Exterior clutch slave on my 84. (WAZ anyway!)

 

I OWE THIS MAN A BEER! In, out, and done in about 40 mins. Only problem I had was that my replacement sensor had shorter wires than my original, so I ran a tracer cable on the new one and was able to pull it through the right way and got it to plug in. Cranked and ready to go! Many Thanks for that tip.

 

For a different perspective, once I had hunted down the right combination of extensions and sockets form their hiding places, I had no problem removing and re-installing the sensor single-handedly using the "other" technique, which, honestly, I think is MUCH easier than this is.

I needed: ratchet, ~18" extension, universal (with a few wraps of electrical tape for some stiffness), ~3" extension (or a deep socket), 11mm socket and a magnetic socket insert to hold the fastener.

Removal was fairly easy, if annoying, and took less than five minutes.

Replacement was more annoying, requiring me to wedge my hand behind the engine from above to place the sensor in position, then carefully place and thread the screws from below, and took about ten minutes.

So, fifteen minutes total, with no disassembly of the car, on my back, without using a jack.
Certainly we all have our opinions on what annoys us the most, and if you hate lying on your back poking around semi-blindly at some tiny bolt head that's just out of sight that you can't put your hands on, then the firewall technique is for you, but, having just finished doing this job an hour ago, I thought I should contribute my 2¢, as this forum really helped me to know what to do and how to do it.

Thanks for the advice in this thread, even though I personally chose not to follow it!

- Eric

 

I seriously had to take a break and laugh it out before I could finish reading this. Too funny!

 

Finally got mine off and now I'm having a hard time finding a CPS replacement with a wire that is the proper length. Every store around here has replacements, but the wired are all roughly 2 inches too short... Anyone dealt with this before?

 

even worse is when you drop the socket into the bell housing...

 

I took out my CPS 2 weeks ago, took about 15 minutes with alot of extensions, and an 11mm socket.

I finally found the time to put in the new one. Took about 5 minutes.

I did the install from atop the engine. I found that there is enough room between the intake and the brake booster to put my right arm

to reach where the sensor goes.

Instead of an 11mm socket, I used a very short 7/16 wrench. A short rachet 7/16 would work better if there is such a tool.

 

Howdy all, I've just signed on to this forum to thank you all (well, almost all) for the extraordinary hands on knowledge that you have been good enough to share with me. It has been extremely helpful. Yesterday, I replaced the CPS on my '99 Cherokee by the "crawl under the vehicle and lie on your back cursing the engineers" method. During intermittent thunderstorms that lasted until I finished. Naturally. Worked out real well. Turned the key, fired right up. Thanks.
Here's some input I can add: First of all, it was relatively easy. Now that I've done it once, doing it again would be a snap. Second, shining lights on the CPS is extremely helpful, if not essential. I did this with a pair of Maglites wedged into appropriate spots in the engine compartment. Let's you see what you're doing. I found that holding my head up to see the work got tiring pretty quick, so I got an old volley ball, let some air out so it got sort of mushy and mailable, and rested my head on it while working. Worked great! Cracked one bolt loose, then the other, and turned them out a bit, then (because I had no magnets) squeezed some silicone adhesive into the socket, and very carefully removed them. Worked fine.
Mounted the new CPS connector plug onto it's bracket, plugged it in, and put the CPS into the bell housing from the top.
Took about 3" of electrical tape, cut a small slit in the middle poked the bolt through it and taped the bolt to the socket, crawled under again (feet first) got in position, snaked my left hand up to the unit, pushed it down as far as it would go, maneuvered the bolt to the hole on the mounting bracket, (NO RATCHET on the extension, so it's lighter and easily maneuvered) and it went right in. It was so easy that at first I wasn't sure that it had actually caught thread. Repeated the other bolt. Just as easy. Cranked 'em both tight. Putting in the new CPS was MUCH easier than taking out the old one. Experience gained helped, no doubt. Crawled out. Changed out of my soaking wet filthy clothes, into fresh, entered the vehicle, prayed, turned the key, VROOMMMM!!!
Said a prayer of thanks to the Cosmic Mechanic, and now a sincere THANK YOU, to you guys.

Thank You All, VERY MUCH!!! VERY,VERY MUCH!

 

My 1998 XJ refused to start two days ago. It cranked and cranked and cranked, but refused to start up. I did a quick search on this forum and nailed the diagnosis as the CPS.

I fully recommend two people on the removal and installation of the CPS. I crawled under the driver's side feet first and looked up around the edge of the bell housing on the front of the transmission and could actually see the two bolts holding in the CPS. I guided in the 3 feet long ratchet extension tipped off with a universal swivel joint and manipulated an 11mm socket over the bolts and kept it in place while my brother turned the ratchet.

It was about 4-5 minutes to take them out and another 4-5 minutes to mount the new CPS into place. I initially tried to remove the two bolts without the universal swivel joint and could not make it happen. But, after attaching that joint at the end of my extensions, the process worked beautifully.

I turned the key and my Jeep fired up perfectly and idled better than it had for the past three months. I love this forum!

 

You can put a 3 inch extension between the 11mm and the swivel, and reach up past the drive-line with your left hand to guide it. With the swivel there you don't need 3 feet, or two people. It takes me at least 10 minutes just to get it up on the ramps and get the tools out! Glad it went well for you.

Anyone following....be VERY careful not to drop a bolt in there while retracting the socket.

 

does anyone know the tread and length of the bolts for the crankshaft position sensor thanks in advance I read on another forum that it was a 7mmx1.00 by 1" does anyone know this to be true?

 

I just did mine last night after reading through this thread. I ended up using my 12" extension and an 11mm on my 96. Once I broke the bolts loose, I took the ratchet off and unscrewed them by hand. Once I got them bolts out, I installed it from the top. Bending the wire harness out of the way with my left hand BARELY allowed my right hand enough room to get down there. Put the CPS in, pulled my hand out, put one of the bolts between two fingertips, snake arm back down, get bolt into the hole, turn it enough so that it won't slide out, repeat with the other one and then tighten both from beneath.

Then as was previously mentioned, apply Neosporin to scraped up forearms, chase that down with several adult beverages whilst patting self on back.

 

Yes, there is a trick to it. I believe the bolts are 8 or 9 mm. You need to put together enough socket extensions to extend about 3 feet. I also used a universal joint at the socket also. With one hand extended up to the bolt, attach the socket and then with the 3 foot extention, rachet the bolt out and catch it with the hand that is up at the socket end. Actually rather simple once you have done it. Your arm with be greasey. I should note that you are doing this from under the vehicle so be sure to put stands under the front axle.

 

11mm on my 88, if you drop the crossmember you can lower the trans just enough to slip a small ratchet in there and get it out, I think I had to use an extention once but the whole job only took 10 min. They are about an inch long

 

What a lot of people are not considering here is, it is considerably harder to reach on a WJ than an XJ. Thus the reason for going through the fire wall.