Ralph, the XJ

[Akula69]

As you can tell from my sig, I own a couple of jeeps. Today's topic is about the 1994 XJ that belongs to my daughter which she has named Ralph. She is quite pissed at Ralph today because he will not start, and she is about 5 hours away from the person who can fix him (called Dad) at college.

 

Dad is trying to diagnose the problem from here, and would like to enlist the expert help in these forums before I pack all my tools and head out there.

 

This I know:

Cranks - yes

Fuel: yes - 40PSI at the rail

Spark: Maybe. The dweeb she has helping her would not stand in a bucket of water and hold the coil while she cranks it..(ooops thats a story for another time). yeah - its got fire.

 

I can't find anything in the FSM about whether the 94 had a CPS, but that would be my first thought. Second thoughts would be ECM, or timing chain.

 

Dweeb (boyfriend) is not skilled in checking TDC while piston # 1 is at top of cylinder....does anyone have an idea (to check the timing) that would be easier for his brain to comprehend?

 

You comments are appreciated. It appears I will be heading up there the end of this week.

[Wildman]

To answer one of your questions...........Yes, the '94 has a CPS.

 

And that would be my first guest.

 

If Dweeb (and thats an odd name :hmm: ) can find the connector, unplug it and plug it back in, would be the first thing to try.

 

But, you said it has fire, but spark at the plugs??? Or did I read that wrong.

 

The 4.0 don't have a real bad history on the timing chain slipping/skipping or braking........But they can. And in most cases, it will fire up, and run really bad with a skipped timing chain.

 

Humm...........you plan on packing a lunch for your road trip????

 

Oh, and what's the story about the bucket of water :roll: You can PM me the answer ;)

[Akula69]

Yeah...I was trying to get him to electrocute himself, but he was a little too smart for that :doh: Besides, I'm not totally sure that the coil would generate enough juice to do the job permanently. I call him dweeb 'cause he doesn't know jack about cars...and really doesn't want to learn. He prefers spending the money for someone else to do it.

 

She said the thing ran fine with no hesitation or noises, she had been at the house for about 2 hours and when she went back out it would crank but not start.

 

Yes, it has spark at the plugs, or atleast the one he checked.

 

And yeah, I'll need to pack a lunch....and a sleeping bag!

[Wildman]

I was only kidding about the name, I got it :teehee:

 

And I know the coil will give him quite the 'shock', but to do away with him...... :dunno:

 

OK.......if you have spark at the plug, that rules out the CPS.

 

Timing chains go when you shut off the engine, and the "sudden" stop of the engine, "Pops" the chain, that's why I bring that up.

 

Is there gas in the tank...... :roll:

 

No kidding, like is the fluid level on "E" and it's parked on an incline???

 

Back to the basics........you need air, fuel, and spark for the engine to run. Right.

 

Assuming you have air, that's if Dweeb didn't use it all up....... :roll:

 

You say you have spark. Is it getting fuel??? Pump relay?? Fuel pump???

 

Can Dweeb check the Test Port???

 

Just for S&G, someone didn't stick a potato in the tail pipe, did they.

 

:teehee:

[Geonovast]

Is there gas in the tank...... :roll:

 

No kidding, like is the fluid level on "E" and it's parked on an incline???

 

I picked up an XJ for a friend from a repair shop for $200 because it wouldn't start. They told me they tested sensors, tried ether, nothing worked.

 

$5, trip to the gas station, and 30 seconds cranking later, she fired right up.

 

Drove it off their parking lot, but they told me price before I "fixed" it. Couldn't even say faulty gauge. It read below E. Big one too.

[Wildman]

Is there gas in the tank...... :roll:

 

No kidding, like is the fluid level on "E" and it's parked on an incline???

 

I picked up an XJ for a friend from a repair shop for $200 because it wouldn't start. They told me they tested sensors, tried ether, nothing worked.

 

$5, trip to the gas station, and 30 seconds cranking later, she fired right up.

 

Drove it off their parking lot, but they told me price before I "fixed" it. Couldn't even say faulty gauge. It read below E. Big one too.

 

Yea.......K.I.S.S.

 

:rotf:

[maddzz1]

My MJ would do this randomly and I would unplug the CPS connector and plug it back in and it would start right up. Hasnt done it in a few months, probally waiting for the temp to drop to single digits before it goes completely. :fs1:

 

Update?

[Akula69]

Well, it's like this....

 

I dumped about the entire garage of tools into the cartop carrier, along with a pancake compressor and a floor jack. Needless to say my wife's jeep wagged its tail the whole way there :roll: .

 

Found where 'Ralph' had died via GPS and unloaded the whole mess....raised the hood and peered around for a sec...decided to check the report from the boyfried...put the coil tester on and GOT NO SPARK (dumba$$ little scrawny bastid).

 

Replaced the coil in 20 minutes and good 'ole Ralph fired right up.

 

Drove him back to the dorm, kissed the daughter and told the dude to get an education in cars.

 

We went out to dinner later and. believe it our not, he actually expected me to pay for him.... :headpop: some kids never learn.

[Wildman]

So.........it sounds like you had a nice trip........and a easy fix on Ralph...... :D

 

So, for Xmas, you going to buy Dweeb a Haynes Manual............

 

:teehee:

 

Glad it all worked out nice and easy for you.

[reson46]

So, for Xmas, you going to buy Dweeb a Haynes Manual............

 

I'm guessing it would be put to better use by giving it to the daughter. You can't fix stupid. :fool:

 

Willy

[Wildman]

So, for Xmas, you going to buy Dweeb a Haynes Manual............

 

I'm guessing it would be put to better use by giving it to the daughter. You can't fix stupid. :fool:

 

Willy

 

 

:doh:

 

Yea, I guest I didn't think of that............ :teehee:

[Akula69]

So, for Xmas, you going to buy Dweeb a Haynes Manual............

 

I'm guessing it would be put to better use by giving it to the daughter. You can't fix stupid. :fool:

 

Willy

 

 

:doh:

 

Yea, I guest I didn't think of that............ :teehee:

 

LOL to all....and thanks for the advice.

[HOrnbrod]

Great thread Jake. :rotfl2: Am glad someone else has these "problems". I frequently get calls from both girls at college (luckily the farthest is only two hours away though) for the stupidest things, the most common being "the battery's dead" call, usually caused by one of the airheads leaving something on that shouldn't have been left on. Of course they deny having left anything on, and is always after several of their dweeb friends have tried to jump start their cars. Got sick of it, called an all hands meeting at home one weekend and told both of them to get their butts home. Instructed all parties including their mother on the proper jump starting technique, equipped both airheads with a quality set of battery cables, and send them on their way. It's been six months now, they are still killing the battery occasionally, but they have handled all the dead battery crises by directing the donor dweebs in a proper way.

[Wildman]

Lord Hornbrod - with Xmas just around the corner......... :roll:

 

This is the perfect gift for the ones that leave something on -

 

http://www.mykmart.com/DieHard-Portable ... 46-reviews

 

And if you catch it right, like I did last year, for $35, it a great little device :brows:

 

You just need to train the right person to plug it in to charge it up once in a while.... :roll:

[HOrnbrod]

Excellent Bob - thanks! Will check it out matey. :cheers: