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96 Jeep Cherokee - Hard time starting

11K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  tjwalker 
#1 · (Edited)
I own a 96 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L 6cyl. My problem is that in recent months it has become harder and harder to start it. I will go to start it and unless i am pressing the gas while trying to start it, the jeep will not turn over. A friend replaced the o2 sensor and it worked better for about a week after and now the problem has come back. Does anyone have any ideas of what it could be. Everyone i talk to is puzzled. Thanks.

btw: i also had the fuel filter fixed, spark plugs and distributor cap. the jeep has 146000 miles. other then the starting the car runs perfectly.
 
#5 ·
crankshaft position sensor. the cps goes, throws no codes, and makes it hard to start when warm. had this problem a while ago. swap the sensor (behind bell housing). it's easy to do if you have a friend with small hands.:)
 
#6 ·
i've got 96 with almost exact same miles...the cps sounds like it may be your culprit...hall effect sensors act up when hot as they get old. i understand from the forum this is the 4.0 weak link in electronics- the cps sensor on the bellhousing.
 
#8 ·
I was having the same issue. Fuel pump replaced twice...no luck. I had my mechanic put in a new CPS and it made no difference except for maybe a day and back to the same old. Worth trying another one?

Mike
meh. i'd say try the tps next. i actually replaced my tps when i swapped in the new cps. fixed the starting issue and improved my throttle response and idle. i just wasn't sure which sensor was bust so i killed 2 birds... sort of.
 
#9 ·
I agree that the TPS may be suspect. Clean your throttle body thoroughly as long as you're at it. And might as well clean the idle air control too for good measure.

If it starts and runs and doesn't kill or miss intermittently, the problem is probably not the crankshaft position sensor. Yes the crank sensor is a common failure on the XJ 4.0 but your symptoms are not what would normally be loss of the crankshaft position sensor input to the computer.

Also, if you have a fuel pressure gauge, it might be interesting to hook it up on the schrader valve on the fuel rail and get a reading.
 
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