I had the same issue a few weeks ago. Traced it to a Blown 10amp fuse behind the glove box.

Might check all the fuses there.

 

I was thinking along the same lines - a fuse issue.

Do charge up your battery though.

 

I'll double check fuses. Thanks. I took a look at my PCM to see how easy it would be to remove it in the event I exhaust all other possibilities. Turns out the driver's side screw has dropped out and the other two on the passenger side were loose. Probably not the issue, but I'll get another screw and mount it properly. Charging the battery first and going from there, but this probably isn't the issue, I imagine.

 

I went through a similar issue a while back, I blame it on a low battery charge. I charged the battery at low amps for a long time and the Jeep fired right up and ran perfectly. One other time it was the crank position sensor so you may wan to check into that if charging the battery doesn't work.
Just an FYI, my battery seemed to have lots of juice but in reality it was not fully charged.

 

If your ignition coil is the original 19 year old coil, replace it.

 

Bad cell in 5 year old battery. Got a new one. Picked up a new coil, too. Visible crack in the back side... Hopeful...

 

That is very likely your issue. Good luck!

 

The battery didn't change much. It only cranks stronger. The gauges are still pegged left.

Removed the coil. It has a good size crack. I really don't think a new coil is going to change much though. Waiting to install it after I find one of the nuts that dropped…

 

My 1st Post in JEEP Forums - Hope it helps ;o)

Aside from fuses sounds very much like a bad TPS/CKP Crankshaft Position Sensor as you can't get Codes as the PCM doesn't receive any signals and the Dash gauges and indicator lights go buggy. Could be a faulty Clock Spring that plays havoc with the TPS Sensor, dash lights and gauges plus all shorts of other things. Does your horn work and are you getting a faulty Air Bag indication. If so remove the horn fuse under the hood and the 2 Air Bag fuses behind the glove box? If it starts then it the Clock Spring. Then possibly the CPS sensor is fried or possibly the PCM.

Good Luck

 

Thanks for your input! Installing the coil now, and it's fun with little room behind the bracket where the nuts capture the bolts...

No luck....

 

Too bad. I was hopeful for you.

 

Checked all fuses - good. Swapped horn relay with ASD and fuel pump relay. No change. The fuel pump relay was pretty warm to touch. No Air Bag light. Quitting for now.

 

Glad I swapped it before it left me stranded.

 

Not nearly as bad as I was expecting...

I don't, however, have a problem recommending the replacement of these early model factory 4.0 coil packs if any of the typical problems arise.

 

I have seen a few (all '97s, I think) that won't start & the gauges are not coming up when the key is on. All have found the PCM as the cause. Most have lost the 5v output for the various sensors. A couple have opened up the PCM & found leaking capacitors.

Here are some links that may help test the PCM including the 5v outputs & a write up on fixing the caps.

http://www.wranglerforum.com/f210/no-start-97-2-5l-705906.html

Got it "fixed" at post 68 but troubleshooting throughout up to that post.


http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/1997-jeep-wrangler-sport-not-starting-2901058/

Figured it at posts 9-11 & has photos of the PCM with leaking caps.

 

That is a bad coil!

And I'm glad you chimed in about the PCM, Ruby. I see you have helped a ton of people troubleshoot electrical issues. In all my searching, somehow I missed that thread. I think I'll be sending my PCM off to the east coast of Florida. Is there anybody other than autocomputerexchange.com to consider? I'd like to make sure I get my PCM back.

 

I spoke directly to the rebuilder. He states my best option is to just buy a rebuilt computer from him and send my unit back. It will have a lifetime warranty. Any thoughts?

 

Mark you computer in a way you would know it's yours

 

There are plenty of reports of bad experiences with these "rebuilders" but I have no personal experience. Some claim these rebuilders only reflash the PCMs, don't really check & replace bad components. I know some have had the replacements installed & still had the same problem, like not starting or whatever. Maybe the PCM was not the real problem so if possible, depending on your abilities on these things, troubleshooting to be sure the PCM is bad is best.

If possible you should check for 12v power to the 2 inputs to the PCM & 5v output at the 2 outputs. If 12v in & no 5v out open the PCM & look at the caps as seen in one of the links. That will go a long way to knowing if the PCM is bad. If you don't get 5v you can add an external 5v source like the guy in one of the links did to be sure that is the problem. If it then starts & the gauges work then you do get a new PCM & it doesn't start you know the new one is bad.

If you get the replacement before sending yours in would be OK. Then if it still won't start you still have your old one. Hopefully you could get your $ back & not be out anything except time.

The worst thing about giving up your PCM & getting another one & it still won't start is maybe your PCM is not bad (some other issue is causing it not to start) but the "new" one is bad. You don't know what issues the "new" PCM was having & whether it was really fixed or the rebuilder missed something. Now you may have 2 different problems & a real mess. Then were do you go?

 

Man, I hear ya, but I'm admittedly really weak with auto electrical. I can hang on to my unit until the reman arrives. We'll see what happens.... I'll post up in a few days...

 

I bought my PCM from the dealership and had them install it, if something goes wrong with it then it's on them.

 

That's the phrase the guy I spoke to used. "It's on us." If something isn't right with it, I'll send it back. For the life of the Jeep.

I suppose in your case, though, you're protected against the situation where the new PCM doesn't resolve the issue.

 

You said it's been sitting for over two weeks and you're just throwing parts at it at this point. Bad idea, and a waste of money. First thing to do is check for evidence of rodents and start doing ohm readings on wires that are part of the circuits for the gauges that aren't reading. Anyone can throw parts at something, and it seems to be the normal thing for the majority of this forum (tisk tisk). A few tests with a multimeter on a couple different circuits would determine if your PCM (or anything else) is actually at fault, or you just have a wiring issue.
Lets say you do put a PCM in it, and you do have a wiring issue. How do you know the wiring issue isn't going to fry you're "newly rebuilt" PCM.
If you're incapable of reading a wiring diagram and actually figuring out what's going on before putting a new part on, then you have zero business putting any parts on it.

 

check the ground on the firewall and then the give the wiring harness behind the valve cover and firewall a good shake while someone watches if the gauges come to life. had the same thing happen to my 02 and mine was a wire had rubbed threw fixed it up and she was good to go but what a pain to find out what it was

 

You said it's been sitting for over two weeks and you're just throwing parts at it at this point. Bad idea, and a waste of money. First thing to do is check for evidence of rodents and start doing ohm readings on wires that are part of the circuits for the gauges that aren't reading. Anyone can throw parts at something, and it seems to be the normal thing for the majority of this forum (tisk tisk). A few tests with a multimeter on a couple different circuits would determine if your PCM (or anything else) is actually at fault, or you just have a wiring issue. Lets say you do put a PCM in it, and you do have a wiring issue. How do you know the wiring issue isn't going to fry you're "newly rebuilt" PCM. If you're incapable of reading a wiring diagram and actually figuring out what's going on before putting a new part on, then you have zero business putting any parts on it.

You're right!

But I have checked for evidence of rodents, and found none. I didn't expect to see any, though, as it has been parked in my garage.

We'll see what happens with a new PCM. Seems to fit the symptoms.

 

You're right! But I have checked for evidence of rodents, and found none. I didn't expect to see any, though, as it has been parked in my garage. We'll see what happens with a new PCM. Seems to fit the symptoms.

You should still check the harness. At least the circuits affected. If one of the circuits has a short to ground or power, you could end up ruining your new computer. It's good insurance...

 

Easy way to check for bad CKP and CMP sensors and maybe PCM. Use the crankshaft pulley and get a long breaker bar on it with the key in the on position. Rotate it slightly and you should hear the fuel pump kick on, relays start clicking. You can pull out either or and check for functionality of both sensors. Usually the Jeep only needs one to run. You could also attach a small lightbulb to one of the injectors while cranking too. either or.. If you don't hear any noises while rotation the engine, could be PCM but also could be the ignition switch not activating the PCM. That's how I quickly diagnosed my bad ignition lock cylinder.

It's a dead give away when you bypass the key and energize the starter via the relay under the hood and it cranks nice and strong but never catches. Just try that test and you should know to take the ingition lock cylinder apart under the dash apart and manually start it with a screw driver (if my above test fails). You don't even need the key to take apart the whole setup and start it. kinda scary, lol anyways