Engine cuts out at speed

Chipper · 07-24-2003, 11:24 AM

My 89 4.2L started cutting out while running. It just dies...no sputtering or warning. Sometimes it kicks back in all by itself and sometimes I have to pull over and re-start it...(bigtime backfire when it kicks in by itself!!!)

I did the Nutter bypass a while back and it was running fine for months after that.
I put changed the Distributor car and rotor and it still does it.
Could it be the coil ??

Any help would be much appreciated.

lostboy · 07-24-2003, 04:17 PM

Mine did the same thing. It turned out to be the ECU.

johny1i · 07-24-2003, 06:04 PM

I've had a recent problem just like that--about 4 times over the past month, it would just instantly die at around 45 mph--no sputtering or anything, even though it was just idling perfectly and cranks right back up, even while I'm still coasting. I don't know if the problem is solved, but I put a new ignition module on it last weekend and haven't had a single problem in 5 days now (knock on wood). I figured 150k on the original module was enough. Aggravating thing is that the module on the CJ is $17 from Advance, whereas the one for the YJ (the problem one) was $55 (both for the exact same engine and look identical). But, it has a lifetime warranty, so I'll yank it again if it gives me trouble.

I've been talking to Bob K on here about it because he had some similar problems, but his turned out to be the ignition switch. I'd like someone who knows to let us know if a failing coil is an "all or nothing" kind of thing because if mine does it again, I'm going to have to turn to the coil, the pickup in the distributor, or possibly the ignition switch.

**NaeKid** · 07-24-2003, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chipper
My 89 4.2L started cutting out while running. It just dies...no sputtering or warning. Sometimes it kicks back in all by itself and sometimes I have to pull over and re-start it...(bigtime backfire when it kicks in by itself!!!)

I did the Nutter bypass a while back and it was running fine for months after that.
I put changed the Distributor car and rotor and it still does it.
Could it be the coil ??

Any help would be much appreciated.

I had a problem similar to that. Turned out that the plug-wires/plugs were bad - put a set of 8mm SuperStock wires on. Fixed that problem! Then, a couple months later, I blew the engine

**ErikJordan** · 07-24-2003, 11:44 PM

i had a similar problem as well.. turned out to be a hair line crack in the distributer cap.

07-24-2003, 04:17 PM	#2
lostboy Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: NY Posts: 533 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Mine did the same thing. It turned out to be the ECU. __________________ 89 yj w/ mopar mpi and 4.0 head.94 ax-15 tranny and t-case, more mods comin.

07-24-2003, 06:04 PM	#3
johny1i Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Crestview, Florida Posts: 771 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	I've had a recent problem just like that--about 4 times over the past month, it would just instantly die at around 45 mph--no sputtering or anything, even though it was just idling perfectly and cranks right back up, even while I'm still coasting. I don't know if the problem is solved, but I put a new ignition module on it last weekend and haven't had a single problem in 5 days now (knock on wood). I figured 150k on the original module was enough. Aggravating thing is that the module on the CJ is $17 from Advance, whereas the one for the YJ (the problem one) was $55 (both for the exact same engine and look identical). But, it has a lifetime warranty, so I'll yank it again if it gives me trouble. I've been talking to Bob K on here about it because he had some similar problems, but his turned out to be the ignition switch. I'd like someone who knows to let us know if a failing coil is an "all or nothing" kind of thing because if mine does it again, I'm going to have to turn to the coil, the pickup in the distributor, or possibly the ignition switch. __________________ '85 CJ-7, '90 Sahara, '01 Sahara.....a proud Jeep owner since '97