1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd 4.0
about 278,000 mile
I bought about 6 months ago.
About a week ago driving home from Houston to San Antonio about 4 a.m. the Jeep just quit running. Think vacuum cleaner pulled out of the wall just wound down quit running. Tried to start it it would turn over but would not start. I had lights the blower motor for the heater was working. Finally get it towed to the house couple days later realize it had blown a fuse in the fuse panel underneath the hood. Replace the fuse. Started it up noticed that the alternator was making weird noises. Check the voltage on it and it was not charging. Went to the junkyard pulled a alternator put it on there jump-started it sounded like its normal self. But unfortunately the alternator was no good. Key part sounded and drove fine. Go to auto parts store buy a rebuilt alternator put on there start it up and it won't stay running. And it backfires it's acts like it's almost out of time but nothing to do with the timing was touched.
bad alternator drove it sounded fine. Rebuild new alternator won't stay running backfired. There was less than 2 hours time difference in the swapping of the alternators. I'm at a loss any help would be great
*** Update
So checked all wires and pigtails on this side of engine... Nothing loose
Volts just battery...10
Volts going from battery to main fuse box.. 10
both tested with no load
Cleaned ground wires and bolt on engine block.
Checked 5 nuts on back of new alternator
Yesterday started but back fired and wouldn't stay running.
Today.. just super fast clicking

 

So the field excitation comes from the ECU. Is the rebuilt alternator charging now?

 

When I installed the new alternator the jeep would not stay running so I don't know if it is charging.

 

Well it certainly sounds like you have a bad ECU. Lift the 2 wires on the back of the alternator and see if it runs again.

What was the fuse that blew?

 

Fuse 19 under hood

Mine is one on left Fuse that blew was 19

 

Not sure if you recharged your battery yet but 10 Volts will not do anything anymore and makes troubleshooting very difficult.

Just wondering if trying to jump the ASD will make it run.: remove the ASD relay and with key in ON/RUN position (so not cranking), jump relay sockets for pin 30 and 87.
Its what I did at some stage with the starter relay.

 

As of February 24th Wednesday Jeep is up and running. It was a domino effect of several items. For starters I did have a leaky valve cover gasket that was dripping down onto the starter. And it just kind of went to crap from there. The alternator did go out there for draining on the battery. All is well now and I thank you everybody for all your help.

 

So what was done?