Renix starting issues
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,433
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From: Northern MN
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: Renix 4.0
IV called Autozone, Napa, and o Reilly and they all have the airtex whole assembly unit. That's what I installed in my wife's and had no issue, when I bought just the pump I burnt 2 of them up in one night so I went with the assembly unit and had no issues. The pumps I bought didn't seem to fit into the frame I had in our 88 so maybe it was my poor instal that was why it got burnt up Idk.
EDIT: I looked around on there, a full Spectra Premium assembly costs $94.
Last edited by austinjoe13; Jul 16, 2012 at 04:50 PM.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,458
Likes: 2
From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Originally Posted by austinjoe13
Check out http://www.rockauto.com/. If you can wait a few days, you'll save a few bucks.
EDIT: I looked around on there, a full Spectra Premium assembly costs $94.
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Don't be surprised if you end up with a misfire after changing just the plugs and not the wires.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
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From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Originally Posted by cruiser54
Don't be surprised if you end up with a misfire after changing just the plugs and not the wires.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
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From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Originally Posted by DESERTXJ206
I changed the plugs with premium plugs about 2 months ago.
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,458
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From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Originally Posted by cruiser54
NGKs...........I figured you typed plugs instead of wires in your post.
The wires I bought were some premium Bosch wires I believe like 7-8mm or something like that. I can't remember.
Where can I pick up the ngk plugs and do you know about how much they run a piece?
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Napa carries NGKs and they're reasonably priced. Not some hyped up over-priced plugs.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
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From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Originally Posted by cruiser54
Napa carries NGKs and they're reasonably priced. Not some hyped up over-priced plugs.
This may sound weird but when the tempature heats up my Jeep starts fine. Yesterday morning at 7am it would not start. Temps were about 75-80*. That afternoon at 2pm it fired the first crank. That night at 7pm it fired first crank when leaving work, temps were around 90+*.
This morning at 11 am it was around 90*+ and it started fine. This is completely opposite of the symptoms IV been having the past 3-4 days.
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,135
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From: Santa Rosa, California
Year: 1987 Comanche,1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L Renix
Well I picked up plugs and a fuel filter. The cap and rotor will have to wait until Thursday when I get paid. I will be installing the stuff tomorrow morning and see how everything goes.
This may sound weird but when the tempature heats up my Jeep starts fine. Yesterday morning at 7am it would not start. Temps were about 75-80*. That afternoon at 2pm it fired the first crank. That night at 7pm it fired first crank when leaving work, temps were around 90+*.
This morning at 11 am it was around 90*+ and it started fine. This is completely opposite of the symptoms IV been having the past 3-4 days.
This may sound weird but when the tempature heats up my Jeep starts fine. Yesterday morning at 7am it would not start. Temps were about 75-80*. That afternoon at 2pm it fired the first crank. That night at 7pm it fired first crank when leaving work, temps were around 90+*.
This morning at 11 am it was around 90*+ and it started fine. This is completely opposite of the symptoms IV been having the past 3-4 days.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,458
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From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Originally Posted by NorCalJeep
I get that during winter, weird. Do the tune up and report back buddy.
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Yeah during winter when the lows were 50-60* it would just take slightly longer to start. Nothing like the symptoms I was having. I just thinks its weird that everything seems to be back to normal. Well tomorrow I will do the plugs and fuel filter and see where its at. Maybe it will steady my idle about a bit.
Ever do this?
TESTING THE EGR VALVE FOR 87-90 4.0 ENGINE
Valve Opening Test
1) With engine at normal operating temperature and at idle,
rapidly open and close throttle. Open throttle sufficiently to obtain
at least 1500 RPM. Movement should be noticed in EGR diaphragm.
2) If diaphragm does not move, probable causes are: faulty
vacuum signal to EGR, defective EGR diaphragm or defective
backpressure sensor diaphragm (if equipped), or leaks in vacuum lines
or connections.
Valve Closing Test
1) With engine at normal operating temperature and at idle,
manually depress EGR valve diaphragm. RPM should immediately drop,
indicating that EGR valve is not leaking and had been properly cutting
off exhaust gas flow at idle.
2) If there is no change in RPM and engine is idling
properly, exhaust gases are not reaching combustion chamber. Check for
plugged passage between EGR valve and intake manifold.
3) If engine idles poorly and RPM is not greatly affected by
manually moving diaphragm up, EGR valve is not closing off exhaust gas
flow. Check for carbon between pintle, leaking EGR valve gasket or bad
EGR valve.
***************
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,458
Likes: 2
From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Originally Posted by cruiser54
I know you've done alot of ground refreshing, right? Did you ever do the connector/relay refreshing?
Ever do this?
TESTING THE EGR VALVE FOR 87-90 4.0 ENGINE
Valve Opening Test
1) With engine at normal operating temperature and at idle,
rapidly open and close throttle. Open throttle sufficiently to obtain
at least 1500 RPM. Movement should be noticed in EGR diaphragm.
2) If diaphragm does not move, probable causes are: faulty
vacuum signal to EGR, defective EGR diaphragm or defective
backpressure sensor diaphragm (if equipped), or leaks in vacuum lines
or connections.
Valve Closing Test
1) With engine at normal operating temperature and at idle,
manually depress EGR valve diaphragm. RPM should immediately drop,
indicating that EGR valve is not leaking and had been properly cutting
off exhaust gas flow at idle.
2) If there is no change in RPM and engine is idling
properly, exhaust gases are not reaching combustion chamber. Check for
plugged passage between EGR valve and intake manifold.
3) If engine idles poorly and RPM is not greatly affected by
manually moving diaphragm up, EGR valve is not closing off exhaust gas
flow. Check for carbon between pintle, leaking EGR valve gasket or bad
EGR valve.
***************
Which is the connector refreshening?
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Do the ground refreshing and connector/relay refreshing on both Jeeps to be on the safe side.
I suggest unplugging EVERY electrical connection in the engine bay you can find, whether engine related or not, and spraying it out with a good electronics cleaner, visually inspecting the terminals, and then plugging it back together. There’s a critical 10-pin connector for the front lighting system located in front of the air cleaner and behind the left headlight assembly. Don’t miss that one. Also be sure that the connectors to the ballast resistor mounted near the air cleaner housing are clean and tight.
ALL of the relays should be removed, the terminals wire-brushed until shiny, and the receptacles sprayed out with contact cleaner. Then plug them back in. I do this on every Renix era Jeep I purchase or work on for someone else.
Revised 07/17/2012
I suggest unplugging EVERY electrical connection in the engine bay you can find, whether engine related or not, and spraying it out with a good electronics cleaner, visually inspecting the terminals, and then plugging it back together. There’s a critical 10-pin connector for the front lighting system located in front of the air cleaner and behind the left headlight assembly. Don’t miss that one. Also be sure that the connectors to the ballast resistor mounted near the air cleaner housing are clean and tight.
ALL of the relays should be removed, the terminals wire-brushed until shiny, and the receptacles sprayed out with contact cleaner. Then plug them back in. I do this on every Renix era Jeep I purchase or work on for someone else.
Revised 07/17/2012
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,458
Likes: 2
From: Glendale,Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l 6Cyl
Ok I will be doing that as soon as I pick up some electrical contact cleaner. Do you suggest adding dieelectric greese in the connections?
Also here is the pictures of my spark plugs. Can you tell if anything is wrong like burning oil or coolant?
In the picture of 6 plugs they go from left to right - from firewall to front of engine.
Also all of the original 6 plugs were all gaped over .045-.055
Also here is the pictures of my spark plugs. Can you tell if anything is wrong like burning oil or coolant?
In the picture of 6 plugs they go from left to right - from firewall to front of engine.
Also all of the original 6 plugs were all gaped over .045-.055
Last edited by DESERTXJ206; Jul 18, 2012 at 03:59 PM.