[BBurris]

OK, so I won't get flamed for fixing a 4 cyl, I'll post it in here.

sorry if this turns out to be long...

I'd like to delay an engine swap for a while longer unless I absolutely can't get my engine to run.

Last December (of 2001) my engine crapped out on me. Loud bang, loss of power, wouldn't restart. Later figured out that the distributor gear stripped it's teeth and the timing got way off. I got a new timing set just to start over and got everything lined up and replaced the dist. gear and oil pump in the process. I didn't want to deal with any of this again, but it's almost a year and half later and I've only just gotten it to a rough idle.

In the process of trying to diagnose the original problem, I ended up pulling the head and getting it checked out, shop told me it was in perfect shape but they went ahead and cleaned it up for me just because. I checked cylinders and movement of lower end by pulling the oil pan and turning the engine with the crank bolt on the fron tof the engine - all appeared to be great, so back together with everything along with new parts listed above and almost all new sensors. While I was at it I went ahead and put in Bosch plugs and replaced plug wires, cap, and rotor.

I had the thought that maybe it was my fuel pump, but about 10 minutes ago I pulled the fuel rail and injectors and pointed them at a pile of shop towels about three feet away...the shop towels would make a nice fire now. This may not have been the most efficient/safe way, but it let me know that the fuel pump is doing it's job (as far as I can tell) and I cleaned everything up.

Does anyone have any ideas? My pobre TJ has been dead for a long ass time and I'm tired of not being able to wheel. Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks...

 

[Buddha's Ghost]

Just because the injectors are jetting fuel doen't mean it's at the correct pressure. Get a pressure gauge if you need to check that type thing.

 

[BBurris]

Thanks, that may explain why it runs, sort of...

How do I check the pressure on a TJ? There's no fitting to get a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel rail.

FWIW: I have a 1997 TJ with a 2.5, no engine mods

 

[skulltoy]

You're asking a Jeep question in the toyota forum?

 

[BBurris]

no, this would be the "Newbie General 4x4 Discussion" section...

 

[Buddha's Ghost]

You're asking a Jeep question in the toyota forum?

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. :flipoff2:


Sorry I'm not familiar with TJ's. I have a T fitting with my gauge that I hook my lines on to.

 

[Buddha's Ghost]

Does it have an air flow sensor? Did the engine backfire through the intake? If so you could have ruined the air flow sensor. This would cause crappy idle and shitty performance.

 

[BBurris]

yes it did backfire - that was the loud bang that caused the initial problems...timing got screwed, then it backfired through the throttle body and blew the air cleaner assembly off it's mounts...only two of the stock screws are useful now


Would the TPS being bad cause the same problems as an air sensor?

I also just got a new code

#42: An open or shorted condition detected in the auto shutdown relay circuit. An open condition detected in the ASD relay output circuit. An open or shorted condition detected in the fuel pump relay control circuit. An open circuit between PCM and fuel gauge sending unit. Circuit shorted to voltage between PCM and fuel gauge sending unit. No movement of fuel level sender detected.

 

[Buddha's Ghost]

If you blew your air filter assembly off, odds are your air flow sensor is toast.

 

[BBurris]

Wouldn't that give me some sort of code though? It seems that something is wrong with the fuel pump from the code I got (#42). I'll try to figure out some way to get a T-fitting inline with the fuel rail or something...anybody have any ideas on doing that?

 

[TexasBlake]

#42: An open or shorted condition detected in the auto shutdown relay circuit.

There should be a small sensor that is attached t othe thermostat housing. This could be it, if it goes bad, it'll cause it to run like that. Try unplugging it, if it runs better (probably with engine light on) then replace it. It's about $15.

Same thing happened to my YJ.

 

[BBurris]

thanks for the suggestion Blake...

didn't work for anyone that cares

 

[BBurris]

little update:

Tonight I've tightened every bolt on the exhaust, but it's not really that much quieter, so it looks like I'll be taking it all apart and retightening...

I pulled the plug wires, they don't appear to have any visual defects, but I guess I'll replace them when I get time. I pulled the plugs and they have black crap all over the nodes. Does this mean I'm getting some sort of combustion problems?

Trying to figure out where to go from here.....

 

[Buddha's Ghost]

little update:

I pulled the plugs and they have black crap all over the nodes. Does this mean I'm getting some sort of combustion problems?

Trying to figure out where to go from here.....

You're burning way to rich. Now your plugs are fouled and either need replaced or cleaned.

 

[BBurris]

You're burning way to rich. Now your plugs are fouled and either need replaced or cleaned.

so does that mean timing is off???

 

[Buddha's Ghost]

so does that mean timing is off???

It could mean all kinds of things. I still think you should check out your air flow sensor. It helps adjust fuel flow based on air intake.

 

[BBurris]

I just checked my TPS and it's all good. New plugs are sitting next to the Jeep and I'll get everything reconnected and put back together tomorrow sometime. I'm going to start it up and check to see if the MAP sensor give a good reading like the TPS did.

Then I'm going to try to figure out some way to check my fuel pressure.

Does anyone have any experience rigging a t-fitting inline with the fuel rail to do this?

After that.....well, hopefully it'll run...