My wife and I have owned this Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, straight 6, 4x4, since it had 95k on it. It was a single owner vehicle and well maintained.We've maintained it perfectly and always ensure that it is in for its fluid changes early. Nearly 6 years later, it now has approximately 144k on it.
About a year and a half ago it began cutting out now and then. It would just die. However, you could restart it without fail.
Then it began to die while coming to a stop. Then it began to die at idle. Then it began to die while driving on the freeway and highway at much higher speeds.That's the progression. All without providing a check engine light.
We've read numerous threads on various forums, watched the You Tube vid's, and the like and have notated and applied the information we found there. I recall reading a few posts made on a few forums where the members stated that they had spent every dime they had over a 6 month period trying to fix it, now they are broke and without transportation because it won't start, they can't afford to fix it, the mechanic is clueless, and we thought, ... well, (cough, cough), we won't be one of those guys. Ha!
We have replaced all of the typical causes for such behavior and a few other things, to no avail.
Here's a list of what we have replaced and done thus far:
Diagnostics (Several Times)
Compression & Leakage Test (three times): Passed with perfect mesurement.
Spark Plugs
Wires
Distributor (Twice)
Cap & Rotor
Pick Up Coil
Ignition Coil
Power Steering Pump (unrelated issue - it broke)
Brakes (unrelated issue)
O2 sensors (front and back)
Timing Sensor (on the block)
Crank Shaft Position Sensor (Twice)
Fuel Pump (complete assembly with the filter included)
Two Hoses top-side of the engine block
PVC valves on top of the engine
MAP/MAFS Sensor
Throttle Position Sensor
Idle Control Module
Cleaned the Throttle Body
Inspected all hoses for leaks numerous times
Coolant Temperature Sensor
Battery
Battery Cables
Checked all connections numerous times
Checked for the correct readings on all sensors
Conducted Ground Test on Circuitry
Inspected PCM Harness
Inspected PCM Harness Screws
Replaced PCM Harness Screws
Ensured that they were approx. 1/4 distance out
PCM
BCM
Now, most of that, our mechanic has done. Never-the-less, here we are. And still with
NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
He's said that he's thoroughly checked the harness to the PCM and verified everything is
properly grounded. He doesn't believe that it has anything to do with the connections or the wiring.
He also said that he thought that the whole idea of changing the screws holding the PCM in place was preposterous (so did the dealership), since the PCM is grounded anyways and that if it wasn't grounded there would be more serious problems then stalling. Dealership concurred. So the voo doo solution of modifying the screws as referenced in some other forums and circulating around the web, appears to be either shear non-sense or simply not applicable. Plus, there isn't any play where the wire harness connector plugs into the PCM. Its tight.
We've spent all of our savings and current cash flow on this vehicle at this point. Its been down for over a week (actually about three after all of the in and outs with the shop). We haven't even paid our bills at this point. I'm self employed and when I'm not driving my Jeep, I'm not making money. This is a critical moment in my life as I don't have enough money to purchase another vehicle right now.
Chrysler took a look at it once and said that they couldn't identify a problem. Diagnostics reflected everything as fine. I haven't taken it back as that was a fruitless effort and pricy.
My wife ran into a Chrysler Technician of thirty years the other day and he said that we ought to check the valve springs. However, that didn't seem right to me because it would seem like you would hear it rattle. When I forwarded that information to our mechanic, he assured me that if it were the valve springs, that it would definitely be a noticeable noise. There is no such noise.
Sometimes it just dies, sometimes it'll sound like its choking a bit while it dies or while it comes close to dying. Sometimes it dies at idle, sometimes while driving slow, sometimes at high rates of speed, sometimes while stopping.There does not appear to be any consistency with it. Sometimes it runs real rough and seems to lose power when taking off from a stopped position.
It does not make any unusual sounds or smells. When it originally began, it was just hard to start a couple of times and then for the first few months, seemed to only want to die when coming to a stop. Now it can be hard or very hard to start, and it will die unexpectedly with no check engine light or other signs of problems.
There is one exception to the engine light. On two occasions while
driving at 50+ mph and climbing in elevation (long hills like going into the foothills of the mountains), it would choke and run rough for a bit, and then give a check engine light. However, it never died.
When I connected the OBD 2 scanner to it, it read: CYLINDER 2 MISFIRE DETECTED.
Though, the plugs were clean when I checked them. So were the valves. Though, I replaced them again. I did another compression and leakage test, and it passed. To make sure I wasn't missing something, I took it back to the mechanic and had them do a compression and leakage test on it. Afterwards, he said it passed perfectly.
So, my question to anybody who is a mechanic, anybody that does or has worked for Chrysler, anybody who has ever owned a Jeep and experienced a similar issue....
Do you have any idea what the cause could be and the best way, at this point, to resolve the issue and/or where to go from here?
Is it likely to be the Catalytic Converter?
ADDITIONALLY:
MECHANIC:
JUST TODAY - Replaced the crankshaft position sensor .... again. No avail. Same thing. Runs for awhile and then dies. Everything is as it should be according to the diagnostics and computer readings.
I've talked to a few shops and they are all clueless. Mechanic
also advised that he's talked to other mechanics he knows, a couple of
specialists, a former Chrysler Technician, and some other shop owners in
California that he knows, and they are all clueless at this point.
He said that he thought whatever it is that's causing the problem is most
likely something small because it doesn't have any issues with the
engine and most all other parts have been replaced now. ~ Doesn't make
me feel better.
He recommended that I bring it back to the dealership for further review. I'm stuck and can't afford to go to the dealership.
I'm wondering if it could possibly be the Catalytic Converter. However, when I've mentioned that to the mechanic, other mechanics, and others before, everybody said no. There's no odd smell or rotten egg type odor. But, it makes me wonder.
P.S. If you're in Seattle, please feel free to e-mail me for correspondence or to meet up.
Anderson9700@yahoo.com
Thanks everybody!
>
1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee LMTD 4.0 Stalling-Dying-No Check Engine Codes- Please Help!
