br1anstorm
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- United Kingdom
I have a 1993 XJ, 150,000 miles since new, and well-looked after but now showing its age. It usually starts first time and runs smoothly.
Today while driving along it suddenly "died". No hiccup or misfire, it just stopped. Then it wouldn't start. It cranks well, but won't fire.
I have done the basic checks (see below) but don't really have the expertise or equipment to run more detailed tests. Have looked through the forum and the most likely suspects seem to be the coil, or the CPS, or perhaps some connection that has just come apart. Any clues or advice would be helpful.
So far I have checked
- battery terminal connections: both are good and clean
- distributor cap: all six contacts inside seem clean, but I have sanded them to get rid of any crap
- plug leads/connections: all seem good
- fuses: all intact
- fuel supply: pump audibly comes on with ignition, and there's fuel at the Schrader valve in the rail
The battery is an Optima and seems to have plenty of power - it cranks the starter motor happily and repeatedly.
Suspecting that repeated attempts may have flooded it, I have tried the standard technique of trying to start it with throttle floored. No joy.
Two clues. I have tried to see if there is a spark from the centre-lead from coil to distributor cap by holding the end (with the help of a screwdriver-blade) close to an earth on the engine block, and getting someone to crank the starter. No spark, as far as I can see. Does that suggest the coil has failed?
The other possible clue is weird. When the ignition is switched on, the charging gauge (voltmeter) shows the state of the battery. Normally this is at or around the middle of the dial (12/13v). Now, with ignition on, the needle only just gets into the lower red zone (less than 9/10v?) and - predictably - it drops slightly when cranking. Yet the battery seems to have ample power to turn the starter motor (and even when cranking the interior light barely dims - as it would if the battery was weak).
I'm puzzled. I've left the Jeep at the roadside. But I'd like to try to get it going if I can, or at least identify the fault, rather than have to call out my garage to trailer it in for repair.
Any thoughts?
Today while driving along it suddenly "died". No hiccup or misfire, it just stopped. Then it wouldn't start. It cranks well, but won't fire.
I have done the basic checks (see below) but don't really have the expertise or equipment to run more detailed tests. Have looked through the forum and the most likely suspects seem to be the coil, or the CPS, or perhaps some connection that has just come apart. Any clues or advice would be helpful.
So far I have checked
- battery terminal connections: both are good and clean
- distributor cap: all six contacts inside seem clean, but I have sanded them to get rid of any crap
- plug leads/connections: all seem good
- fuses: all intact
- fuel supply: pump audibly comes on with ignition, and there's fuel at the Schrader valve in the rail
The battery is an Optima and seems to have plenty of power - it cranks the starter motor happily and repeatedly.
Suspecting that repeated attempts may have flooded it, I have tried the standard technique of trying to start it with throttle floored. No joy.
Two clues. I have tried to see if there is a spark from the centre-lead from coil to distributor cap by holding the end (with the help of a screwdriver-blade) close to an earth on the engine block, and getting someone to crank the starter. No spark, as far as I can see. Does that suggest the coil has failed?
The other possible clue is weird. When the ignition is switched on, the charging gauge (voltmeter) shows the state of the battery. Normally this is at or around the middle of the dial (12/13v). Now, with ignition on, the needle only just gets into the lower red zone (less than 9/10v?) and - predictably - it drops slightly when cranking. Yet the battery seems to have ample power to turn the starter motor (and even when cranking the interior light barely dims - as it would if the battery was weak).
I'm puzzled. I've left the Jeep at the roadside. But I'd like to try to get it going if I can, or at least identify the fault, rather than have to call out my garage to trailer it in for repair.
Any thoughts?