KJ in limp mode. (aka: who wants to come on by for an automotive bonfire?)

[Pete M]

new alternator is in and we're back to where we were a week ago.   

[Pete M]

so which line does what as I'm looking at the frame below the rear seats?  I ask because the second one from the top has a large rust flaw in it.   Is that the fuel feed?  fuel return?  

[Pete M]

I'm guessing it's the vent.  either way I'm ignoring it for now.   just got back from the store and I think I now have everything to do this.  we shall see...   

 

oh shoot.  forgot the gear oil.  whatever.  I'll top that off later.  

[Pete M]

screw it all.  I'm not dealing with diesel fuel lines in the dark.  tomorrow is another day!   

[Pete M]

the new pump is in and works.  brand new fuel filter too.  the idle has improved, the revving sounds good... but it won't rev past 3000.    but it's smooth as silk at that rpm.   sigh.  I guess this should at least get me back to georgia.  

 

current codes of note:

U0002 CAN C Bus off performance  (in the ABS codes)

P1186 Fuel pressure monitoring minimum pressure at engine speed too low.  

 

I've tried deleting them but they come back.  tried disconnecting the battery too.  persistent little bugger.  

 

I wonder how common are fuel pressure regulator failures are.  or maybe the pressure sensor?  

[Pete M]

not yet.  wanted to try this first.  plus I'm wondering if the 3/8" rubber line I have will clinch down hard enough to seal.  it's a bit smaller than the bigger line that is clearly 3/8".  I think I might go for a longer test drive over to autozone and see what they have.  

[Pete M]

found an old post on lostjeeps that says P1186 is "a plausibility fault on the airbox pressure sensor".  I checked the sensor but my wire is firmly clipped on (the thread mentions that they like to fall off)

[Manche757]

Pete, if you are having unsolved trouble, there isn't a lot of hope for the rest of us.  If you have auto transmission, you might want to reconsider reactivating cruise control. At least until some of the other issues are solved.  For ZJs in the mid 90s, many owners commented that when major shifting issues occurred, the driver had activated cruise control. You can find comments by googling it.  Happened to me.  $1400 repair. Might be a last straw on the camels back issue but not sure the convenience of cruise control is worth the risk on ZJs. I don' tknow if there were similar issues with MJs.

[Pete M]

I just have the trifecta of headaches.  It's rusty, a diesel, and it's a rarity.  

 

I have plans to rewire the ABS to get my cruise back, but not 'til I return to georgia    I've got a backlog of things to accomplish while I'm up here and the pump and my back have caused all sorts of delays.   

 

on the positive side, I went for another test drive and all went well.    but I can't allow myself to get excited since it's done that before.   so I'm going to ignore that for now and focus on the leaky trans line before it blows up from rust.  

[Manche757]

Take Saturday night off and go to Zosia's restaurant in Hamtramic and enjoy some good Polish food and environs.

[Pete M]

mmmm..... haven't been there in a while.  

[Manche757]

Pete, you went silent with some unresolved MJ issues. Let us know that you are not lost in a swamp in North Carolina living off water moccasin meat  on your way back to Atlanta.

[Pete M]

KJ.   I haven't left yet.  new drive day is friday.     

 

the rusty fuel return line is fixed.  the leaky trans line is fixed.  but the code and limp mode keeps coming back.    I'm done messing with it until I get to GA.  I drove up here in limp mode so I'm confident I can get back.   especially since I can kill the code as often as I want.  

 

the one bit of new info is that the code reader has a few live stream info feeds and one shows that I'm at almost 10% throttle while at idle.  not sure what that means.    

[Manche757]

What would 100% be?   65mph?   Put on some balloon tires and float through NC

[mjeff87]

On a totally unrelated note......if you ever get a CEL with a P1494 code for it, it's the alternator (not the cooling fan relay like it says).  Mine threw that code yesterday, then about 5 minutes driving later the battery idiot light came on.  Never saw that one before, lol.  Got it home and sure 'nuff, the 17 year old alternator was d-e-a-d.  It would intermittently start charging but then quit.  Turning on the high beams, rear defroster, wipers, radio and heater the battery voltage slowly dropped to about 11 volts.

 

Thankfully, a KJ has about the world's easiest alternator to change.  It took about 5 minutes, and that included time to pause and drink a beer, too

 

Apparently, code P1494 is set when charging voltage drops below 12 volts.

 

edit:  I see you already replaced your alternator.....

[Pete M]

yup.  got a brand new bit of bling in the engine bay     

 

well, the Jeep got me to GA.  only a couple times did I have to kick on the hazards when merging back onto the freeway.  

[mjeff87]

Any updates Pete?  Mine's not an oil burner, but there's such a woeful lack of KJ tech on the internets I try to learn stuff about them wherever a credible source/wrencher exists, LOL

 

Mine now has a new windshield, alternator, radiator and thermostat (with all new coolant).  Hopefully nothing else breaks on it anytime soon....

 

 

[Pete M]

nothing new to report at the moment.  Jeep drives "ok" as long as you don't try to push it hard.  next steps include bleeding the air down to the injectors, and hitting up the junkyards for an in-tank gasoline pump and rear wire harness.  but there's a lot of rain in the forecast and I've got a family vacation coming up next week so I'm not sure how much I want to dive into it before hand.    every step involves me smelling like fuel.   

the throttle-percentage at idle has me intrigued though.  I might just hook that up to one of the other cars to see if it also reads 10%.

[Pete M]

I had the idea to unplug that sensor and drive around and, sure enough, it runs exactly the same and throws the same code.  I think that might be a clue.   I traced the wires back as far as I could but couldn't find any frays.  I think a new sensor is in my future.  

[Pete M]

well if it's a clue, it's a red herring.  a new sensor changes nothing.  taping the connector firmly to the sensor changes nothing.  I've got 5 volts at the connector.  I'm running short of ideas to test...  

[mjeff87]

Was that the MAP sensor on the side of the airbox that you replaced?  Did you use OEM (05101120AB ) or an aftermarket sensor?

 

[Pete M]

I used a Bosch brand sensor.  supposed to be a quality unit.   the resistance numbers match the old sensor.  no idea what they are supposed to be though.  I can't find that info.

[Pete M]

soooooo... not to alarm anyone, but I downloaded the 2006 KJ shop manual and my searches through it cannot find a p1186 code.   

[Old man with MJ]

Is it fully insured?  I have read on another forum that the connectors at the tank leak and air gets into the lines, but it requires dropping the tank.My pennys worth!

[Pete M]

that is a possible next step.     I just need time to swing by a junkyard and grab a 3.7L fuel pump assembly and rear wire harness.  but I'm out of town all next week and so I think the Jeep will just have to sit in the corner for a time-out and think about what's it's done.