scrappy96

So I just went out there to start the jeep and it would not start. I check spark off the coil and it is not steady. I would get about 5 shots then nothing while still cranking, then a couple more shots, then nothing while still cranking.
I pulled a plug and it smelled like gas.
opinions please??

lawsoncl

Crank shaft position sensor would be my first suspicion.

fb97xj1

If you can smell fuel, you have a leak. But where? You pulled a plug and it was wet with gas, so id say you have a sticky injector. I dont know which injectors the 96 used, but here is a pic taken from Wranglerforum of a split injector, which you could have. Dont know, but it is worth a look.

scrappy96

Well after reading a few posts on the ole interweb, there were two that stood out about intermittent spark, which is what I was seeing. So with that, my thought of unburnt fuel, I decided going the route of a possible bad coil.
I went down to Napa, bought a new coil. I installed it and she fired right up. I let her idle for about 15-20 minutes, then took her for a test drive and she stayed running. Looks like I found my issue. I will post back if anything changes.
Thank you all for your thoughts and ideas.

boxburn

Has the oil in the cap sorted itself out for you since cleaning and replacing the cap and arm?

scrappy96

Well she is running and starts every time. However she is having these little misses while idle. I decided to try and drive her to work this morning and she started right up and drove fine for about 6 miles, then every so often I get a really quick buck like I hit a pothole. she will do it once then in another few minutes she will do it again, maybe twice. then she is fine for another mile or so and do it again. Not sure what to make of it yet. I have replaced the cap, rotor, plugs, and coil.
with the missing at idle and the bucking here and there, could that be the Crank position sensor, or the cam position sensor ? Maybe a plug wire ?

Ideas ?

Thanks,

BlueRidgeMark

Ideas? Oh, I dunno.....

scrappy96

Thanks Blueridge Mark. I haven't had the cap off to see how much oil might be in there. I only have about 10 miles on the new cap and rotor, since installed. I will take a look.
I do not know how long I was running it with oil getting up in there.
The jeep was running fine, maybe a slight miss here and there at idle, but clean response. Then one day she just started bucking and died.
In the process of troubleshooting it, I found oil in the cap. the button in the middle was stuck up in there, all the prongs in the cap were corroded, and the coil being bad was the reason she wouldn't start.
I have replaced the plugs, the cap, the rotor, and the coil.
So is it possible the cam position sensor could be oil soak and causing the slight missing at idle and the random misfiring driving down the road ?

scrappy96

Also,

Also, weeks back when this started and I pulled the cap and saw the oil inside, I tried to lift out the cam position sensor assembly and could not get it to lift up, like it was stuck. So I didn't want to break it, so I left it alone. is this normal, that these things are stuck that way in the distributor, or am I supposed to remove a screw or something to get it out ?

fb97xj1

If your sensor is the flat plate style, it lifts straight up. The only screws are those holding the cap on, and the sensor is sandwhiched between the cap and the distributor body. The grommet around the wires might stick a bit to the distributor itself, but the sensor lifts straight up.

scrappy96

Yesterday morning i removed the cam sensor plate. it was definately stuck in place, mainly at the grommet. i installed the new one after i cleaned all the oil residue inside the distributor.
i drove the jeep around all weekend and it started and ran great everytime.
there is still little misses while idling in park, but doesnt effect the way it runs. not sure what it could be, but it has been doing it since i bought it 28,000 miles ago.
i will be driving it to work tomorrow, we will see how it goes.

scrappy96

UPDATE+++++

I drove to work yesterday morning without any issues, about 100 miles round trip. This morning a different story. I was about 25 miles into the trip to work and she started misfiring again. Pulled up to a traffic light and she died. I tried to start it about 3 or 4 times, and she was trying to start but wouldn't. Finally, on the 5th try, she started and I drove the another 28 miles to work, and she stayed running.

WTF ?
I am going to check and see if there is oil all over inside the distributor causing the cam sensor to fail.
If that is not it, Should I consider it to be the crank position sensor ?

scrappy96

Well I took the distributor cap off, and there is oil all over the cam sensor and ring. If I was a betting man, I would say oil getting all over the cam sensor and ring is my intermittent issue.
Whether or not, I have to replace the distributor anyways. There should not be oil all over the inside. Hopefully that is my issue.

scrappy96

So I drove the jeep 50 miles home after I wiped down the inside of the distributor, with no issues.
I knew that the distributor needed to be replaced, so I ordered a new one. Today the new distributor came in today. I will install it tomorrow and update.

scrappy96

yesterday morning I installed the new distributor. All went well, and she fired right up when i was done. I have driven her around all day yesterday and this morning, and she is running like she should. I will plan to drive her to work tomorrow morning and hopefully she is fixed.

I pulled the old one out, the shaft was loose, guess the bushing was worn out which I would say was letting oil up into the cap and sensor area. I also noticed that the fork like prongs were missing off of the old one, so I assume that whomever installed it last had an issue installing it.

I will drive it for a few days and report back.