Where can I find the right Crankshaft Positioning Sensor

[cruiser54]

there was a TSB years ago that was to fix the wires when they melted on the exhaust, can't remember the info on it

That was the CPS bypass but it still used the 3 wire connector like the original.

 

[One_Sick_XJ]

Thanks for all of your replies guys. I am stumped as well, which is why I decided to post this issue up and see if there are any simple answers. Unfortunately it looks like there aren't lol. I would prefer to just keep it the 2 pole prong setup so that I'm not cutting and splicing a whole bunch. I don't own a soldering gun and unfortunately I am going to be tapped for cash after purchasing this sensor. I may have to wait on this for a little so that I can get a soldering gun to do this the right way.

kastein, I know that you mentioned about a pin removal tool in order to do this. Where can I get that tool and how much does it cost? This seems to be the best idea so far!

 

[cruiser54]

Why don't you open up the loom that the harness goes into? For all you know, someone spliced the harness up in there and it may be a crappy connection causing your problem.

 

[One_Sick_XJ]

Good suggestion, I'll open up the loom and take a look at the connection and report back what I find.

 

[One_Sick_XJ]

Okay... so I opened up the loom and found that the sensor was NOT spliced in anywhere in the loom in the engine bay. so I am starting to like kastein's idea even more with using a pin removal tool and swapping the connectors.

 

[kastein]

not sure where to buy one, I'll see if I can find out.

EDIT: http://www.amazon.com/Delphi-Packard-Weatherpack-Terminal-Release/dp/B000IIY56E

$2.10! I think that probably fits in the budget...

Just make sure you install the pins in the correct locations on the 3 hole socket (can get one at the junkyard, probably for free, or at an auto parts store as a pigtail) so you get the polarity right. Shouldn't be difficult.

 

[outlander]

I agree. I just got done bypassing the C101 connector so the CPS wires no longer run through it. You have the correct color codes on the harness side, but in a 2 position connector. Weird.

If you're gonna be cutting and splicing, solder only with shrink tube BTW, now would be a great time to bypass the troublesome C101 firewall connector. Factory had a bulletin on doing it, but it's much more difficult than doing it the way I did.

Im interested in bypassing the c101 connector on my 89.Do you have a link to a write up by chance???
Hijack over...

 

[cruiser54]

Im interested in bypassing the c101 connector on my 89.Do you have a link to a write up by chance???
Hijack over...

No link that I know of. I just did it.

Open up the split loom where the CPS harness enters near the fuel injectors and trace the wires to the C101. I believe they're a purply pink wire and a white with black stripe. Be careful. the colors may have faded away.
Clip the wires from the front side of the C101, leaving a stub of wire sticking out of the C101.

Find the color coded wires where they exit out the back of the C101 by removing some split loom. You can verify you have the correct wires by using an ohmeter connected to the stub you left on the front and probing the wires at the rear of the C101.

Snip them off and remove them from the loom back to an area about even with the intake manifold. Shorten up the wires but leave enough slack for engine movement. Solder the wires to each other and use shrink tubing to finish the job.

 

[5-90]

I checked out Autozone's website again and entered a 1995 XJ since the write up to my link above involved a 1995 XJ that had the same plug as I have and I came up with this: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...ng=search&itemIdentifier=136550_124093_0_1277. Do you think I should get this and try it out since it seems to be what I have?

NO.

Check under the IP down by your right knee, you should see a flat aluminum box there with "RENIX" moulded into the cover. This is your ECU.

Check under the hood and make sure that a largish black plastic box with a large connector (60-wire or something close to it) did not appear under there - that's the ChryCo/HO (1991-up) ECU.

Another giveaway is that the ignition coil is not mounted on the engine, and that it is directly mounted to the ICM (largish finned aluminum dingus with two three-pole and one two-pole Weatherpack connectors - one three-pole and the two-pole are used.)

If these are true, you still have the RENIX setup, and the HO CKP will not RPT NOT work for you.

I'm going to stick to someone modified your wiring. Either modify it back (easiest, since you'll not have this problem next time,) or change the plug on the replacement CKP (and leave yourself a note how you did it so you know for next time.)

 

[87manche]

No link that I know of. I just did it.

Open up the split loom where the CPS harness enters near the fuel injectors and trace the wires to the C101. I believe they're a purply pink wire and a white with black stripe. Be careful. the colors may have faded away.
Clip the wires from the front side of the C101, leaving a stub of wire sticking out of the C101.

Find the color coded wires where they exit out the back of the C101 by removing some split loom. You can verify you have the correct wires by using an ohmeter connected to the stub you left on the front and probing the wires at the rear of the C101.

Snip them off and remove them from the loom back to an area about even with the intake manifold. Shorten up the wires but leave enough slack for engine movement. Solder the wires to each other and use shrink tubing to finish the job.

that sounds like the right colored wires.

 

[One_Sick_XJ]

Okay, sorry for not updating sooner guys, I caught a flu or cold and had to sit out most of last week. I checked my XJ for the things that you mentioned to look for 5-90, and I concluded that the engine IS a RENIX engine.

I plan on making a Pick A Part run in the next week or so and I am going to acquire a 3 pole 2 wire connector from another XJ RENIX engine and solder and heat wire wrap the correct connector into the main pigtail harness so that I don't run into this problem again down the road.

Here is my next question: Ever since I unplugged the connector and plugged it back together, my XJ has been starting just fine. Should I replace the sensor now or wait until it starts acting up again?

My guess answer to that question is you guys are going to say that if I have the money, I should just get it out of the way before it becomes a larger problem and leaves me stranded possibly while out camping and wheeling. Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

[joe_peters]

Okay, sorry for not updating sooner guys, I caught a flu or cold and had to sit out most of last week. I checked my XJ for the things that you mentioned to look for 5-90, and I concluded that the engine IS a RENIX engine.

I plan on making a Pick A Part run in the next week or so and I am going to acquire a 3 pole 2 wire connector from another XJ RENIX engine and solder and heat wire wrap the correct connector into the main pigtail harness so that I don't run into this problem again down the road.

Here is my next question: Ever since I unplugged the connector and plugged it back together, my XJ has been starting just fine. Should I replace the sensor now or wait until it starts acting up again?

My guess answer to that question is you guys are going to say that if I have the money, I should just get it out of the way before it becomes a larger problem and leaves me stranded possibly while out camping and wheeling. Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

First, I would purchase a new high-quality crank sensor. Second, I would decide if I want to replace that while laying in a mud hole or snow bank. Your choice then is keeping the new one in reserve for the inevitable loss of the old one--they all die sooner or later--or installing the new one and keeping the old one for a "last ditch" get-me-back-home-or-at-least-close-to-civilization backup.

Me, I'm really into comfort these days.

 

[kastein]

First, I would purchase a new high-quality crank sensor. Second, I would decide if I want to replace that while laying in a mud hole or snow bank. Your choice then is keeping the new one in reserve for the inevitable loss of the old one--they all die sooner or later--or installing the new one and keeping the old one for a "last ditch" get-me-back-home-or-at-least-close-to-civilization backup.

Me, I'm really into comfort these days.

X2.

I am 99% sure that your current sensor is fine and there was just some junk in the connector (disassemble it again, spray it out with electrical contact cleaner, fill with dielectric grease, reassemble) but I always prefer reliability. The first time I had a failure that I suspected was the CPS, I swapped my spare in. It didn't solve the problem (bad short in the wiring to the downstream O2 sensor heater which blew the fuse for most of the engine management system) but once I fixed the problem, the jeep ran, so now I know that my old sensor was still good and it is in my glovebox as a known working spare.

A CPS swap only takes 10 minutes with a little practice and the right method, so I don't have to worry about it now. If you think you might have to swap it on the trail / in the mud / in a snowstorm, buy a 9x12 roll of 6mil painters plastic at home depot for ten bucks and toss it under the passenger seat. I repaired my transmission cooler lines lying in 4 inches of mud and trickling water a few weeks ago using my painters plastic and it was almost comfortable...

 

[casm]

Me, I'm really into comfort these days.

:thumbup:

Something I do when replacing something that's realtively easily-swappable: toss the old part in the box that the new one came in. Write the date and what the part is on the box, then toss that in the XJ.

A few weeks later, when the new part has been performing flawlessly and I've just run across the box for the old part that I forgot I left in the Jeep, I make the decision to either a) shelve the old part as a trail / need-it-to-get-to-the-parts-store spare, or b) throw it out.

Doing it this way has left me not stranded on more than one occasion when the new part actually failed whereas the old one was only failing.