Its been a while since I've been on here. I miss you guys lol.

Today, when I started my old jeep up leaving from my lunch break, it idled rough for the first time ever. It was obviously missing on at least 1 cylinder. Check engine light came on and stayed on. I revved it and it cleared up and ran normal again.

When I got back to work, I plugged in my el cheapo scanner and it claimed a misfire on #3 cylinder.

I am just assuming it the old coil packs finally giving up on me. Its always ran great until today so I don't think its just the spark plugs.


SOOOO... I went ahead and jumped on the K Suspension site and ordered the RIPP coil pack, the RIPP plug wire and the whole install kit. And a fresh set of NGK 3459 plugs. Can't wait to get it shipped in and installed.


Anyone else already running this kit? Anything worthy of mention?

 

I just bought the harness and bracket from them.
Used a Mopar coil for a JK and some 8mm Taylor wires.
Guessing the kit does not come with the spark plug wire separator things.
And if it doesn't wait till you get the kit so you can get the right size.
Most likely 7 or 8mm.
Also I was not comfortable with using the little screws that hold the overflow tank to also support the bracket and coil.
So I got some screws, with a head I could use a socket on, washers, and lock washers to attach it.
You can see it if you look close.

 

Looks like a good solution you have there!

 

I dont understand why they got rid of the distributor. More chrysler stupidity.
Mine had an aftermarket rail on it. Ended up buying a used OEM rail with unknown miles. Runs way better.

 

My buddy always says they design cars to make it easier to manufacture them.
Not work on them.
My guess was that.
For instance the clips on connectors that lock them.
Thinking totally unnecessary in the real world, like those red clips for the fuel injectors that I busted every one of putting in 4 hole injectors
and have ran without for close to 14 years now, but they are there to keep connectors from separating as it goes down the line.

 

Often it’s the spark plugs. Try them first. Then if that was it you’ve got a known good spare coil rail.

Ron

 

I'm happy with the coil pack and 8mm wires. Rinse out the coolant reservoir while you're at it.

 

I'm thinking might not be the coil. With only 3 coils, each one needs to fire 2 cylinders. If the coil firing 3 was failing, 4 would fail as well.

IIWM I'd be checking injectors, either clogged or not firing.

 

I haven't done the leg work yet to officially diagnose it. Plan on testing coils and injectors... as well as a compression test too..

Funny thing is, its been running great ever since that day it acted up.. Hasn't missed a beat. Never has before either.. I've got 12 hole injectors with the full insulation kit, basically new fuel pump and fuel lines. More than once I've had the engine running at 210 when shut off and restarted after 15 minutes of sitting - idled fine afterwards. If the injectors were subject to vapor lock happening, I think it would've happened already.

Mine is a 2000 with a 0331 head.. that is known to crack between 3 and 4. I have noticed a very slight loss of coolant over 4000 miles.. coolant overflow bottle started off a full mark, at oil change I noticed is was at the low mark. So I topped it off. Oil that came out looked great too. So the coolant isn't mixing with oil but there is a chance its getting in the combustion chamber somehow... existing spark plugs will tell me a lot when I actually get around to pulling them.

We will see... when I have time... and when I get the new parts in.. K Suspension order was placed days ago and it still has not shipped out...

 

I like the clean setup of the coil rail. I have the Accel high energy coil rail and Bosch 9656 double iridium plugs. Both are pretty much the opposite of what everyone says to do, but it runs awesome.

Don't delay replacing a cracked head. The water will damage the cam bearings. Also, you may want to verify that its not a leaking heater core. Its usually pretty easy to tell if its the heater core because of the smell in the cabin when the heat is turned on. But you can also look at the through hole for the temperature control flap in the bottom of the HVAC box. If the heater core is leaking sufficiently bad, you'll see crusty coolant there.

 

I almost bought the MSD coil rail... But I just dislike the thought of it being so close to the constant heat. I truly wish my jeep had the distributor ignition. So to me going with a remote mount coil pack with wiring is the next best thing..

No heater core leaks thank goodness. When I get a chance to really check it all out, I'll update what I find!

 

I lucked out and found a very Clean MSD rail in a junkyard jeep that had a whole bunch of shiny new upgrade parts on it. Haven't put it on cause my stock pack still runs fine. Maybe when I do the plugs I'll change it but till then I'm not pokin the bear.

 

When I did the mod I thought about trying to find a real Mopar Viper coil.
Also considered other HP coils.
But the problem was that I was trying to figure out how it would benefit a stock 4.0.
And cause of that could not justify the added expense.

 

coil from 97 dodge caravan will work