Please Help. 89 XJ will not start.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
On the left inner fender (near the airbox/orange wires), is a ceramic resistor. It was only added to quiet the pump a bit. You can bypass or eliminate it. System power comes in the front and a few volts less goes out the rear directly to the pump. If that rear terminal has 10-14 volts and fuel pressure isn't up....the problem isn't electrical unless it's the power wire or the ground to the pump.
It is normally free to borrow a tester Btw.
It is normally free to borrow a tester Btw.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 694
Likes: 50
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
On the left inner fender (near the airbox/orange wires), is a ceramic resistor. It was only added to quiet the pump a bit. You can bypass or eliminate it. System power comes in the front and a few volts less goes out the rear directly to the pump. If that rear terminal has 10-14 volts and fuel pressure isn't up....the problem isn't electrical unless it's the power wire or the ground to the pump.
It is normally free to borrow a tester Btw.
It is normally free to borrow a tester Btw.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 694
Likes: 50
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I hate to keep bothering y'all about this but I would like to do at least one more test before I go buy the fuel pump.
How can I test to make sure it's not a clogged fuel line between the pump and filter? Would simple gas/fuel injection cleaner be good enough? If the fuel pump was pumping to the clog when I turn the key and/or try to start it, would it be good enough to break it up or would I have to take the fuel lines completely off to clean then since its not starting up for the cleaner to work?
Also if its the simple cleaner what do you recommend?
How can I test to make sure it's not a clogged fuel line between the pump and filter? Would simple gas/fuel injection cleaner be good enough? If the fuel pump was pumping to the clog when I turn the key and/or try to start it, would it be good enough to break it up or would I have to take the fuel lines completely off to clean then since its not starting up for the cleaner to work?
Also if its the simple cleaner what do you recommend?
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
Ha! If anyone can write inside-out I can. All I meant was if that rear wire off the resistor has power, it's not the letrics upstream from there. If the pump isn't running it's its wires or the pump itself.
If the pump is running and pressure is low, (IIRC you changed the filter), squeezing the soft return line from the fuel pressure regulator to the tank is how you isolate the FPR. They rarely fail though.
I had a pump that ran and didn't pump, autopsied! The impeller pin sheared.
If the pump is running and pressure is low, (IIRC you changed the filter), squeezing the soft return line from the fuel pressure regulator to the tank is how you isolate the FPR. They rarely fail though.
I had a pump that ran and didn't pump, autopsied! The impeller pin sheared.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
Longer story shorter, run some Chevron premium with Techron. I saw it make a clear difference once.
It's unlikely the line clogged with anything that made it through the filter. It's always looping through the rail, past the FPR and back to the tank.
It's unlikely the line clogged with anything that made it through the filter. It's always looping through the rail, past the FPR and back to the tank.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 694
Likes: 50
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I'm going to check the regulator but I'm 99% sure the pump is probably bad but hey I've read other threads where people thought that and it wasn't. It was something else simple like the regulator or clogged line.
Seasoned Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 460
Likes: 2
From: Long Island NY
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
go back to my post #3 on the first page. get a piece of fuel line, disconnect the hose at the sender unit that is going to the fuel filter just push on the new piece of fuel line on to the sender unit where you removed the old one. put the other end in a bottle of some sort. if you turn on the key and hear the pump running and then shut off you should have about 2 inches of gas in the bottle maybe even more. if no fuel or just a dribble of gas, pull out the sender unit. it could be a bad pump, clogged sock, or the hose bent in the shape of a downward L could be clogged, split or collapsed. see attached pic
Okay my uncle just said it may be a clogged line between the pump and filter since after I changed the filter and turned the key and the pump came on but nothing came through the filter into the catch pan.
I'm going to check the regulator but I'm 99% sure the pump is probably bad but hey I've read other threads where people thought that and it wasn't. It was something else simple like the regulator or clogged line.
I'm going to check the regulator but I'm 99% sure the pump is probably bad but hey I've read other threads where people thought that and it wasn't. It was something else simple like the regulator or clogged line.
Even if your in doubt and you have not changed the fuel pump you might as well do it. The fuel gauge is also attached to it, so it will read right again. Then you will have piece of mind. I bought the fuel pump kit for mine on Ebay fo $85. It came with verything you need and it works perfect. I also am installing a new fuel tank $88 (eBay), new Fuel filter, 6 = 4 jet injetors, online for $50 (eBay) and to finish the ensemble and make it complete a fuel regulator $54 (O'Reilly) Of coarse plugs, wires, cap and button. This baby was neglected big time.. I hope I can bring the beast back to life..
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 694
Likes: 50
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Chicken Picker
Even if your in doubt and you have not changed the fuel pump you might as well do it. The fuel gauge is also attached to it, so it will read right again. Then you will have piece of mind. I bought the fuel pump kit for mine on Ebay fo $85. It came with verything you need and it works perfect. I also am installing a new fuel tank $88 (eBay), new Fuel filter, 6 = 4 jet injetors, online for $50 (eBay) and to finish the ensemble and make it complete a fuel regulator $54 (O'Reilly) Of coarse plugs, wires, cap and button. This baby was neglected big time.. I hope I can bring the beast back to life..
Even if your in doubt and you have not changed the fuel pump you might as well do it. The fuel gauge is also attached to it, so it will read right again. Then you will have piece of mind. I bought the fuel pump kit for mine on Ebay fo $85. It came with verything you need and it works perfect. I also am installing a new fuel tank $88 (eBay), new Fuel filter, 6 = 4 jet injetors, online for $50 (eBay) and to finish the ensemble and make it complete a fuel regulator $54 (O'Reilly) Of coarse plugs, wires, cap and button. This baby was neglected big time.. I hope I can bring the beast back to life..
I may do a video version or a good picture version of the change to help out future people. Hopefully my change goes smooth.
I'm just anxious to get it running (it sounded good when I poured starter fluid in and it started). Put on new brakes and see how it drives and continues to run.
Then I can move on to washing it up putting on some nicer, slightly offset rims and eventually a small 1.5-2" lift, which I will probably be asking questions about when the time comes.
Then I can drive down the road blairing George Jones and Merle Haggard haha.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 694
Likes: 50
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I called the store two days in a row and they said it was in stock.
I drive all the way down there and "I'll have to order it. It's not in stock. I can have it here by 3:30."
So now I have to kill 3-4 hours or go back home. The repair must wait once again. Dang.
I drive all the way down there and "I'll have to order it. It's not in stock. I can have it here by 3:30."
So now I have to kill 3-4 hours or go back home. The repair must wait once again. Dang.
Get a new pressure regulator. If not the new fuel pump may pop the other out and put fuel in your oil they the vacuum line. This is what happened to me.
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