Cherokee Chief Rollin Coal
Well...
replaced the cold start solenoid and it still starts and then dies. Even removed the cold start solenoid plunger and screwed it back in to seal the hold and it starts and dies. Can get it to run a minute or so by working the throttle.
Talked to a couple of diesel mechanics and it could be the injectors or the injector pump. Or fuel line and return line but we have checked them and they are unclogged and don't leak and flow well.
Talked to a great guy at Miller Diesel in Harrisburg PA and he can rebuild the injector pump but thinks and recommends checking the injectors first. There is a check valve inside the injectors and if it goes bad, cylinder pressure will go up thru the injector and into the IP. Just have to find the time and weather to pull the fuel lines and check them and probably pull them anyway and get them rebuilt. Much cheaper than rebuilding the IP.
Miss driving it.
replaced the cold start solenoid and it still starts and then dies. Even removed the cold start solenoid plunger and screwed it back in to seal the hold and it starts and dies. Can get it to run a minute or so by working the throttle.
Talked to a couple of diesel mechanics and it could be the injectors or the injector pump. Or fuel line and return line but we have checked them and they are unclogged and don't leak and flow well.
Talked to a great guy at Miller Diesel in Harrisburg PA and he can rebuild the injector pump but thinks and recommends checking the injectors first. There is a check valve inside the injectors and if it goes bad, cylinder pressure will go up thru the injector and into the IP. Just have to find the time and weather to pull the fuel lines and check them and probably pull them anyway and get them rebuilt. Much cheaper than rebuilding the IP.
Miss driving it.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 5
From: WNY
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 High Output
Well...
replaced the cold start solenoid and it still starts and then dies. Even removed the cold start solenoid plunger and screwed it back in to seal the hold and it starts and dies. Can get it to run a minute or so by working the throttle.
Talked to a couple of diesel mechanics and it could be the injectors or the injector pump. Or fuel line and return line but we have checked them and they are unclogged and don't leak and flow well.
Talked to a great guy at Miller Diesel in Harrisburg PA and he can rebuild the injector pump but thinks and recommends checking the injectors first. There is a check valve inside the injectors and if it goes bad, cylinder pressure will go up thru the injector and into the IP. Just have to find the time and weather to pull the fuel lines and check them and probably pull them anyway and get them rebuilt. Much cheaper than rebuilding the IP.
Miss driving it.
replaced the cold start solenoid and it still starts and then dies. Even removed the cold start solenoid plunger and screwed it back in to seal the hold and it starts and dies. Can get it to run a minute or so by working the throttle.
Talked to a couple of diesel mechanics and it could be the injectors or the injector pump. Or fuel line and return line but we have checked them and they are unclogged and don't leak and flow well.
Talked to a great guy at Miller Diesel in Harrisburg PA and he can rebuild the injector pump but thinks and recommends checking the injectors first. There is a check valve inside the injectors and if it goes bad, cylinder pressure will go up thru the injector and into the IP. Just have to find the time and weather to pull the fuel lines and check them and probably pull them anyway and get them rebuilt. Much cheaper than rebuilding the IP.
Miss driving it.
I would be pleased if it is just an injector and not the IP. Injectors are rebuildable and new are unaffordable.
IDK or remember the pressure but I do remember somewhere it said to not crack the fuel line and put your finger near it to check if it flows, the pressure would cut your finger. Checking cylinder cranking pressure thru the injector hole is like 1200psi IIRC due to the 21.5:1 CR. Again no fingers to test, use gauge, tape or paper.
IDK or remember the pressure but I do remember somewhere it said to not crack the fuel line and put your finger near it to check if it flows, the pressure would cut your finger. Checking cylinder cranking pressure thru the injector hole is like 1200psi IIRC due to the 21.5:1 CR. Again no fingers to test, use gauge, tape or paper.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 5
From: WNY
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 High Output
I would be pleased if it is just an injector and not the IP. Injectors are rebuildable and new are unaffordable.
IDK or remember the pressure but I do remember somewhere it said to not crack the fuel line and put your finger near it to check if it flows, the pressure would cut your finger. Checking cylinder cranking pressure thru the injector hole is like 1200psi IIRC due to the 21.5:1 CR. Again no fingers to test, use gauge, tape or paper.
IDK or remember the pressure but I do remember somewhere it said to not crack the fuel line and put your finger near it to check if it flows, the pressure would cut your finger. Checking cylinder cranking pressure thru the injector hole is like 1200psi IIRC due to the 21.5:1 CR. Again no fingers to test, use gauge, tape or paper.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 795
Likes: 0
From: Snowville, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 torque monster w/ a supercharger
Yeah. Either way, the injectors are getting pulled and probably rebuilt.
Just a matter of when..... Winter and snow are coming soon. Might have to wait till spring to get it back in action. Definitely miss driving it though. Most fun 85 horsepower ever lol. And it was nice not having to fill it up often.
And I'm not planning on selling it anytime soon. It's just way too rare and way too quirky and it's a different kind of challenge and learning experience. I'll just be doing little things to keep this little unicorn alive. Like floor pans at some point since it'll more than likely need those to pass its next inspection. Between my own flame red 2 door XJ and my dad's flame red 2 door XJ, I have more than enough of those to play with haha xD
Just a matter of when..... Winter and snow are coming soon. Might have to wait till spring to get it back in action. Definitely miss driving it though. Most fun 85 horsepower ever lol. And it was nice not having to fill it up often.
And I'm not planning on selling it anytime soon. It's just way too rare and way too quirky and it's a different kind of challenge and learning experience. I'll just be doing little things to keep this little unicorn alive. Like floor pans at some point since it'll more than likely need those to pass its next inspection. Between my own flame red 2 door XJ and my dad's flame red 2 door XJ, I have more than enough of those to play with haha xD
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 5
From: WNY
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 High Output
[QUOTE="bpas328xi;2967187"]Yeah. Either way, the injectors are getting pulled and probably rebuilt.
Just a matter of when..... Winter and snow are coming soon. Might have to wait till spring to get it back in action. Definitely miss driving it though. Most fun 85 horsepower ever lol. And it was nice not having to fill it up often.
And I'm not planning on selling it anytime soon. It's just way too rare and way too quirky and it's a different kind of challenge and learning experience. I'll just be doing little things to keep this little unicorn alive. Like floor pans at some point since it'll more than likely need those to pass its next inspection. Between my own flame red 2 door XJ and my dad's flame red 2 door XJ, I have more than enough of those to play with haha xD[/
QUOTE]
Well it'll make a good winter project if that's the case. If you have to do the floors are you going to go through and do a bunch of other body work to it as well? And hey I can understand that, but three makes it a party! Lol I'd just like to find another like this or factory five speed grand cherokee. I missed my chance on a showroom one in Detroit and I've been kicking myself in the *** about it for the past year. Either way I'm glad you intend to keep it running right and not have it rolling coal.
Just a matter of when..... Winter and snow are coming soon. Might have to wait till spring to get it back in action. Definitely miss driving it though. Most fun 85 horsepower ever lol. And it was nice not having to fill it up often.
And I'm not planning on selling it anytime soon. It's just way too rare and way too quirky and it's a different kind of challenge and learning experience. I'll just be doing little things to keep this little unicorn alive. Like floor pans at some point since it'll more than likely need those to pass its next inspection. Between my own flame red 2 door XJ and my dad's flame red 2 door XJ, I have more than enough of those to play with haha xD[/
QUOTE]
Well it'll make a good winter project if that's the case. If you have to do the floors are you going to go through and do a bunch of other body work to it as well? And hey I can understand that, but three makes it a party! Lol I'd just like to find another like this or factory five speed grand cherokee. I missed my chance on a showroom one in Detroit and I've been kicking myself in the *** about it for the past year. Either way I'm glad you intend to keep it running right and not have it rolling coal.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 795
Likes: 0
From: Snowville, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 torque monster w/ a supercharger
Missed your post XxXJ99xX because it got eaten and I confused it as just my reply quoted. Factory 5 speed ZJ would've been pretty cool to have. Although I'd prefer a manual WJ in all honesty. If it was ever made XD
So..... PROGRESS on getting the unicorn back up and running. Had an unusually warm 70* day today and had my diesel mechanic buddy come over and help me pull the injectors. And by help I mean he did all the work and I watched because I know absolutely nothing about diesels. Which is fine because he's about the same towards gasoline engines haha.
Now all I gotta do is send them out to be rebuilt. I have 1.5-2.5ish dead (forgot which ones my friend said were firing/dead) cylinders for sure so at least one injector is either not functioning correctly or is clogged. Getting fuel to injectors from the pump, so I might luck out and not have to send the IP out for a rebuild.
Also found that the injectors have been replaced with remanufactured OEM units at some point which means that this Jeep has had a dealer level of maintenance for at lease some of its life which is nice to know.
Could potentially have this thing back on the road before the snow starts to fall. Which would be AMAZING because I love driving it. So.... Fingers crossed that the issue is just the injectors and the diesel shop I'm sending them to has a fast turnaround. My diesel mech friend will put them back in for me, so I'm set for that.
So..... PROGRESS on getting the unicorn back up and running. Had an unusually warm 70* day today and had my diesel mechanic buddy come over and help me pull the injectors. And by help I mean he did all the work and I watched because I know absolutely nothing about diesels. Which is fine because he's about the same towards gasoline engines haha.
Now all I gotta do is send them out to be rebuilt. I have 1.5-2.5ish dead (forgot which ones my friend said were firing/dead) cylinders for sure so at least one injector is either not functioning correctly or is clogged. Getting fuel to injectors from the pump, so I might luck out and not have to send the IP out for a rebuild.
Also found that the injectors have been replaced with remanufactured OEM units at some point which means that this Jeep has had a dealer level of maintenance for at lease some of its life which is nice to know.
Could potentially have this thing back on the road before the snow starts to fall. Which would be AMAZING because I love driving it. So.... Fingers crossed that the issue is just the injectors and the diesel shop I'm sending them to has a fast turnaround. My diesel mech friend will put them back in for me, so I'm set for that.

Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 795
Likes: 0
From: Snowville, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 torque monster w/ a supercharger
I think I can officially say that the issue is in the injection pump. Got the injectors tested and they all checked out.
Removed the return to the tank from the equation and put the return off of the IP into a bottle. Barely any fuel was coming out while it was kinda running and apparently there's supposed to be quite a lot coming out.
If I don't get hit with snowmageddon tomorrow, my diesel mech friend and I are going to pull the IP. Then I'll probably end up driving it to Miller Diesel in Harrisburg just like I did with the injectors and have them rebuild it.
THE UNICORN SHALL LIVE AGAIN
Removed the return to the tank from the equation and put the return off of the IP into a bottle. Barely any fuel was coming out while it was kinda running and apparently there's supposed to be quite a lot coming out.
If I don't get hit with snowmageddon tomorrow, my diesel mech friend and I are going to pull the IP. Then I'll probably end up driving it to Miller Diesel in Harrisburg just like I did with the injectors and have them rebuild it.
THE UNICORN SHALL LIVE AGAIN
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 5
From: WNY
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 High Output
I think I can officially say that the issue is in the injection pump. Got the injectors tested and they all checked out.
Removed the return to the tank from the equation and put the return off of the IP into a bottle. Barely any fuel was coming out while it was kinda running and apparently there's supposed to be quite a lot coming out.
If I don't get hit with snowmageddon tomorrow, my diesel mech friend and I are going to pull the IP. Then I'll probably end up driving it to Miller Diesel in Harrisburg just like I did with the injectors and have them rebuild it.
THE UNICORN SHALL LIVE AGAIN
Removed the return to the tank from the equation and put the return off of the IP into a bottle. Barely any fuel was coming out while it was kinda running and apparently there's supposed to be quite a lot coming out.
If I don't get hit with snowmageddon tomorrow, my diesel mech friend and I are going to pull the IP. Then I'll probably end up driving it to Miller Diesel in Harrisburg just like I did with the injectors and have them rebuild it.
THE UNICORN SHALL LIVE AGAIN
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 795
Likes: 0
From: Snowville, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 torque monster w/ a supercharger
Correct
I want the turbo off of a Winnebago LeSharo. Supposedly it's slightly bigger. Turbo on this thing could use a rebuild anyway, so... Yeah. Gotta keep my eye out for one of those
I want the turbo off of a Winnebago LeSharo. Supposedly it's slightly bigger. Turbo on this thing could use a rebuild anyway, so... Yeah. Gotta keep my eye out for one of those
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 795
Likes: 0
From: Snowville, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 torque monster w/ a supercharger
And will do!
that's like in my backyard lol. Let me know, man. I ll love to see it.



