96 4.0 zj sputter dies part II
10-14-2013, 11:04 AM
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96 4.0 zj sputter dies part II
Hi, guys. Quadratrack, automatic. Been through most of this back in late spring/early summer. Thank you for your helpful comments then. Daughter's ride, mom frustrated, dad taking it. Long post, sorry - just trying to be descriptive.
It seems to me that most of these problems occur before it reaches 195 degrees operating temperature. It will sputter and sometimes die within ten blocks of leaving the house, and the problem is much more pronounced at or under 30 mph. Above that, she will bog down, sometimes backfire then catch right up and run fine. When she dies, all accessory power remains intact: wipers, lights, dash, radio, etc.
Early on before the replaced crankshaft sensor, TPS and coil she threw three codes, seems like 505, 135 and something else. After parts replacement (below), she still acts up but the check engine light does not come on and no codes are evident from my reader, or the big nice one at my local shop.
In the past year I have replaced: oxygen sensors, fuel filter, crankshaft sensor, throttle position sensor, rotor, distributor cap, plugs, wires, ignition coil. I have pulled and cleaned the PCM connectors and placed only a light amount of dielectric grease on them. Plugs are now zip tied securely into the PCM. I have replaced the PCM's cover screws with the shorter ones. I have removed and cleaned the filthy intake air controller and sprayed a can of throttle cleaner down her throat. Still the problem persists just like before - maybe one day a week. At red lights, she will just die at times like you turned the key off. More often than not she will start right back up, no check engine light, no codes evident. When she doesn't start right up after grinding the started 20 seconds, just wait tow minutes and she fires right up. The shop kept her three days with a fuel pressure gauge plugged in and taped to the windshield. She never sputtered or gave them a problem and they said the pressure was "fine" (he did not remember what it was).
The only other piece of information that may be useful to you is the transmission. The throttle "kicker" cable was loose, and it would not kick into passing gear. I adjusted it, and it shifts smoothly at expected rpms and will hit passing gear no problem. After dying while stopped like 30 to 60 seconds at red lights five times in three miles, I drove it back to the shop and she would not drop down into passing gear when I kicked her. When I left her at the shop she ran fine and had no problem hitting passing gear.
We still have the problem, and I hate to keep throwing money at miscellaneous parts. However, the only other parts I can think of are camshaft sensor, intake air controller and PCM. Perhaps there is a broken wire or ground coming loose somewhere? Hard to find/fix when intermittent. But frustrating.
You got some ideas?
Thank you.
It seems to me that most of these problems occur before it reaches 195 degrees operating temperature. It will sputter and sometimes die within ten blocks of leaving the house, and the problem is much more pronounced at or under 30 mph. Above that, she will bog down, sometimes backfire then catch right up and run fine. When she dies, all accessory power remains intact: wipers, lights, dash, radio, etc.
Early on before the replaced crankshaft sensor, TPS and coil she threw three codes, seems like 505, 135 and something else. After parts replacement (below), she still acts up but the check engine light does not come on and no codes are evident from my reader, or the big nice one at my local shop.
In the past year I have replaced: oxygen sensors, fuel filter, crankshaft sensor, throttle position sensor, rotor, distributor cap, plugs, wires, ignition coil. I have pulled and cleaned the PCM connectors and placed only a light amount of dielectric grease on them. Plugs are now zip tied securely into the PCM. I have replaced the PCM's cover screws with the shorter ones. I have removed and cleaned the filthy intake air controller and sprayed a can of throttle cleaner down her throat. Still the problem persists just like before - maybe one day a week. At red lights, she will just die at times like you turned the key off. More often than not she will start right back up, no check engine light, no codes evident. When she doesn't start right up after grinding the started 20 seconds, just wait tow minutes and she fires right up. The shop kept her three days with a fuel pressure gauge plugged in and taped to the windshield. She never sputtered or gave them a problem and they said the pressure was "fine" (he did not remember what it was).
The only other piece of information that may be useful to you is the transmission. The throttle "kicker" cable was loose, and it would not kick into passing gear. I adjusted it, and it shifts smoothly at expected rpms and will hit passing gear no problem. After dying while stopped like 30 to 60 seconds at red lights five times in three miles, I drove it back to the shop and she would not drop down into passing gear when I kicked her. When I left her at the shop she ran fine and had no problem hitting passing gear.
We still have the problem, and I hate to keep throwing money at miscellaneous parts. However, the only other parts I can think of are camshaft sensor, intake air controller and PCM. Perhaps there is a broken wire or ground coming loose somewhere? Hard to find/fix when intermittent. But frustrating.
You got some ideas?
Thank you.
10-14-2013, 11:51 AM
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Year: 2015
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Hi, guys. Quadratrack, automatic. Been through most of this back in late spring/early summer. Thank you for your helpful comments then. Daughter's ride, mom frustrated, dad taking it. Long post, sorry - just trying to be descriptive.
It seems to me that most of these problems occur before it reaches 195 degrees operating temperature. It will sputter and sometimes die within ten blocks of leaving the house, and the problem is much more pronounced at or under 30 mph. Above that, she will bog down, sometimes backfire then catch right up and run fine. When she dies, all accessory power remains intact: wipers, lights, dash, radio, etc.
Early on before the replaced crankshaft sensor, TPS and coil she threw three codes, seems like 505, 135 and something else. After parts replacement (below), she still acts up but the check engine light does not come on and no codes are evident from my reader, or the big nice one at my local shop.
In the past year I have replaced: oxygen sensors, fuel filter, crankshaft sensor, throttle position sensor, rotor, distributor cap, plugs, wires, ignition coil. I have pulled and cleaned the PCM connectors and placed only a light amount of dielectric grease on them. Plugs are now zip tied securely into the PCM. I have replaced the PCM's cover screws with the shorter ones. I have removed and cleaned the filthy intake air controller and sprayed a can of throttle cleaner down her throat. Still the problem persists just like before - maybe one day a week. At red lights, she will just die at times like you turned the key off. More often than not she will start right back up, no check engine light, no codes evident. When she doesn't start right up after grinding the started 20 seconds, just wait tow minutes and she fires right up. The shop kept her three days with a fuel pressure gauge plugged in and taped to the windshield. She never sputtered or gave them a problem and they said the pressure was "fine" (he did not remember what it was).
The only other piece of information that may be useful to you is the transmission. The throttle "kicker" cable was loose, and it would not kick into passing gear. I adjusted it, and it shifts smoothly at expected rpms and will hit passing gear no problem. After dying while stopped like 30 to 60 seconds at red lights five times in three miles, I drove it back to the shop and she would not drop down into passing gear when I kicked her. When I left her at the shop she ran fine and had no problem hitting passing gear.
We still have the problem, and I hate to keep throwing money at miscellaneous parts. However, the only other parts I can think of are camshaft sensor, intake air controller and PCM. Perhaps there is a broken wire or ground coming loose somewhere? Hard to find/fix when intermittent. But frustrating.
You got some ideas?
Thank you.
It seems to me that most of these problems occur before it reaches 195 degrees operating temperature. It will sputter and sometimes die within ten blocks of leaving the house, and the problem is much more pronounced at or under 30 mph. Above that, she will bog down, sometimes backfire then catch right up and run fine. When she dies, all accessory power remains intact: wipers, lights, dash, radio, etc.
Early on before the replaced crankshaft sensor, TPS and coil she threw three codes, seems like 505, 135 and something else. After parts replacement (below), she still acts up but the check engine light does not come on and no codes are evident from my reader, or the big nice one at my local shop.
In the past year I have replaced: oxygen sensors, fuel filter, crankshaft sensor, throttle position sensor, rotor, distributor cap, plugs, wires, ignition coil. I have pulled and cleaned the PCM connectors and placed only a light amount of dielectric grease on them. Plugs are now zip tied securely into the PCM. I have replaced the PCM's cover screws with the shorter ones. I have removed and cleaned the filthy intake air controller and sprayed a can of throttle cleaner down her throat. Still the problem persists just like before - maybe one day a week. At red lights, she will just die at times like you turned the key off. More often than not she will start right back up, no check engine light, no codes evident. When she doesn't start right up after grinding the started 20 seconds, just wait tow minutes and she fires right up. The shop kept her three days with a fuel pressure gauge plugged in and taped to the windshield. She never sputtered or gave them a problem and they said the pressure was "fine" (he did not remember what it was).
The only other piece of information that may be useful to you is the transmission. The throttle "kicker" cable was loose, and it would not kick into passing gear. I adjusted it, and it shifts smoothly at expected rpms and will hit passing gear no problem. After dying while stopped like 30 to 60 seconds at red lights five times in three miles, I drove it back to the shop and she would not drop down into passing gear when I kicked her. When I left her at the shop she ran fine and had no problem hitting passing gear.
We still have the problem, and I hate to keep throwing money at miscellaneous parts. However, the only other parts I can think of are camshaft sensor, intake air controller and PCM. Perhaps there is a broken wire or ground coming loose somewhere? Hard to find/fix when intermittent. But frustrating.
You got some ideas?
Thank you.
Could be your IAC. How many miles does your Jeep have? It's easy enough to remove and clean to see if it helps any.
10-14-2013, 12:54 PM
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Thanks, Creature. A mere 277k. I pulled out what I thought was the IAC - two 25T torx screws, black plastic plunger covered in carbon. I tried to swab out the housing, not sure I got it. That the thing? I was also thinking to remove the throttle body and soak it in cleaner. Also the possibility of an electrical connection issue with power to the injectors, will clean and check that, too. I'll let you know what I do and will look for posts on cleaning the IAC.
J
J
10-14-2013, 01:04 PM
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Thanks, Creature. A mere 277k. I pulled out what I thought was the IAC - two 25T torx screws, black plastic plunger covered in carbon. I tried to swab out the housing, not sure I got it. That the thing? I was also thinking to remove the throttle body and soak it in cleaner. Also the possibility of an electrical connection issue with power to the injectors, will clean and check that, too. I'll let you know what I do and will look for posts on cleaning the IAC.
J
J
10-14-2013, 01:24 PM
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It did not seem brittle to me, but as you say - it IS 17 years old now, and so will check into replacement. Also, will pull and clean my MAP sensor, and check its connections, too. Off to run errands (I hope!) and get cleaner and IAC. Will keep you posted. Thank you. J
10-15-2013, 12:57 PM
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This morning I pulled the throttle body, cleaned it. Removed MAP sensor and used a can of pressurized air to blow it out, replaced IAC paying particular care to clean out the IAC portion of the throttle body. I've worried about a bad connection in PCM, so wiggled plugs and got a miss/bog from middle plug. Pulled PCM and cracked it open - found all voltage regulator connections OK on board ... unless you wiggled them. Bad connections on joints 2 - 6 from left, resoldered them and put it all back together. She runs now and seems OK, definitely idles better. Since that was an intermittent problem, I'm not going to say now it is fixed, but will be more comfortable the longer it goes without sputtering, stumbling or dying. I was really worried about cracking open the PCM, but it was not a big job. Will let you know how it goes later on. Thanks!
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