Hey guys I am desperate for some help here. I have a common problem with my 1991 Cherokee XJ with the HO 4.0 and auto transmission and four wheel drive. The crank position sensor keeps going bad. I have seen discussions about this on the forum and know that the MOPAR part is strongly recommended. The problem is MOPAR no longer offers the part, and I haven't been able to find one anywhere. The ones I have been trying have only lasted six months at best and 10 miles at worst. Some have lifetime warranties, but this is not a job I want to do all the time and would really hate to try trail side! My question then is with MOPAR not being available, what is the best brand to use?

 

If I were in this predicament I would try a Napa one.
I work there but still have a little more faith in their parts then from other stores.
But the better Echlin line one.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHCSS624

Thinking this is the one you want.
Bottom line is that it is still probably a crapshoot.
And to make matters worse the Napa one appears to only have a 3 year/36K warranty.
But still would be my first choice.

 

Word to the wise....buy only Mopar for that one! Mopar uses a neodymium magnet in their construction whereas most others don't and since this is a Hall-effect magnetic switch the magnetic field had better be strong enough to last. My original factory CkPS lasted 175K miles and the Mopar replacement is still going strong at 254K miles. I couldn't ask for more.

If they are truly out of production, try a dealer. They can find a NOS (New-Old Stock) one on their computer and tell you which dealer has it. Then they can get it shipped to them. Special orders like that have to be prepaid. Being a 91, you could still have a problem finding one.

Another note, If for some reason you pull the engine or transmission, remove the CkPS first so it doesn't get damaged. Otherwise you'll be buying a new one.

 

In a case like this one, and you say they are only lasting 6 months, I'd find a shop that has a good parts / labor warranty and pay them to change it. At least then, when it fails, hopefully you can get a free tow out of the deal (within reason), and the parts switched for free. Find out if the second Crankshaft Position Sensor "resets" their warranty, or if the warranty is only from date of original purchase.

Maybe find someone doing a part out that still has the original Crankshaft Position Sensor. I agree with MOPAR is best. Like mentioned before, talk to a dealer if you haven't already and put it on the parts locator.

 

Thanks for the tip about how to find NOS, I wasn't sure how to do that I will give that a try. I had heard about the necessity of it having a strong magnet. I have exhausted the internet search to find one and came up empty. I sure wish an aftermarket supplier would make it right; I love my Jeep and would like to drive it for another 20 years.

 

So I poked around a bit for what I think the part number is.
Had no luck. Why I recommended the Napa one.
But I am good at finding things and refused to give up.
On my second try assuming this is the right part I found this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Mop...75.c1#viTabs_0

Couple things are bugging me though.
Not sure if I am looking up the right part number.
They refer to it as a Vehicle Speed Sensor so...
They say it is for a manual but best I can tell it is not.

https://www.moparpartsgiant.com/part...=(E=ERH;T=DGS)

And sometimes, unfortunately, they say they have it and don't.
You order it, they whack your card, then you get an email saying their inventory was wrong, and it takes a week for the credit to show up.
Things like this have happened to me in the past.
Thing that amazes me is that they come for their money immediately. When they have to give it back it takes a bit. LOL.