ambers96xj

first i'd like introduce myself i'm amber from nc and i currently have a 96 xj that will not start.

ok so i got this jeep in feb. and it blew a headgasket in march hadn't even been offroad yet. got a new motor with less than 20k miles on it. put the motor in got it all hooked but now it won't start. it will turnover but won't start its showing theres no fire. the real kicker is it will all but run on starting fluid.
i have replaced the plugs, plug wires, distributor, ecu, crankshaft sensor, relays and all the fuses. the distributor is in there correctly and i have power at the coil. please help!!! i love this jeep so i don't wanna give up on it yet.

thanks everyone

cmartin2112

You say there is no fire but (assuming that means no spark) it will run on starting fluid.... Hmmm that is kinda weird... Have you checked your block ground? Without that in proper shape you wont complete the spark circut so it wont ignite. Did you check the fuel pressure and check to see if there was fuel in the fuel rail? Are all of your connectors clean and installed in the correct locations? How did you figure out there was no spark?

ambers96xj

block ground is good. there is pressure at the fuel rail. i found out there is no spark with an inline ignition spark checker. i lose power somewhere between the coil and the spark plugs. theres power at the coils not at the spark plugs. my friend has a xj as well and we tested my distributor in his xj and it worked prefectly....so i have no idea...

on top of the fact that it will almost run on starting fluid if i use gas instead of starting fluid wont run at all just turns over

cmartin2112

Hmmm thats weird. The timing on the distributer is set correctly? Do you have a timing light? If so, you should just hook it up to all your plug wires while the motor is cranking and see if it lights up.
The fact that it will run off the starting fluid kinda baffels me. It makes me want to point my finger at your fuel system. Maybe bad injectors? Maybe bad gas? Your injector connectors are in correct order right?

ambers96xj

thats what i was thinking as well but then i dont understand why it reads no spark....im gonna replace the injectors and see what happens and yes all in the correct order

and trust me i know how crazy this sounds.....it doesnt even make any sense to me