Starting Problems

[Jsmit149]

I have just signed on with Jeepz ...saw your contact info.. Got a real
> frustrating starter problem. My son's 87 Jeep Wrangler 4.2 died. Found no spark
> so we started with the least expensive parts and worked our way up...replaced
> coil, rotor, distributor cap, pickup coil, started soleniod, ignition module
> and even replaced ECU (got 2 on ebay $20 each) and finally purchased rebuilt
> carburetor and new fuel pump just for good measures.. ...wants to fire but
> acts like out of time. I consulted our Haynes manual and ensure we were at
> TDC on the firing stroke and not exhaust stroke on the #1 cyclinder.
> Positioning the oil slot at 11 o'clock for 87 carburetor.
>
> Two things are suspect. When my son replace the started soleniod, he may have
> mixed up the 3 small wires that connect to the 2 post in front. Can you tell
> me how they should be. He know that one post has 2 wires and the other has 1 wire. The wires are green, green/white, and black/white.
>
> Secondly, can you tell me what position is the #1 cylinder on the cap is
> located. The manual shows at 6 o'clock but I we recall it is more at the 7 or
> 8 o'close position?
>
> We have messed with this by position the distributor more times than I care
> to count..
>
> Help!!!
>

 

[LVRockCrawler]

may sound like a really stupid question but did you replace the plug wires (including the coil wire)? - my stepson's 72 mustang had a similar problem - tried to start, stumbled, hesitated, frustrated the he** out of me... everything tested fine.... turned out to be the coil wire from coil to center of cap only made contact intermittently (sp?) - changed it out and did fine.... hope it helps (?) and welcome to Jeepz.... good place for help most times....

 

[Captaintek]

If you haven't replaced the spark plug wires, you should test them for continunity and resistance. Use an ohm meter to make sure. Then double check your manual for the correct #1 cylinder on the diagram and trace it back to insure that it is pluged into the #1 terminal on the destributor cap. Check the diagram to see what way the rotation is for the cap and trace back all wires one at a time. Make sure that you are on the compression stroke by pluging the sparkplug hole with your finger (or a friend's) and turning over the motor by using a socket on the crankshaft bolt until you feel air comming out of the cylinder. Then I place a small wire down the hole and slowly turn the crankshaft bolt until the wire stops rising. That will insure that you are on the compression stroke on #1 cylinder.

Good Luck!