flyerscup08

I have a 95 gc i6 limited with about 180k. I drive this Jeep constantly up and down the west coast for my job. She has been VERY good to me!

Just recently it started shutting down while driving. The first time it happened I was going up a steep grade and for some reason my Jeep was running at a temp of 230 instead of just under 210 like normal. (I know, this will be a whole other thread once I get this problem resolved.) So the Jeep shuts down and luckily I am able to dodge 4 lanes of freeway traffic and get her to the shoulder. I checked all of the connections and everything looks good. It restarts a half hour later. Over the next 30 miles this happens 6 times, taking between 10 and 45 mins to restart.

The PCM is reading codes 11 and 12, which are 11- No distributor reference signal during engine cranking, and 12-problem with the battery connection. Direct battery input to pcm disconnected within the last fifty ignition key cycles.

From other posts I have read regarding this problem, it seems the crank shaft positioning sensor is a likely culprit, but a hard job for someone who is not a mechanic. Also, it seems that the Jeep would restart immediately if it was the CPS going bad?

Here is my plan of attack. Please let me know if this makes sense, or if I should go about it another way.

First thing tomorrow I am going to replace the ignition coil. I read a post that leads me to believe the most likely scenario is that this is failing when the Jeep gets hot.

If this does not work, I plan on replacing the distributor, and wires.

Lastly I will try the Crank and Cam sensors.

Am I on the right track with this game plan? I have an IQ of 3, talking to me like a child won't hurt my feelings.

THANKS FOR ANY HELP!!!

flyerscup08

I just thought I would add that when it shuts down, it doesn't bog or stall out, it just abruptly shuts off, with the electrical staying on.

basegrinder

I know of 2 people who had their 95 GC limited shut off while driving, however the alarm would go off at the same time...

Sctmcly0

First thing I would check is all your connections between the battery and the alt. make sure none are loose or corroded. Then the crank sensor. Without a signal from the crank sensor the engine does not know where each piston is in the cylinder, so it wouldn't know when to spark or fuel. The cam sensors wouldn't cause it to shut off, kinda just a reference for the cranks sensor. It could be that the sensor is getting hot and going out of range, sending skewed signals to the PCM

CrazyMacaw

If you have a code telling you there's no distributor reference during cranking then a likely culprit might be the cam sensor since it provides the distributor position reference. The cranks sensor provides a reference of the crank position, that the crank is actually spinning, and its also where the tach gets its signal from. Both the cam and crank sensor are simple hall effect switches, there is no range, just on or off when working properly.
I'm not sure how you would arrive at a coil replacement based on the codes it's presenting. A failing sensor could possibly exhibit heat related malfunctions but it could also be things like poor grounds, loose connections, melted wire insulation allowing a short. Before you spend money on parts I 'd spend time looking things over closely since that doesn't cost a cent. While the thing is running get under the hood and wiggle some wires and connectors and see if you can make it stumble or stall. You might also consider clearing the codes and seeing if it sets the same ones next time it fails.

flyerscup08

I arrived at the coil, based on other heat related "shut down" posts, and a buddy of mine told me that the distributor code could have anything to do with a spark related issue. I know thats probably not the smartest of assumptions, and it cost me $35 because it was not the problem. I have already gone through all of the wiring and connections and I can find no visible problems. I have not wiggled the wires while it is running trying to get it to fail, but that is what I'm going to do after I hit send on this post.

Thanks for the advice! I'll let you know if I can pin point the issue.

flyerscup08

oh, and heres another dumb question...how do I clear the codes?

flyerscup08

Well, I just did more wiggling then since I first hit puberty. I couldn't get it to fail.

flyerscup08

So what do you guys think? Time to throw a crank and cam sensor at it?

slowjunk

when you start up the zj did you look at the battery guage and see where it's at? my xj died on me while driving on the free way. turn out to be the alternator.

Bustedknuckle

ASD (Automatic Shutdown Relay) is also a cause of random shut downs. Usually instigated by a short.

digger21

Look at your fuses and see if any have shorted. I'd say there is a good chance it's the CPS or cam sensor, however get under it and follow your o2 sensor wires. They tend to rub and/or melt if brackets get loose.

1ATony

I agree, check and clean the battery connections first. You may even want to have the battery and alternator tested to see if they test OK.

Bustedback

There was a TSB out back in the 93-98 range that addressed an issue with the engine stalling at operating temps or higher, the cam sensor (dist. pick up coil) was the culprit. That sounds like your problem since you have that code 11.

Sexmachine

i can almost guarantee its the cam shaft sensor or the crank shaft sensor. My jeep did the same thing many times. i replaced both only to have it happen again so i took it to a shop. The camshaft sensor i was sold was faulty.lol. Changing these isnt really hard as long as you have patience.