96 ZJ 4.0 just "dies"

DemonDave

Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Location
Kinston, NC
Okay, I'm picking up a '96 ZJ with the 4.0. The current owner says it has died a couple of times on her, just shuts down, all of the electronics stay on. Haven't picked it up yet, so that's all I have at the moment. Anybody know of any common issues as a place to start with this thing? Cam or crank sensor, fuel pump, any ideas? Should have it here in a few days and will be able to obtain more info, but I;m shooting in the dark since the Jeep dealer up in G-vegas had it for a few days and wasn't able to find the problem.
 
I doubt its the cam or crank sensor.. it wouldn't start at all if they were bad. The fuel pump may be cutting out.
 
my xj w/ 4.0 did this on the trails....it would be fine and running then i'd hit something like a rock on the bumper and it'd would die and not crank. It would take about 1/2 of it cooling down to start back up. I had spark and fuel, but not turn over. Turned out to be the crank postions sensor. Mine was located on the back of my engine doing down the tunnel on the firewall. Seems like it was near the manifold and the heat over time probably made it crap out. Took 15mins to change out and never had a problem after that. If i remember it was fairly cheap to replace like 30-50bucks at advance. Hope this helps
 
Thanks guys, I've seen the crank sensor issue once, but wasn't sure if it was a common problem or not. I'll check that out and go from there.
 
i see you wisened up and got a jeep,now if you can keep it running:flipoff2:
 
Couldn't pass it up for a budget rig. $500 for a '96 GC Laredo. Now if I can just scare up a lift and a set of cutout flares I'll squeeze a set of 35's on it.
 
Cool, I'm hoping to be able to pick it up tomorrow and start getting it ran down. So far the first thing that comes to everyones mind here and elswhere (including mine) is fuel pump and crank sensor so I'd be willing to bet It'll be one or the other.
 
It may be that the magnet itself isn't reading correctly from the flexplate on the CPS, but if the sensor itself is good, then I would look to your fuel pump. Just remember to get the right shaped sensor. There are two different sensor shapes, and they both have different reading depths.
 
Okay, have a case of the p.o. not knowing thier truck. The ZJ is a 5.2, I'm unaware of common issues in the V-8 Grands, should have it here Sun. night. Am i pretty much looking to the same common problems or ????
 
Okay, have a case of the p.o. not knowing thier truck. The ZJ is a 5.2, I'm unaware of common issues in the V-8 Grands, should have it here Sun. night. Am i pretty much looking to the same common problems or ????


damn you lucked out on that 500.00 and its a v-8,i'll give you six right now:bounce2:
 
nah, I think I'll keep this one, and I think the tires will be a little larger than 35's now. Just got to get axles that'll hold up under it.
 
With the v-8 you probably just narrowed it to the fuel pump. If it were me I would put the fuel pump in first then go from there. Being you stole the thing for $500 the small cost of a fuel pump and crank sensor wouldn't hurt you a bit.
 
Not at all, that's why we couldn't pass it up. Bringing this one home was my wifes idea, and so far I've been told that it needs at least 37's
 
why replace the fuel pump before bench testing it? troubleshooting and locating the problem is a hell of a lot cheaper than listening to what a bunch of people that don't own the vehicle say. . . got my money on the cps
 
You're misunderstanding the hell out of me, I never said I was just going to throw parts at it, just looking for the common issues. I am a tech/fabricator not a part tosser. I will indeed be checking the parts out before just replacing them. If i can find no issues wiht either, no more than they cost I may just put them on to satify myself, but ONLY if I can find no other possible causes.
 
didn't mean to insinuate that you were a parts changer. Just funny that so many people are willing to throw any possibility out there, with a total lack of systematic troubleshoot. You're a vendor out of Kinston?
 
No real offense taken there, just clarifying. Yes, we're a fairly new shop located right beside the neuse river bridge on Hwy 70.
 
I'll remember to stop by next time I'm up there, my wife works at Lenoir Hospital so I'm there fairly often
 
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