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no check engine light, no codes, as usual.
so i will try scraping the connection a bit more, it was dark last night when we did this and probably didn't do a great job.
by the way, i don't have any vaccum leaks at all. so we can rule that out.
what about the battery cables and ground?
Any sign of a braided ground strap hanging loose behind the engine? (I've seen them ripped clean to the connector - may just be a fuzzy stub under a bolt.)
Any erratic gage behavior?
Any erratic lighting - interior, dash, etc. acting weird?
When it misbehaves - are the headlights etc fully functional & bright?
Yes, check your battery cables ESPECIALLY if you have some of those aftermarket battery terminals from AutoZone, etc... They often get oxidized/corroded & can cause some weirdness that mimics other problems. I've also seen them come new with paint over-spray on the cable contact area!... they need to be cleaned with a wirebrush & then the cables re-clamped. (Best option is to replace those things with new factory style cables from a local parts store.)
The aftermarket battery terminal/clamps I'm referring to are generic ones that have two bolts on top of them that clamp onto the original battery cable in cases where it pulled loose, or came out of the original clamp.
Factory ones will only have the single bolt running into the side of the clamp and when tightened grips the battery terminal post... _OR_ with side post batteries there will be a single bolt that goes through the center of the cable terminal and screws directly into the battery's terminal.
While you have your terminals loose - leave the battery disconnected, turn the key "ON", then to start, then back off. Pause a few seconds each time. This should clear any stored codes and reset the computer to 're-learn' the motor.
(( On my own Jeep - I ran an additional ground cable from the battery negative to the same ground point at the dipstick you just used. Keep in mind that I have my Jeep set up for hi-current accessories (winch, etc) so this is overkill IF your cables are good and you don't have a hi-watt stereo etc.) ))
How did you rule out vacuum leaks? 4.0L engines can get them along the intake manifold due to loose manifold bolts / studs. (Heat / cool cycle over time loosens the bolts & studs holding the manifolds to the engine.) You can check for vacuum leaks along the manifold with an old windex bottle filled with water, or a can of starting fluid with a nozzle to direct the spray along the manifold. Water will seal up a leak momentarily & change the engine revs (should smooth out...) and the starting fluid will make the engine rev higher momentarily if there is a leak. (Try to avoid letting fumes enter the airbox or it'll give misleading results.)
Do you have a digital volt meter? Intermittent stalls can be caused by a faulty Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS) though I would think it "should" throw a code on your Grand's computer.
Any sign of a braided ground strap hanging loose behind the engine? (I've seen them ripped clean to the connector - may just be a fuzzy stub under a bolt.)
Any change in the other behavior?
Any erratic gage behavior?
Any erratic lighting - interior, dash, etc. acting weird?
When it misbehaves - are the headlights etc fully functional & bright?
Yes, check your battery cables ESPECIALLY if you have some of those aftermarket battery terminals from AutoZone, etc... They often get oxidized/corroded & can cause some weirdness that mimics other problems. I've also seen them come new with paint over-spray on the cable contact area!... they need to be cleaned with a wirebrush & then the cables re-clamped. (Best option is to replace those things with new factory style cables from a local parts store.)
The aftermarket battery terminal/clamps I'm referring to are generic ones that have two bolts on top of them that clamp onto the original battery cable in cases where it pulled loose, or came out of the original clamp.
Factory ones will only have the single bolt running into the side of the clamp and when tightened grips the battery terminal post... _OR_ with side post batteries there will be a single bolt that goes through the center of the cable terminal and screws directly into the battery's terminal.
While you have your terminals disconnected - leave the battery disconnected, turn the key "ON", then to start, then back off. Pause a few seconds each time. This should clear any stored codes and reset the computer to 're-learn' the motor. There may be a specific method to do this for your Grand in your owner's manual.
(( On my own Jeep - I ran an additional ground cable from the battery negative to the same ground point at the dipstick you just used. Keep in mind that I have my Jeep set up for hi-current accessories (winch, etc) so this is overkill IF your cables are good and you don't have a hi-watt stereo etc.) ))
How did you rule out vacuum leaks? 4.0L engines can get them along the intake manifold due to loose manifold bolts / studs. (Heat / cool cycle over time loosens the bolts & studs holding the manifolds to the engine.) You can check for vacuum leaks along the manifold with an old windex bottle filled with water, or a can of starting fluid with a nozzle to direct the spray along the manifold. Water will seal up a leak momentarily & change the engine revs (should smooth out...) and the starting fluid will make the engine rev higher momentarily if there is a leak. (Try to avoid letting fumes enter the airbox or it'll give misleading results.)
Do you have a digital volt meter?
The "usual suspect" in stalling / quitting followed by intermittent no-starts is a faulty Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS) though I would think it "should" throw a code on your Grand's computer. If you have a meter, we can check that easily enough.
We'll run through that & if we can't figure it out I'll give you a URL for a Grand Cherokee web-forum. You can search their threads & ask some guys (& gals) who'd sleep with their Jeep if it would fit through the bedroom door and their spouse would let it inside. (Yes, Jeepers can be an obsessive lot...)
I have a 99 JGC, V8. It has been stalling out when it runs on idle in park for more than 5 mins, and it will stall when driving down the road, (At any speed), and while stopped at a stop light. NO issues with lights dimming and what not though.
we have noticed that when it shuts off randomly, all the gauges are... gauging things, if you will, EXCEPT the fuel gage. and everytime we try to start it after a stall, the fuel gauge continues to stay on E, until it finally decides to start... before we monkey around with other things you've suggested, do you think its a fuel pump or filter problem?? or SOMETHING do to with the fuel stuff?
Yes, it could be a fuel problem... or other things.
Does it stall out "gradually" or just quit immediately?
Does it immediately restart, crank for a long time & then immediately restart?
Or crank for a long time then sputter & spit then restart?
Or do you have to let it sit for a while before it'll start?
I'll give it a try but let me also refer you to the grand cherokee forum on JeepsUnlimited.com where you can do a search through existing posts / threads for this and if you can't find a good result... you can post the question there for the Grand Cherokee specialists.
i'll check out the other forum. thanks!
tidester, host
(1) The causes of the problem in most cases is the crankshaft position sensor. This is about a $60 part at autozone and can be replaced with a little bit of time. It is located on the driver's side bell housing of your transmission. Although this did not fix the problem with my car, out of all of the info I have read so far this worked in most cases. You can test this sensor as explained here: http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1h/bl651h.htm)
(2) The second thing I would try is checking the camshaft sensor. This is extremely easy to replace and is located under the rotor of the distributor cap.This has supposedly fixed this problem in a few cases also. This sensor can also be tested before buying the part (see http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1h/bl651h.htm).
(3) I ran across a well-hidden message on the web last night as I was looking once again for the cause of the problem and found that faulty wiring in the door wiring harness may be the cause of the problem (see http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1h/bl651h.htm). If you notice that your door locks don't work as well as they should, this is most likely the case of the problem.
(4) Fuel is not getting to the engine - test your fuel pump to see if this is the cause of the problem, though in most cases it would be the previous problems mentioned.
I'll keep you all posted as to what exactly was the cause of my problem.
Cheers!
since it's been fixed though, i am having problems iwth it jerking off and on. not sure if the problem is related but it's an issue. since getting the sensors replaced, it's not shutting off anymore though.
I've tried rocking the car to see if the problem was the parking lock (as suggested elsewhere in this forum), but that didn't help.
Is it likely the key cylinder itself?
This cylinder has a tendency to have sticking tumblers. As suggested, I inserted the key and lightly tapped it with the handle of a screwdriver. Started right up. I gave it a shot of graphite and will take it by a locksmith later this week.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
my JGC stalls all the time, BUT only when it's cold outside....very strange. the interior lights still flicker, but i have figured out that is the switch.
i have replaced soooo many things. even the fuel filter again, the ignition coil....etc. i am about ready to take it to the dealer and pay a ton.
any other ideas out there???
Good luck!
• Camshaft position sensor – I list it first because it once showed this error code while at auto zone. Their reader had zero code for 4 of the 5 reads. I have had a cold engine reading yet. Engine always warn by the time I get to autozone.
• Crankshaft position sensor
• Throttle position sensor
• Evaporative emission control system filter/solenoid
• Manifold absolute pressure sensor problem, possible dirty mass flow sensor
• Low voltage at PCM
• The PCM itself
• Erratic fuel pump
I have seen the solutions for the stalling and quits discussions and hate to replace $100's worth of parts before I get the right one sometime. Does anyone know what the bottom line part to replace is without going through the half dozen or so sensors? I figure the PCM would be the ultimate part to replace but what about the loose connector going to it if there is one, wiggled them but they could have a loose wire inside I don't know.
Yeah I have a Haynes manual before someone asks that and I can find my way around an engine.
Thanks for help. Any past experiences would be appreciated and I really do want to know what you did to solve your problem.
Norman
I am probably going to just go ahead and bite the bullet so to speak and replace the computer for somewhere in the $300 range. The vehicle has over 100 thousand miles and it is out of the year spread to be covered by the warranty on the computer.
Now your vehicle on the other hand, probably still has a warranty on the computer unless you have more than 80,000 miles so you would probably be covered. The catch as always is to get them to admit its bad and replace it under warranty. An who knows it could be something else so you may want to keep looking at the other posts under stalling, etc. I spent several hours late one night looking through all the posts and taking notes for all the possible things that could be causing the quitting and boy there are a bunch. The closest thing to a bottom line thing that most all the people said they finally wound up replacing was the PCM or computer.
I first thought it might be the ignition switch, but I wiggled the key while the engine was running and nothing happened. We have tried to get it to quit by driving in the driveway and making sharp turns but nothing happens.
I know the one vehicle routine is not good, especially when that one vehicle is not up to snuff. Everything that could conceivably cause the engine to just quit are fairly easy to replace its just the cotton picking money that I don't like to throw away.
Well I don't know if I have been any help but there are solutions out there it just takes time
PLEASE HELP!!!
Pressure gauge reading varies between the middle and 3-quarter. Replaced Oil Pressure Gauge and Crankshaft Position Sensor. Also cleaned throttle chamber. None seems to fix the issue.
Any idea?