1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport

[Bologna 10+ year member]

I have a 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport SE, 4 door, 4.0L v6

It won't start, it'll turn over but that's it. I just bought a brand new battery and it still won't work so that's not the problem.

It worked fine the day before but I went to turn it on in the morning and it wouldn't start. And my Jeep is kept in my heated garage every night too so it wasn't the weather.

I can start to smell gas when trying to turn it on especially when I open the hood. Not sure what that means those.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

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[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

coil...or the magnetic pickup in the dizzy.

 

[Bologna 10+ year member]

I'm not a car guru so a little more explanation would be helpful lol. Sorry.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

lol, its ok

The coil is what sends spark to your spark plugs. They can and do randomly die. Pretty easy to replace.

There is a pickup of some sort in the distributer that can go bad...should be easy to replace also.

These would be where i would start if it was me

 

[Bologna 10+ year member]

lol, its ok
The coil is what sends spark to your spark plugs. They can and do randomly die. Pretty easy to replace.

There is a pickup of some sort in the distributer that can go bad...should be easy to replace also.

These would be where i would start if it was me

Alright, I'll check that out tomorrow. I'm making a list of possible problems. Other things I have written down to check is: Fuel, air filter, compression, spark plugs, and crankshaft position sensor.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

Alright, I'll check that out tomorrow. I'm making a list of possible problems. Other things I have written down to check is: Fuel, air filter, compression, spark plugs, and crankshaft position sensor.

crankshaft sensor is the only one out of there that would make it just stop running one day. Maybe, and just MAYBE the fuel filter.

 

[Bologna 10+ year member]

Alright thanks bro. I'll see what I figure out tomorrow after school.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

Alright thanks bro. I'll see what I figure out tomorrow after school.

no problem. I doubt youll be able to tell if most of those things are bad by looking at them. I mean, if they have broken wires you will be able to.

 

[Bologna 10+ year member]

The spark plugs were getting spark but I don't think enough. They sparked like every 1.5 seconds when i was cracking it over. I think it should spark faster than that.

I just towed it up to the local car mechanic and I'm going to see what he says. But he said it'd probably be Monday before he looks at it.

 

[Rickdod3 10+ year member]

Im going to say its most likely a spark issue. Try that first

 

[Bob Saget]

distributor cap & rotor, fuel pump, check your major fuses & relays

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

That spit sputter spark you see when you are cranking it over is going to be some what normal. Your not going to get a good spark(well constant) from it because its not up and running. What kind of spark tester were you using. Also were did you test it.

Pulling that cap off and check the cap and rotor you could of done yourself very very easy to do on a jeep 4.0 motor.

My next thing is you say you can smell fuel under the hood. Its fuel injected you shouldnt smell fuel at all under the hood unless you have a leak some place. Could very well cause a no start.

When you were sitting in your jeep cranking it. Did you happen to look at the RPM gauge did it go up from zero when you were trying to crank it. Or did it just stay at zero the whole time you were cranking it.

 

[Bologna 10+ year member]

That spit sputter spark you see when you are cranking it over is going to be some what normal. Your not going to get a good spark(well constant) from it because its not up and running. What kind of spark tester were you using. Also were did you test it.
Pulling that cap off and check the cap and rotor you could of done yourself very very easy to do on a jeep 4.0 motor.

My next thing is you say you can smell fuel under the hood. Its fuel injected you shouldnt smell fuel at all under the hood unless you have a leak some place. Could very well cause a no start.

When you were sitting in your jeep cranking it. Did you happen to look at the RPM gauge did it go up from zero when you were trying to crank it. Or did it just stay at zero the whole time you were cranking it.

All I did to test the spark was take off the cover for spark plug # 6, I believe, and stick a screwdriver in there and laid it across something that was grounded.

I believe the RPMs sat at 0. Can remember that well.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

Hmm...makes me wana say its the lil magnetic pickup in the distributer. I forget what theyre called on the jeeps...

and could you here the fuel pump turn on? its uncommon for them to just die. But it is possible

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

Hmm...makes me wana say its the lil magnetic pickup in the distributer. I forget what theyre called on the jeeps...
and could you here the fuel pump turn on? its uncommon for them to just die. But it is possible

Its a cap and rotor type. What you and others are thinking of is a tad bit older in age, years. This type the rotor sits on a shaft and spins around sending spark to each spark plug through the cap from the coil.

Now saying you think you seen the RPMs just sit at zero while you were cranking it. Says crank signal. Crank position sensor do go bad on the jeeps all the time. And will give you a weak spark while cranking. That sensor sits on top on the bell housing area. Near the steering shaft.