New to this. Have Cylinder 3 Misfire. HELP?
Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 247
Likes: 2
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Thanks everyone, the problem is solved!!!!
I spoke to a guy that works next door to my shop and he mentioned something about the wiring harness that runs behind the valve cover rubbing through the insulation and grounding the injector wire. Sure as heck I checked it and BAM problem solved!!!! Hope this helps anyone with this isolated misfire problem!
I provided a link below with image.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1734110915
I spoke to a guy that works next door to my shop and he mentioned something about the wiring harness that runs behind the valve cover rubbing through the insulation and grounding the injector wire. Sure as heck I checked it and BAM problem solved!!!! Hope this helps anyone with this isolated misfire problem!
I provided a link below with image.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1734110915
MJ>XJ
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 17,836
Likes: 7
From: Griffin, G.A.
Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Long Valley, NJ
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Hey no problem guys. I got this jeep and I'm in it for life! And in case the facebook photo didn't work here's a photobucket link.
http://s904.photobucket.com/albums/a...firesolved.jpg
http://s904.photobucket.com/albums/a...firesolved.jpg
Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 247
Likes: 2
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
MJ>XJ
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 17,836
Likes: 7
From: Griffin, G.A.
Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
I spoke to a guy that works next door to my shop and he mentioned something about the wiring harness that runs behind the valve cover rubbing through the insulation and grounding the injector wire. Sure as heck I checked it and BAM problem solved!!!! Hope this helps anyone with this isolated misfire problem!
Here's a photo of my wiring harness:

Your discription matches my symptoms, yet in looking at the harness, I can't see any place for the nick your photo shows. Please look and comment.
Thanks, I've been chasing this for 2-years.
Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 247
Likes: 2
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I replaced #3 injector and all of the O-Rings on the other injectors. During the install I noticed that the new injector slid in the recess of the manifold much easier (too easy) than the other injectors.
I haven't had any codes but recently I decided to replace my Bosch plugs with Champion Copper Plus and notice that #3 plug insulator was white and the others were as they should be (tan to light brown), this tells me that there is still a very lean mixture at the #3 cylinder. I believe that when the engine gets hot and the manifold expands it allow air to leak past the O-Ring at #3 causing the lean mixture.
You might want to pull #3 plug and see what it looks like and compare it to the other plug insulators. These engines are set to run lean for emissions and won't tolerate leaks very well...just a thought.
Turns out XJ1997's post got me on the right track. Today it was sunny and warm enough to back the Cherokee out of the garage and have a look. The valve cover had nothing to do with the problem, rather the fuel manifold was the source of the problem.
The fuel manifold is ~24" long x 3/4" Dia steel tube. The tube has welded caps at each end and six spigots, one for each cylinder injector. The welded cap ends are very sharp and if the cable harness gets wedged between the fuel manifold and the firewall, in time one or more wires will be grounded.
Here's my original photo and you can make out the manifold mushed into the wire harness:

This closeup makes it very clear:

Simply moving the wire harness from this pinched location eliminated my high speed misfire. However it did not eliminate the idle misfire. I suspect one or more spark plugs are badly fouled.
At least my Google search got me this far, very grateful. It's been several hundred dollars chasing idiot codes by "professional" jeep mechanics.
The fuel manifold is ~24" long x 3/4" Dia steel tube. The tube has welded caps at each end and six spigots, one for each cylinder injector. The welded cap ends are very sharp and if the cable harness gets wedged between the fuel manifold and the firewall, in time one or more wires will be grounded.
Here's my original photo and you can make out the manifold mushed into the wire harness:

This closeup makes it very clear:

Simply moving the wire harness from this pinched location eliminated my high speed misfire. However it did not eliminate the idle misfire. I suspect one or more spark plugs are badly fouled.
At least my Google search got me this far, very grateful. It's been several hundred dollars chasing idiot codes by "professional" jeep mechanics.
Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 247
Likes: 2
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Turns out XJ1997's post got me on the right track. Today it was sunny and warm enough to back the Cherokee out of the garage and have a look. The valve cover had nothing to do with the problem, rather the fuel manifold was the source of the problem.
The fuel manifold is ~24" long x 3/4" Dia steel tube. The tube has welded caps at each end and six spigots, one for each cylinder injector. The welded cap ends are very sharp and if the cable harness gets wedged between the fuel manifold and the firewall, in time one or more wires will be grounded.
Here's my original photo and you can make out the manifold mushed into the wire harness:

This closeup makes it very clear:

Simply moving the wire harness from this pinched location eliminated my high speed misfire. However it did not eliminate the idle misfire. I suspect one or more spark plugs are badly fouled.
At least my Google search got me this far, very grateful. It's been several hundred dollars chasing idiot codes by "professional" jeep mechanics.
The fuel manifold is ~24" long x 3/4" Dia steel tube. The tube has welded caps at each end and six spigots, one for each cylinder injector. The welded cap ends are very sharp and if the cable harness gets wedged between the fuel manifold and the firewall, in time one or more wires will be grounded.
Here's my original photo and you can make out the manifold mushed into the wire harness:

This closeup makes it very clear:

Simply moving the wire harness from this pinched location eliminated my high speed misfire. However it did not eliminate the idle misfire. I suspect one or more spark plugs are badly fouled.
At least my Google search got me this far, very grateful. It's been several hundred dollars chasing idiot codes by "professional" jeep mechanics.
I just put in Champion Copper Plus and indexed them. I noticed a slight improvement in drivability and idle over my Bosch single ground strap plugs. But, since I got a gift card for O’Reilly’s for Christmas I’m tempted to go with the NGK V-Power.
Last edited by weebur; Jan 3, 2010 at 09:21 AM. Reason: Added former plug brand
Thanks everyone, the problem is solved!!!!
I spoke to a guy that works next door to my shop and he mentioned something about the wiring harness that runs behind the valve cover rubbing through the insulation and grounding the injector wire. Sure as heck I checked it and BAM problem solved!!!! Hope this helps anyone with this isolated misfire problem!
I provided a link below with image.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1734110915
I spoke to a guy that works next door to my shop and he mentioned something about the wiring harness that runs behind the valve cover rubbing through the insulation and grounding the injector wire. Sure as heck I checked it and BAM problem solved!!!! Hope this helps anyone with this isolated misfire problem!
I provided a link below with image.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1734110915
However the first step in testing the injector is to listen to each one with a stetho or a Wooden stick held against the injector and the ear. You would likely have found that the #3 one would not have been "Clicking" like the others...Just an FYI /..
Glad you figured that out !
I just opened the hood to look at the spark plugs and the wiring harness was back snug against the fuel manifold. This was after a 10-mile drive for testing. So I wired the harness up and away from the manifold. It's possible this was the cause of my idle misfire. Next time I drive into town I'll know.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Long Valley, NJ
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L

Sorry it took me a while to reply. You'll see the square black plastic sleeve that covers the injector wires and kinda acts like a loom just square. Where the wires come out of the back of that is where my entire problem spawned from.
There's a 3 or 4 inch ribbed loom over those wires and the head bolt actually did the rubbing... Specifically the white wire with yellow stripe that goes directly to the #3 cyl. Hope this helps...


