here. My connector looked at little different that the one depicted, so I included a pic to confirm I checked the correct pins.

My reading across B-C was 416 and it would bounce higher but settle at 416.
MultiMeter set at 2000 (highest avail).




I also tried to check Codes using the instructions here but it didn't seem to work on my '99. Using the method for the 1998-2002 model years, all I got was the gauges bouncing around as the odometer flashed all 1's, 2's, etc to all 9's, then the gauges seemed to go back to normal operation. Check Engine light didn't flash any codes.

I had read somewhere on here that if the fuel gauge didn't work (mine hasn't for several months) that IF it worked with the CPS disconnected, that could be a sign the CPS was bad? Tried that, fuel gauge still didn't work.

I held my ear to a screwdriver on the front injector while my son cranked the engine over and I didn't hear it clicking.

I have the battery terminals disconnected now as suggested, will go back and put them on and see if it cranks in a bit.

I guess so far, indication is that the CPS is bad? Guess I'll ask the dealer tomorrow if they have one, or may order one online if there is a wholesale OE parts website someone can suggest.

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Picked up the CPS at dealer this morning, I'll report back when I get it on with result.

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It may not start right away with a new CPS. Give it a few tries before assuming that it wasn't the problem.

 

Well, I put the new CPS on this evening and the dang thing still won't start. Checked the CPS and the new one read 466 Is this test really valid? Do new OEM sensors come bad right out of the package?

I pulled the distributor cap off to look at the cap/button, which looked "ok", then tried to pop the "pickup coil" / camshaft position sensor off the distributor and the dang plastic disk broke

Gonna stop by NAPA tomorrow and see if they have one and get new plugs/wires/cap/button while I am at it.

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It was the pickup coil / camshaft position sensor.

Made a parts run today after work.

Pickup coil - Autozone Duralast (napa didn't have them)
Distributor cap - NAPA Echlin
Rotary button - NAPA best or somethin
Plug wires - NAPA Beldon
Plugs - Champion Copper Plus 438

First I replaced the pickup coil only and it fired right up. I'm gonna go ahead and put the other parts on too, as I don't know when the PO may have changed them. I'll clean up the CPS and keep it as a spare.

For the record and anyone who may find this thread searching like I was....I didn't get below a 400 reading on either the old or new CPS as described in the "Testing CPS" write up I linked in my earlier posts.

Thanks for the help guys, really appreciate it.

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