95 grand Cherokee Larado 4.0 6Cyl Dead

mike d · Sep 1, 2007

All right if got a question, so my jeep craped out on me just as i was getting on the freeway the other day. Was going about 5 mph and then it just stalled out. Got it towed home.

Engine turns over just want start.

So i changed the fuel filter just for kicks, nothing happend.

next i took of the distibuter cap and noticed that the metal piece on the rotor was broken replaced that nothing.

Next i took the distibuter cap of and had someone turn the engine over the rotar was spinning cery slowaly probably one revolution per 2 seconds while holding the key cranked.

So i figured my distributor motor craped out.
Went and bought a new distibutor and scribbed marks when removing.

Turn the key and its doing the same thing just turning over but wont start.
Any ideas of where to start next. Could it be ignition coil shot?

Any help would be great.

MJ

TreeClimber · Sep 1, 2007

First guess is the crank position sensor crapped out.

but I'm also a little worried about how you re-installed the distributor, as you've typed like you're pretty new at wrenching..

And to specifically answer your question, YES, it could be a crapped out coil. Or any of a dozen other things that died.

To help diagnose, remember it only takes three things to make an engine run.
1 - Compression
2 - Correct spark timing
3 - Fuel and air

If you want, you can check compression, but that's seldom the death of an engine. So the next thing to check is Fuel and Air. Double check (or remove) the air cleaner, and verify that you've got fuel pressure, by checking the fuel rail with a pressure guage. That'll eliminate a bad fuel pump in the tank. Then you can start eliminating any/all of the spark related components - i.e. coil, wires, etc, etc.... If you want to verify that it's spark as the cause of the problems, pull a plug, and ground it to the block while leaving it connected to the wire, and then crank it over and see if the plug 'sparks'. If no spark, then you've verified you're problem. Finding it can be a whole lot tougher

mike d · Sep 1, 2007

TreeClimber said:
First guess is the crank position sensor crapped out.

but I'm also a little worried about how you re-installed the distributor, as you've typed like you're pretty new at wrenching.

When i took out the distriutor i marked the position of the rotor on distibutor and then also marked it on the engine block. then i slowley rotated the distibutor out counter clockwise and then marked it again.

Did reverse for installation.

If i did screw it up on installation, what well happen? Timing off.

TreeClimber · Sep 1, 2007

mike d said:
When i took out the distriutor i marked the position of the rotor on distibutor and then also marked it on the engine block. then i slowley rotated the distibutor out counter clockwise and then marked it again.

Did reverse for installation.

If i did screw it up on installation, what well happen? Timing off.

The timing would be off. The distributor won't turn very fast during cranking normally, as the starter can't turn the motor that fast.

If you can get one cheap enough, try a CPS, as they seem to be fairly common failure.

skinny_pedal · Sep 1, 2007

mike d said:
When i took out the distriutor i marked the position of the rotor on distibutor and then also marked it on the engine block. then i slowley rotated the distibutor out counter clockwise and then marked it again.

Did reverse for installation.

If i did screw it up on installation, what well happen? Timing off.

yep. easiest way to put the ditributor in would be bring #1 cylinder to tdc. point the rotor at #1 on the cap(install w/o cap though). should slide right in. if that doesnt fire, you could be 180 out or something as treeclimber stated above.
good luck:awesomework:

kennyw · Sep 1, 2007

First of all you need to find out what is missing... fuel or spark. Throwing parts at it is just an expensive way of dealing with the problem, would have been cheaper to pay a good mechanic in the long run if you keep that up.