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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
I'm somewhat confused by which of the label pictures is on the vehicle in question but if it's the one that references NLEV it's a California/ Nescaum/OTC state vehicle with 2 close coupled cats
back with an update and i want to post this in parts. running multiples test's on my jeep and going to post in parts as the day goes on.
this morning i started with
1) i inspected the wiring harness coming up from the O2 to the fuel rail wiring harness and couldn't notice any splicing so i went ahead to step number 2 (keep in mind i am going to retest the connecters using my multimeter at the end of the day when im finished with all tests
2) cleaned off all the ground in the car (ordered jeepcables big 7 as well as k suspension fuel injectors that i'm still waiting on but just wanted to dust these off anyways)
3) after cleaning grounds, i went ahead and proceeded with COMPRESSION TEST. i removed the coil and immediately noticed some leakage happening behind spark plug # 5 as well as some corrosion on the ignition coil and spark plugs.
4) i removed all spark plugs and proceeded compression test and was getting anywhere between 150-165 after 3 rotations (compression strokes). i got the following in order;
1 - 150
2 - 160
3 - 150
4 - 155
5 - 160
6- 160
i attached some photos below just to give you guys an idea of what i was looking at.
5) after this i went ahead and removed my throttle body***. im going to clean this out as well as the sensors, mainly the IAC sensor becuase of the idle issue i am getting.
one i clean this out and install this, i am going to go ahead and run a coolant leak test since i am losing coolant.
i want to sincerely thank you guys for continuing to help me out. i've learned so much from all the dumb questions i've asked and it feels f'n amazing to work on this car on my own.
i will post another update in a couple of hours with coolant leak test and multimeter o2 sensor reading.
Last edited by fr3dbilli3; 01-23-2022 at 12:40 PM.
Reason: called carb throttle body
Don't even bother putting those plugs back in (although all things considered the insulator color looks ok, you're not running particularly rich).... I'm amazed it runs at all as funky as the plugs are... Note how bent down the side electrodes are from someone trying to regap them after they recovered them from the Titanic
should i be concerned about that leakage on cylinder 5s spark plug area?
At this point whatever that goop is is the least of your worries. I would just put those things that used to be spark plugs a couple of turns into the plug holes to keep the krap from falling into the engine and clean out the plug wells with compressed air . Then install your new plugs using your torque wrench. .
I would be more concerned with the boots on the coil rail. It sorta looks like at least some of them have the part of the boot that seals out water etc gone missing. If that's the case you are going to have realmisfire problems when any water splashes up there (dielectric grease only does so much) I don't know if you can get new boots-probably.
Congrats on the compression test - amazing how these old engines keep tight! Obviously, plugs 1 and 3 are running a different air/fuel mixture or oil is getting past the valve guide seals. You mentioned that you were going to change out the injectors - hopefully that will solve any mixture issue. You might want to test the old injectors and see if these two cylinders read differently. Your perseverance is the best tool to solve your issues.
Looking back over this saga:
1l did you ever replace that cut vacuum line? Mixture and all you know.
2)based on what those plugs and boots look like this thing has had about zero maintenance in the last decade or two. We'll see what the cooling system pressure test tels you but ANYTHING could be leaking. You may need to resort to dye. Don't automatically assume it's the head- the original head on my 2000 is just fine.(but the heater core wasn't-you"'ll love that job)
At this point whatever that goop is is the least of your worries. I would just put those things that used to be spark plugs a couple of turns into the plug holes to keep the krap from falling into the engine and clean out the plug wells with compressed air . Then install your new plugs using your torque wrench. .
I would be more concerned with the boots on the coil rail. It sorta looks like at least some of them have the part of the boot that seals out water etc gone missing. If that's the case you are going to have realmisfire problems when any water splashes up there (dielectric grease only does so much) I don't know if you can get new boots-probably.
hm, im not sure i understand what you're talking about because the coils rail looks the same throughout every space where a spark plug would go but i've attached some photos below to see if maybe you can spot it and point it out.
also, while examing it, i noticed a cracked where the screw goes and it looks kind of brutal.
i know you say i probably can't find em but i found some on ebay now used. its better then this old cracked thing.
crack same crack just noticed another crack to the left here.
Ok ,looking at all the old and new pics what I was looking at is where the rail mounting bolts go thru. Shouldn't be an issue unless somehow those cracks let water into the coil rail. For now put in new plugs and fix that vacuum hose if you have not; I suspect you will notice an improvement in idle quality if nothing else.
trying to diagnose vehicles by remote control is a PITA.
Ok ,looking at all the old and new pics what I was looking at is where the rail mounting bolts go thru. Shouldn't be an issue unless somehow those cracks let water into the coil rail. For now put in new plugs and fix that vacuum hose if you have not; I suspect you will notice an improvement in idle quality if nothing else.
trying to diagnose vehicles by remote control is a PITA.
for the record, i replaced that vacuum line same day, just forgot to mention it
back with a hugeeeeee update. so i replaced the ancient titanic spark plugs with some ngk's and also replaced idle air control unit becusae it was inexpensive and why not. super excited to start her up and she started up greattttt and even lost the CEL so i thought OMG maybeeee just maybe thats what was bringing the whole car down and boom, she starts to rough idle. the begging half up until she got up to temperature was fine but once she was tettering on 200 - 210 the car starts to shake. rough idle geting heavier and heavier until eventually the car stalls. i started the car right up and she ran but would sputter every now and then. i didnt run it long enough to see if the car was going to stall out again.
still haven't ran my cooling system leak test becasue i was waiting to throw the spark plugs on and now its just too dark out to run it so i'm going to wait until tomorrow.
it feels great to NOT see that CEL on the dash but not sure if i like that theres no CEL and the car is stalling because now i'm just completely lost.
i ran the obd scanner just to see what i would get
Last edited by fr3dbilli3; 01-24-2022 at 05:41 PM.
Your OBD can only: measure resistance and note an open or short cricket. Did you ever test the injectors to find out why two of the plugs were a different color?
Your OBD can only: measure resistance and note an open or short cricket. Did you ever test the injectors to find out why two of the plugs were a different color?
running this tomorrow as well as cooling pressure test. the weather in new york is nice tomorrow so i can comfortably get stuff done without having to sit in the car every now and then because i cant feel my fingers.
01-22-2022, 03:18 PM
