JeepcoMJ Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 the 90 cherokee that I've still got to pick up won't start. it was running and driving mere weeks ago. it had a sticking throttle body. that's fixed, but now it won't start. when you crank it, it won't even fire. pulled the plugs and they're wet. dry them out and then crank to clear and put them in, it didn't fire. pull them again, wet again. dry off, check spark with the ground-the-plug method, it's got spark. ballast resistor is OK. when you crank it, you smell gas. but there's no puddles below it of gas, and there's no leaks in the line from what I can tell. do you think the plugs could need replaced? it should still fire regardless. when I say it won't fire, I mean NO fire whatsoever. not a sputter, not a cough, nothing. what would the problem be? I suppose firing order could be messed up if the plug wires were swapped around, but I didn't do any swapping of those. when it was last started a few days ago, the throttle was stuck open and it revved high. the PO shut it off while it was hi-revving and I pointed out the problem to it so he oiled the bad throttle piece and now that's fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 i hate to bring it up but CPS? doesn't that usually cause gas/turn but no fire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 6, 2007 Author Share Posted November 6, 2007 i hate to bring it up but CPS? doesn't that usually cause gas/turn but no fire? yeah problem is that there's spark. so it's not CPS...unless it's faulty CPS giving the wrong reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 i hate to bring it up but CPS? doesn't that usually cause gas/turn but no fire? yeah problem is that there's spark. so it's not CPS...unless it's faulty CPS giving the wrong reading. :oops: read through that part a little to quick, thought you said you tested and no-spark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 6, 2007 Author Share Posted November 6, 2007 ANYONE? I really need to get this thing home here a.s.a.p. and it's 40 min. away...I don't want to flat tow it, I don't want to pay to have it towed, and I don't have a trailer or truck to bring it home with. it's gotta ge able to run for me to move it around too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 You've got spark, you've got gas. I'm assuming you've got air so that should equal ignition. All I can think of to suggest is to make sure the air flow is unencumbered and to double and triple check the order of the plug wires. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxRacing282 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 try cleaning your threads for your spark plugs, they they are dirty ad won't ground it may be why, you might have garbage plugs. i had a plug for my wheeler that woundt ignite gas but when i held it against the jug it had spark. it wouldnt hurt to check your plug wires and make sure they are on the distributer properly. its not gonna start if its sparking as the intake stroke begins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 You've got spark, you've got gas. I'm assuming you've got air so that should equal ignition. All I can think of to suggest is to make sure the air flow is unencumbered and to double and triple check the order of the plug wires. :dunno: hell, I got air...I removed the intake tube! as for dirty threads... guilty as charged. I cleaned them and it tried to start...a bit. added new gas and it tried to start more. just would crank for a bit, sputter like it hit 2 cylinders, crank, sputter, crank, sputter...and keep doing that. so I'll be buying new plugs for it...sad cause I don't even plan to use it. I'm pretty much convinced by now that someone's put some water, sugar, or something of the like in the gasoline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxRacing282 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 lol get a cup and hold your plug near it while it cranks youl know if its good or not... ooh ooh ooh put in some illegial octane booster and see if it helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 lolget a cup and hold your plug near it while it cranks youl know if its good or not... ooh ooh ooh put in some illegial octane booster and see if it helps haha, I sincerely doubt the adviseability of that... but then again, when one of my last options is somehow duct tape, I'd try anything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 Eagle, could you possibly shed some light? maybe you've experienced this??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Eagle, could you possibly shed some light? maybe you've experienced this??? Take a fuel sample in a glass jar. If it looks good, clean or replace all of the plugs and try it again. Also check for spark on a different cylinder, it sould clear a 3/16" gap no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 Eagle, could you possibly shed some light? maybe you've experienced this??? Take a fuel sample in a glass jar. If it looks good, clean or replace all of the plugs and try it again. Also check for spark on a different cylinder, it sould clear a 3/16" gap no problem. I disco'd the fuel line from the rail, put a hose on it, and cranked the sucker over til the tank was empty (filled 6 gallons worth of gas with water in it :eek: :roll: ). then I put new plugs in it...3 plugs had cracks in them :oops: anyways, it runs. runs like $#!& but runs well enough that now I can bring it home tomorrow night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromanyak Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 What abut the timing? Maybe it somehow got screwed up. On a side I want to thank whoever said that dirty threads on the plugs could cause them not to ground. I did not know that. My brothers girlfriends car has spark but won't fire and a leaky gasket completely covered the plugs in oil. So hopefully that's why I couldn't get it started even though it had spark and fuel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Timing is set by the computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Yeah, infernal combustion engines tend to run better on gasoline than they do on H2O. There may still be some crud in the tank. By the time you drive it home some of that my be worked out. Dump in a can of Dry Gas before the trip. And replace the fuel filter when you get it home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxRacing282 Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 What abut the timing? Maybe it somehow got screwed up. On a side I want to thank whoever said that dirty threads on the plugs could cause them not to ground. I did not know that. My brothers girlfriends car has spark but won't fire and a leaky gasket completely covered the plugs in oil. So hopefully that's why I couldn't get it started even though it had spark and fuel. no problem its one of those things that you may never figure out if you havent seen it happen beofre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 8, 2007 Author Share Posted November 8, 2007 Yeah, infernal combustion engines tend to run better on gasoline than they do on H2O. There may still be some crud in the tank. By the time you drive it home some of that my be worked out. Dump in a can of Dry Gas before the trip. And replace the fuel filter when you get it home. :oops: I won't be doing anything special to this sucker...driving it home, and chopping it up. it's not worth saving, so I won't be replacing the fuel filter unless it's gonna sit for a few months (and still not with a new one) funny thing. the engine has 251,XXX miles on it, as does the tranny, t-case, and axles. it doesn't leak. period. not a drop leaked anywheres. it has even less oil sweat than any other 4.0 I've ever seen, other than my 89 pioneer I sold to TNT :brows: anywho, I got it going. thanks guys for the help, and FX, the plug idea really did the trick...cause it still wouldn't start after I drained the tank, when I put the new plugs it took a few turns but started right up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxRacing282 Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 glad to help :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 9, 2007 Author Share Posted November 9, 2007 got it home with no issues...runs like a champ. well, that is...until you consider the leaky exhaust, and the barely audible knocking. that's not even to mention the clouds of black exhaust it left behind when I goosed it :brows: but for 250xxx miles she does pretty well. the driver's side door is basically falling off...it doesn't close properly. floors are gone, rear hatch doesn't open, headliner is sorta there...but basically gone. everything works though...cruise, a/c, power trans switch, pw, pl, lights, wipers. it all works. even has factory fog wiring. yep, she'll be a good one to part...there's a complete set of MJ power locks and windows to be had can't wait to put them in the 3800! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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