clark40

Hello everyone I need help from anyone with XJ experience. Here is my story: 300K miles on her, My distributor shaft bearings went and she left me having to get towed. I replaced the distributor with a new one and set it at TDC. She was off by a tooth but it was set correctly. my check engine light comes on and the code reader states crank sensor error. I replaced the crank sensor but the same error continues. I took it to a mechanic who is a chrysler tech"yeah right". He states I have a short in my ignition harness and my ECM is going. Ok I get a short specialist to look into the problem 300$ later its your plugs to your ECM. Replace your ignition harness. Could'nt find one I found one for a 98 in kansas ok I had to swap all the plugs for everything. And At the same time I figured let me install a remanufactured ECM, And all my sensors IAC, TPS, crank, speed, temp ect. my check engine light continues and the crank sensor error still the same. She starts every now and then with a miss resulting in me having to restart her again with the miss disapearing and she idles fine. As I drive she has a few sputters as I reach 55 and 60. But they go away. when I stop and turn her off and go about my business and I return to start her to leave she cranks and cranks And I have to press on the gas pedal for her to restart. My fuel pressure is fine my fuel pump is fine also. What can be my problem she runs good still can anyone give me some advice. I'm begging you please!!!!!!

Jooman07

You might get more attention to this thread if you post it in the OEM Cherokee section.

However, do you notice any knocks at all when it is running? This sounds like a similar problem I had with my last XJ. Turned out to be a rod on the bottom end broke. But that was my experience. It kept giving all the symptoms of bad CPS, TPS, and such and the codes to match.

clark40

No not at all she runs fine the problem is the occational sputters I get on take off and when I reach over50 mph and 65mph. Also when she's hot she cranks and cranks but have to step on the gas to get her started. also she starts up sometimes with a miss you can feel it thru the rear exhaust. So when she starts that way. I shut her down and restart her and she runs normally. I'm at whit's end man.

bryweb

Did you use an OEM Mopar Crank Sensor?

Jooman07

The startup while hot issue is probably heat soak. There was a TSB out for that. The heat causes the fuel in I think the #3 injector to boil. Once it runs for a little it's fine after that.

clark40

No I did the autozone duralast that didn't work a dew times. I swear never to buy duralast past ever again. finally I got a standard. and I still get the crank error. I'm in new york and the dealerships here are a bunch of crooks. 150$ for a crank sensor.

clark40

ok thank you I'm gonna look into that.

bryweb

Standard is suppose to be a decent Crank Sensor, but still very possibly the issues. I have had issues with a number of "Generic" Crank Sensors and swore off ever using anything by Mopar - The magnet for sensing is much stronger than any of the others.

One thing in playing around with cheaper crank sensors I found is that when I had my Ring Gear off the back of my motor and I cleaned the rust off and polished the surface the sensor picks up from, the cheaper Crank Sensors worked better, but when they have surface rust an OEM Mopar Sensor is almost required to run right.

I have had a bad or cheap crank sensor cause, No Start, Hard Start after warm, no torque and backfire, and one or two other symptoms I am probably forgetting.

Here is a good YouTube video on the subject worth watching.