I feel like im on here everyother day asking about something else on my POS that has failed or giving me problems - anybody wanna buy a red 2000 jeep cherokee? - JK im gonna stick with my POS

all that aside - my jeep every now and then wont start but after awhile it does. the first time it happend 2-months ago i turned the key and the starter turned over but nothing else. i turned the key off and sat there for a min pissed off, turned the key back over and it cranked. next time it did the same thing but i had to sit for a little bit longer and turn the key on and off 3-times then it finnaly cranked, this morning it took even longer. I know it could be the fuel pump, ignition or something else. if this was a carb'd vehicle i could check to see if it was getting fuel by looking in the carb as someone pumped the gas, i could check for spark by pulling a plugout and holding it near the block and see if there was a spark - but on a EFI, im stumped. ill be honost, i dont know much about cherokee engines, i do understand and know how to work on engines, iv just never had to work on a EFI 4.0 I6; carb'd vehicles yes.

 

anybody?
should i just replace the ignition rail and the fuel pump? but if it was the ignition wouldnt it throw a code?

 

Next time it does it wiggle the shifter and also try it in neutral. Search for NSS issue on the Cherokee. Very Common for them to go bad or get dirty

 

wr is the nutral safty switch located?

- but just curious - if its the NSS , wouldnt the starter not turn over? cus it turns over just fine, it sounds like its not getting a spark or fuel, but then again im still getting to know this old girl.

 

you are correct

 

i have read that heatsink is an issue with the xj but ive never had an issue with my 98 even in florida i tried googleing it but no reall answers maybe you could try lifting the hood and letting it cool when this happens to see if that might be the problem do some more searching before you start wasting money on unknown cures

are you aware of the potential head problems you could run into? if not google cherokee 0331 heads n/m here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=cher...hrome&ie=UTF-8

 

I would guess that your fuel pressure was leaking down while it sits.

Get a fuel pressure gauge. Check the pressure while its running then turn it off and you'll see it drop.

Try turning the key on and off a couple times before you try to start it to prime the lines.

 

aahaa! that does sound like the right answer -
so it sounds like you are saying there is a leak in the line some wr -

 

Actually the check valve by the fuel pump is a common failure, once the pump is shut off the rest of the fuel just drains back into the tank. On the later model XJs the whole line from the pump to the rail is pressurized. Requires dropping the tank to get at. It's part of the whole fuel pump assembly

 

not trying to hijack but my 90 cranks an extra 2-3 seconds longer in the morning. same issue? should I check my check valve?