samhfoster

Hi all. Was in a fender bender. At contact my 98 died couldn't get it restarted. Pulled home finally got the hood open tonight. As you can see in the pictures tithe plug into the ECM is messed up. Pretty sure this is causing the no start. Need help with what to do next? Chances are the ECM is good bit how do I fix this plug? And is that most likely causing the no start. It'll crank but I haven't checked fuel or spark. Killed the battery. So how do I fix this?

samhfoster

I know the computers themselves are different between Cherokees and Grand cherokees, but what about the connector itself? We have a really good sized JY here and I'm wondering if I can just cut and splice a new connector in?

moparado

Those pictures are hard to look at! I'd say there's an excellent chance thats why it won't start.

That ecm is probably toast. Even if it worked, i myself wouldn't trust it in the long run.

Is the cable side connector also damaged including the pins? Blurry pics!

If so and it were my deal, i'd try locating the cable and cut a good length of the cable (with connector) from a bone yard jeep.
The donor jeep should be the exact same year, engine, tranny, etc. Compare the wire colors and their positions of the original and donor connectors and make sure they're identical.

Or another option is to get the entire harness and go from there.
That would be the right way to do it but might be a bigger PITA.

Are you good at splicing wire? Soldering?
If you go the splice route, the splices must be soldered preferably with 'western union' type splices.

Maybe its just me, but its hard to tell exactly the damage you got with those blurry pics. Maybe that cable connector could be salvageable.

Can you post clearer pictures of cable side connector especially those pins?

samhfoster

I'll try to get some clearer pics tonight, by the time I was taking them it was getting dark and I was cold and shivering.

I'm confident in my ability to splice and solder, my biggest concern was splicing another connector in. I've never seen another 2.5L 5 speed 2 door in my area let alone my state, so I don't think I'll have any luck at the JY finding the exact same. That was mainly my question though, does the connector have to be from the exact same or will just the harness from another cherokee work?

moparado

Lets wait til you get clearer pictures and maybe just maybe that connector is salvageable.

Far as the exact year engine etc. connector from the boneyard for your ride, that question is above my pay grade. LOL
Hopefully someone here can give some guidance.

samhfoster

Sorry. Went out of town. Thought I'd replied but obviously didn't. Got the connector rigged and put back in. Still no start. Got another connector out of JY. All pins and wires matched. Hooked it up. Still no start. So thinking it is the computer? Better to go the JY route or just buy a reman one? If JY has to be same engine right? Can't be out of 4.0? Has to be 2.5

moparado

For starters a 4.0 is a six cyl. A 2.5 is a 4 cyl.
So i'd say it matters.

If it were me, i'd make double triple sure the donor connector is for your year and engine Jeep. If it were me, i'd order a new one if possible.
Then i'd bite the bullet and get the exact re-man ecm or if your a gambler get the exact right one for your Jeep from the bone yard if you can even find one.

moparado

Depending on how that connector got ripped off, its possible some pins got shorted in the process and blew a fuse(s) somewhere. Its a long shot but you might want to check fuses before trying to fire up another ecm.
If you find a blown fuse there's a real good chance the ecm is blown too.