i just joined today to get help with my moms 92 xj. She has had problems with it ever since she bought it, and i now it won't start. "She says it turns over but wont turn on" I haven't looked at it yet (she lives in another state) and was wondering what to look for tonight when i get there. Any suggestions would help. Thanks

 

The CPS is the likely culprit. It sometimes works to unplug and replug it several times. This cleans the plug contacts and since it is only 5volts a dirty set of contacts can cause a no start.
After that if it won't start then you have to check the basics like does it have fuel and fuel pressure? Next does it have spark? Last and frequently overlooked is does it have air. The older jeeps that have blowby get the airfilter full of oil and essentially choke off the air supply (ask me how I know) and thus have a no start condition but you can smell fuel strongly in the air. Try that short list and take your laptop so you can ask more questions from "Mom's" if needed. HTH
Blue

 

ok so where exactly is the cps (crank position sensor?) located on jeeps? and im guessing just from the fact that she has run the gas tank dry that its fuel related, but i just replaced the filter a month ago. sorry for the inexperience, i own a 02 2500 dodge cummins and a 98 neon turbo, i know nothing about jeeps

 

I had the exact same problem mine was just a nw battery and termanals so def. check those and CPS first

 

ill try battery, but can anyone tell me where the cps is on the cherokee?

 

Look at this thread should help you find what your looking for

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/she-wont-start-2983/

 

The cps is located on top of the tranny at the bellhousing on the drivers side. Take a flashlight and look just to the right of the valve cover down below the firewall and you will see what looks like a black flap and there will be a wiring going to it that is the cps. If you need I have a 91 I can take pics as it will be the same.

 

im gonna try to jump it as soon as i get there, then ill clean the cps and go from there she has internet so ill keep ya'll posted...

 

Sounds like a plan. Good Luck with moms Jeep.

 

If she has internet, get her to joint this forum

 

i doubt she would, i tried to get her to thro at least some all terrain tires on it and make it look like a jeep, but she is more concerned with my little brothers to put money into a vehicle like that.

 

Sry to hear that mom only thinks of the Cherokee as transport. What a waste.

 

ok im at the house truck is a 96 not 92. cleaned cps and battery termanals. checked battery (tested good) gauge reads around 10.5 to 11 and drops looks to go down to 9-9.5 while cranking. I took off the farthest spark plug wire towards the front and tried to arc it with a screwdriver also to no avail. the fuel pump primes... now any ideas on the fly? im racing the daylight

 

So you are or are not getting spark? I'd take a look at the air filter also. ... If it's no spark, rotor button completely worn? dist. cap look good?

 

no spark, from the outside the dist. looks good. I'm going out to take the airbox off now... keep things to check coming!!!