jeep problems.....HELP!

[mx_chick_42]

Ok so i had to let my sister borrow my everyday driver since she had a wreck in the bad storm 2 wks ago. So i have been driving my off roader daily. She is 1990 Jepp Cherokee Pioner. It had a weak battery and the other day it was completely dead. I got to work adn after baught a new battery and headed home. Half way home the jeep just died in the middle of the road. It would start and then immediatly die. We got it home and lastnight we changed the fual pump. But still same thing. It will start and then after a second it dies....... I am so frustated..... Any ideas on what else it could be????? when i was on advanced auto and oriely's website i thaught i saw a sending unit for fuel but that will be another $100, so i come to you all for any advice............

 

[jeremy]

Have the Alternator tested for its outputs...

 

[1$Chuck]

I agree with Jeremy, sounds like alternator. Another outside possibility is the ignition switch.

That fuel sending unit your talking about is most likely the sending unit in the tank for your fuel gauge and has nothing to do with supplying fuel to the engine.

 

[Mr. Habib]

^^^This^^^ If the alternator is bad it won't recharge the battery. This is probably why your original battery was weak.

 

[mx_chick_42]

the origianl battery was an old one that we just through in, it was not a good one from the start. Wouldnt it run until the battery dies if it was the alternator? i thaught the car runs off the battery if the alternator dies........teh fuel sending assembly is the device teh fuel pump hooks into with all the hook ups.

 

[Mr. Habib]

It will run off the battery if the alternator is dead. I have run cars that way in the past until I could replace one. My guess is that if you charge the battery it will run for a while and then die again. I have seen cars do exactly that. Won't start, dead battery, jump start them and they will run fine for a few minutes until the battery dies again. The fuel sending unit is usually part of the fuel pump assembly in the tank and is what drives your fuel gauge.

 

[rhinoabe]

I have owned Jeeps for over twenty-five years. When i run into a problem i cant find with one of my Jeeps i post a msg. on one of the yahoo groups. They have always pulled through.

 

[Woo]

J-just
E-empty
E-every
P-pocket


It sounds like a fuel issue since it will start but die immediately. But I am not a mechanic. I tinker with my jeep but I should not be allowed to give advice. BUT since this is the internet, I will anyway.

I agree do a google search or check around on some jeep forums.

 

[jeremy]

IF the Alternator is Good...
The next thing I would look at would be the Fuel Filters...

 

[eldirector]

A few questions:
- What is the battery voltage?
- What is the alternator voltage?
- I assume you have fuel pressure right up until it dies? (You can see the spray from the injectors)

I'd also check the MAP sensor. My fuel-injected CJ (aftermarket kit) did the same when the vacuum line to the MAP sensor came loose. They can also just go bad.

A few Google hits to try:
99 WJ starts/ runs for few seconds then dies??? - JeepForum.com

1990 XJ Starts, Stalls after ~2 seconds - Jeep Cherokee Forum

 

[6birds]

There's a banana in your tailpipe.

 

[public servant]

There's a banana in your tailpipe.

Hey, hey, hey!!! This is a family oriented site, Mister!




But (no pun intended) my money is on the alternator.

 

[mx_chick_42]

ok i dont get why you guys keep saying the alternator......It starts everytime then dies. If it was the alternator it would run till the battery was dead. It wouldnt start then die over and over again. I think we have narrowed it down to the ballast
resistor. I had never heard of that before and was about to start swapping sensors starting with the MAP, but we tried skipping the ballast resistor and it started and didnt die, woo hoo. Now the problem is trying to find someone that sells them. Orielly's doesnt even have it listed and Advanced Auto said they cant order it (i guess dealership only) hopefully its just a cheap part not to pricey from the dealer (scared of that lol)

[/IMG]

 

[22rssix]

Junk yard? That type of part cant be year specific, maybe a range of years, but might be a lot ceaper if you have a pull-a-parts type of place near by .

 

[eldirector]

Cool! Glad you are on to a fix. Pull the old one and take it to NAPA. They had one for a 1974 Jeep CJ, so surely they can track one down for your XJ.

 

[S8MS-01904]

There's gotta be many of those on febay!

 

[Clay]

bad ballast resistor is a common "mopar" related problem. They have used them for YEARs, back into the 50s and 60s.

Most common symptom is when you start the car, then release the key, the car dies.

When you start a mopar with a ballast resistor, the resistor is not in the starting circuit, so you are sending full voltage to the ignition coil to help the car start. Once the key goes to the run position, your supplying voltage through the ballast resistor, and the car will die very soon after.

they are cheap. I remember buying them for less than a $1 each a few years back. I would try that first.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Yeah, those are troublesome and difficult to diagnose, friggin porcelain. Glad you found the problem. You can get them cheap at VANS on kentucky ave. if you are close to indy. They have EVERYTHING electrical.

 

[emst52]

just go to autozone or were ever and have them look in the wells picture catalog and and you should get one no problem

 

[emst52]

found a possible oe number may have it cross referenced 33000682 hope it helps