Car Talk

[Bbqjoe]

If any of you ever listened to Click and Clack on PBS radio, you know that these guys can be pretty funny.
If one hadn't passed on, I'm sure they'd still be doing the show.
I would totally call them with this one, because it sounds like something right out of their show.

You can be click, or you can be clack, it doesn't matter. The object is to solve this puzzle. (no, I don't know the answer)
The winner will receive a fictitious, yet delicious chicken dinner, and a complimentary grocery sack of our finest post holes.


This is a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Almost everything has been upgraded or rebuilt on this by the previous owner, whom I'm unable to communicate with.

Occasionally, the car will be driving along and the engine just turns off.
The idiotlights and gauges reveal nothing. Turn the key off, turn it on, and it starts right up.
There's no choking, gagging, nothing. No warning of any kind.
The car can be going slow, or can be at highway speeds, it doesn't seem to matter. Smooth road, bumpy as hele road same thing.

The key has been jiggled in the lock with no nothing. The battery connections are good. The wires and terminals at the computer box are fine as well.
The shifter on the console has been jiggled back and forth. Nothing will replicate the engine shutting off.

Here's the real Cartalk clincher:

It only happens when she drives it.

 

[chancer]

Disconnect the low oil sensor. It happens to all kar engines with these small motors on them.

 

[Bbqjoe]

Disconnect the low oil sensor. It happens to all kar engines with these small motors on them.

Thx

 

[ML-TOYS]

Wow, my jeep would shut off at 10, 20,30,50 mph then start up all by itself.
Crankshaft positioning sensor on top of the bellhousing.

 

[Bbqjoe]

Wow, my jeep would shut off at 10, 20,30,50 mph then start up all by itself.
Crankshaft positioning sensor on top of the bellhousing.

What the what?
How does that affect anything?
And why would it only happen to the wife?

 

[chancer]

Cut the yellow wire. Coming out of the block. to disable the switch.

[edit]
As for the 2nd question:
All women lie.

 

[ML-TOYS]

Easy

What the what?
How does that affect anything?

Well because it does, research it

And why would it only happen to the wife?

She dont let you drive it

 

[Bbqjoe]

Oh boy!
We're riding the helpful train tonight!

Chooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Choooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Did it like 6 times today. At least she's home now.

 

[Flyinhillbilly]

What engine?

 

[Bbqjoe]

What engine?

6 banger.

 

[Kartorbust]

Everything I'm seeing from forums suggest crank position sensor. However in the experience I had with a 2003 Mountaineer it was the idle air control valve that went bad, but that also had a low idle issue.

Yeah its a bummer Tommy died from complications of Alzheimer's. Ray still does their piece in the newspaper fortunately.

 

[chancer]

Seriously. I had a 99 Toyota. After changing a bunch of parts. We decided it was the Main Computer. $1600.00 bucks. We bought a new truck.

 

[FreeRunner15]

Too many accessories on the key chain.

It isn't off, just auxillary mode.

Did I win?

 

[chancer]

Too many accessories on the key chain.

It isn't off, just auxillary mode.

Did I win?

Somebody's been listening PBS

 

[FreeRunner15]

Somebody's been listening PBS

Nope, just remembered a recall I had some years back on the Grand Am GT 's they had that problem. The first major issue happened to a female which caused a national recall.

Edit: Strange how I can't find the in depth story on google anymore. But they just end up replacing the ignition switch so it was harder to rotate.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

I own a wj also.
Do you know how to pull codes from the computer? Did it throw a check engine light?

Turn the key on/off on/off on. Watch odometer for p-code.

It sounds like a cam or crank sensor. Cam is easily reached on top of the engine. The crank is a mother to get to on those I6s. I've done it.

 

[ML-TOYS]

I own a wj also.
Do you know how to pull codes from the computer? Did it throw a check engine light?

Turn the key on/off on/off on. Watch odometer for p-code.

It sounds like a cam or crank sensor. Cam is easily reached on top of the engine. The crank is a mother to get to on those I6s. I've done it.

I had an 02 grand cherokee. The cam positioning is easy to do just the top plastic piece. The main shaft which is where the distributor USED to be originally must be positioned perfect to run right.
When that is removed and replaced you need to have the fuel injectors resynced.
The crank sensor just gets removed and replaced.

 

[Bbqjoe]

These are all things I will check out. The keychain thing is out (sorry freerunner) there's only the one key with the fob on the small ring. We already thought of that.

But the main question is, why does it only happen when she's driving?
I think it maybe happened to me once, but it happens to her quite often.
Also, these are not chipped keys, so it's not that either.

Does the code need to be checked right after it happens, or can it be read anytime?

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Any time. It's an onboard OBD. it will show stored and new codes. But if it hasn't thrown a light it might not register. It will say "d0ne" when it finished the code cycle.

Crank sensors are funny like that. Work intermittently. Progressively getting worse.

And FYI aftermarket sensors are usually rejected by the computer, they like the OEM replacements. I tried 2 vatozone sensors and they both didn't work right, went to the dealer and coughed up the cash and no problems since.

And I've never heard about having to re sync the injectors on this engine.......

---------- Post added at 09:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 AM ----------

If you have dual zone air I can show you another neat trick.

 

[Bbqjoe]

Will the codes clear after being read, or can they be read again?