Hello, I have a 96' Jeep cherokee sport 4.0L 6Cyl.
While out rally'n my passenger side motor mount busted and I didnt know until my motor shut off while taking a turn. The motor had droped and was being held up by the distributor. Which in turn crack the dist. cap and wore down the dist. My motor would run pourly in low idle and when i went over 45mph. I thought it was my throttle body but after taking the throttle body out and cleaning it the problem was still going on. So i said F it and took it to the dealer for a diagnostic and they told me my dist cap and distributor where worn down and broken, also that my timing was bad. They offered to fix it for $725 PFFFFF! yeah right lol So i bought a new dist and cap. replaced and now she will idle without stalling out but spits and barley has any power because its cutting out when i press on the gas. If in park the throttle will run great. but once in drive she will barley run without spitting and chuging....Any suggestions? Im about to buy a timing light and get my distributor back into the right place but I am wondering If and how i would fix the timing out side of the distributor. Also, I have lossened the bolt that holds in the dist and found the most optimal place for the motor to run. Please help....Im lost and dont want to pay some ******* $725 to fix this

 

You cant time the 4.0l like older cars so a timing light wont help. Timing is controlled by crank position sensor on the bellhousing and camshaft position sensor in the dizzy. Have you check all your vacuum lines? especially the MAP sensor

 

^^x2^^

 

Maybe this will help:

http://www.angelfire.com/my/fan/dist_index.html

 

I have not checked the hoses. But when the dealer ran the diognostic they didn't say anything about my sensors. I will do this tonight

 

Well no cause they want you to pay them $700, they are stealerships for a reason

 

You cannot just toss a distributor in like in the old days.

refer to the correct way in the factory service manual to set and calibrate the cam position sensor in it.

 

I think I'm going to take it to a non dealer auto shop and have them tell me what I need to do. I have tried everything you guys have suggested with no difference. Thanks for the advice. I'll post what they say

 

You probably have the dizzy a tooth off in either direction.

 

Even though you can't change the timing, a timing light is still useful to CHECK the timing, and see if the timing is consistent, or erratic.
Maybe when the motor mount broke it also bashed the CPS or wiring, and it's erratic? Or if you got the distributor timed way wrong (off a couple of teeth) it could be sending the spark to the wrong cylinder altogether. It could even be sending it to one cylinder at idle, then when you rev it up and the ECU advances the spark it could go to the previous cylinder. A timing light will help.
AFAIK the Camshaft Position Sensor (in the distributor) is only used to know when to trigger the fuel injectors in sequence, it does not affect the spark timing.

 

The CAM POSITION SENSOR is in the bottom of the distributor. IT HAS TO BE SET CORRECTLY!

 

The big H and rrich...Very helpful! This is what I needed to know. I will purchase a timing light and check to see if the "teeth" are in line. I apperciate the help. Ill post once i do this. Thanks!

 

Look it up - there's a procedure to align the cam sensor in the bottom of the distributor. You use a small drill or toothpick through a hole to do it. Easy, but if not done you can mess with it forever without getting it right.

You won't need the light.