Okay so not tuning, more like getting to run smoothly..

1996 XJ 4.0l

-Fresh new reman from APS in Texas. Few issues. Its running rough, like shaking so violently it looks like it wants to leap out of the bay. Scanner tool says my idle is between 780-815rpm..
-My oil dummy light is on and will not come off, I checked the sensor wires, all looks to be good..so bad oil pressure?? I packed the new oil pump with vaseline, primed it before I started with the tool, and even pulled my Crankshaft Sensor and turned it over a bit before starting..
-If I squeeze on my rad hoses it has no pressure in them like there is no fluid, I filled my water system obviously and the scanner is saying its gotten to about 196*F, I have a 195* thermostat installed..
-It will not start unless I push the accelerator 1/4 in, which leads me to guess there is some sort of airflow issue?

Im no mechanic, just a dude trying to get his car back on the road, without destroying a new engine..

Where to begin?

 

Check orientation of plug/injector wires.

 

Was the distributor installed properly?


Did you pre-oil the engine from the oil pump drive (before installing the distributor) using an electric drill motor?

 

1. I think so, I'm gonna try again
2. Yes, electric drill with a cut off screwdriver bit


Edit: Went to tinker with it this morning..
Rearranged wire plugs again to be sure they were right.
Starts with no need to push accelerator, and runs a good bit smoother but it has a slight miss and after a few minutes the idle starts to fluctuate, it will either start to go super low idle and lope or it will idle high until i hit the accelerator and bring it back to idle

& Oil light did not come back on..

 

Oops, a little late making my post. Glad you figured it out.







Here's a few pics that you can use for reference.


.
Wire configuration.





Turn the crankshaft damper to align the index mark on the damper with the zero (O) mark on the timing chain cover timing marks. You may have to remove your electric fan to get a direct view of the timing marks.





Remove the distributor cap, rotor and camshaft position sensor. Reinstall the rotor. The rotor should be pointing just past the #1 plug cap terminal (see pic). If it's pointing near #6 cap terminal, rotate the damper 360 degrees and realign the timing mark at Zero.


Using a 3/16" pin punch or drill bit, you should be able to insert the punch down through the plastic ring in the distributor and down through the alignment hole in the body of the distributor (see pic). Modified cap shown.





If the punch won't go through the hole in the body of the distributor, the distributor is not installed properly, if it does go through the distributor is timed properly.


4.0 hole in the plastic ring.

 

This is where real knowledge and experience comes in to play CCKen! I would never have guessed there is an alignment hole under there. Great tip to add to the knowledge base around here!


Thank you!

 

Is the distributor seating all the way down into the block to make it engage the oil pump drive fully?

 

So update..
My distributor was out of time, I must have set it origonally on the exhaust stroke & not the compression stroke.
Its running pretty damn well now.
I took it for a 3 mile drive and it did throw a code. P1017.
I also think I pinpointed where the oil seep is from. It appears its coming from my filter, the filter is tight, but is there an O-ring needed for the oil filter to the oil filter adapter? I did replace the 3 o rings inside the adapter.

 

There is an o ring on the filter itself. I have seen the old filter o ring get stuck on the block or adapter and when you put a new one on it leaks. I haven't seen a filter come without one but i suppose anything is possible. But i would imagine it would do.more than seep.

 

Glad you got your distributor squared away.


Are you sure the code is P1017 and not P0107?

 

Yeah sorry P0107.

 

MAP sensor low voltage,


You may want to test your MAP sensor and inspect vacuum line and wiring going to it.


You'll need to back probe the wires at the connector. See if you can use a safety pin to back probe.

 

CCKen called it, You were out 180 degrees. funny how they will actually try to run like that.


As for your oil filter did you check to make sure there were not two filter O-rings on there? Sometimes the old one will stick to the adapter when removing the filter. Then when you spin the new one on there ends up being two sandwiched on there. This will leak for sure.


I also found that if you overtighten these they will also leak because it distorts the filter O-ring seat.

 

Definte no on the 2 filter o rings.
I got oil sprayed everywhere from, the underside of the pan going down the bell housing. To my spark plug wires and on my dipstick tube top, and then it looks like it drips from the filter and rolls down my starter motor I got oil everywhere essentially but no major puddles, I don't know if its all correlated or separate things but its driving me crazy cause the engine is running super well after 50 miles..

 

Well then, fix it....