My TJ hates me

[jdsouther]

Damn, I’m starting to hate your TJ…..

Me too haha. Im impressed with OP knowledge and what all he has done so far to fix his problem. Kinda depresses me tho cause if this happened to me I know Id have to pay someone to do all this diognostic and to track down the issue as Im totally ignorant when it's comes to this sort of stuff. I'd have done spit and cussed, threw a wrench or done had a stroke over such

 

[Mhass]

Holy crap!
Yeah, I would be frustrated. You've covered everything and then some.
I think you need to run down to the catholic church and drop a bottle of fine Irish whiskey and hundred on the priest, and see if he'll come over and do an exorcism.

 

[Ccturley]

Me too haha. Im impressed with OP knowledge and what all he has done so far to fix his problem. Kinda depresses me tho cause if this happened to me I know Id have to pay someone to do all this diognostic and to track down the issue as Im totally ignorant when it's comes to this sort of stuff. I'd have done spit and cussed, threw a wrench or done had a stroke over such

Thanks, 25+ years wrenching as a Master Tech has taught me a lot. First thing it taught me was to not get mad lol but if I were being honest... this little snafu has all but got me seeing red.

Good parts, Bad parts Good wires, bad wires... Literally have been running in diagnostic circles for 10 days now.
So don't feel bad even with all the years of hands on diagnostics I have, My.Ass.Is.Kicked. Even now Im not 100% sure Ive actually found the problem lol

 

[Ccturley]

Holy crap!
Yeah, I would be frustrated. You've covered everything and then some.
I think you need to run down to the catholic church and drop a bottle of fine Irish whiskey and hundred on the priest, and see if he'll come over and do an exorcism.

If I were a prayin man....At this point the whisky's for me lol

 

[macleanflood]

I'm no master tech...but I've been wrenching on cars since before I could drive. I also fix computers and networks for a living...so I generally know how to troubleshoot.

It's really frustrating how bad new parts are getting. I'm often replacing the same part over and over again...three FelPro rear mains until I used a Mopar and it sealed. Two auto part store thermostats until I bought a Flowkooler Robert Shaw.

My 2001 F250 was having issues a couple of years ago...threw a fuel pressure regulator at it, but ended up needing new coils. Fast forward to last week and it started surging and getting too rich codes...checked at the vacuum line is wet, so that brand new regulator is bad and leaking into the intake.

Just Dex It, Dex Js, Dex's Jeeps...he changed his YouTube channel name a couple of times...has some great videos on figuring out some puzzling 4.0 mysteries. My favorite was one with a rough idle and he finally figured out it was a cheap Mexican cam with a really bad grind.

-Mac

 

[Ccturley]

I'm no master tech...but I've been wrenching on cars since before I could drive. I also fix computers and networks for a living...so I generally know how to troubleshoot.

I've know a lot of great mechanics in my career that Ive leaned on from time to time that didn't hold any certifications, I just wear the patch out of a sense of pride. The old guard, unfortunately, are falling to the way side due to the increased computer/AI integration into every system on a car. 2015 was the last year I wrenched for a living, and it was was starting to get stupid complicated then. Glad I'm not messing with it now.

It's really frustrating how bad new parts are getting. I'm often replacing the same part over and over again...

It makes confirming your diagnostics very difficult. Every brand has their issues, unfortunately even factory OEM is getting to the point of less then stellar quality control.

My 2001 F250 was having issues a couple of years ago...threw a fuel pressure regulator at it, but ended up needing new coils. Fast forward to last week and it started surging and getting too rich codes...checked at the vacuum line is wet, so that brand new regulator is bad and leaking into the intake.

I own a 2006 F-250 5.4l 3V... say no more lol

Just Dex It, Dex Js, Dex's Jeeps...he changed his YouTube channel name a couple of times...has some great videos on figuring out some puzzling 4.0 mysteries. My favorite was one with a rough idle and he finally figured out it was a cheap Mexican cam with a really bad grind.

Thanks for the tip.

-Mac

On a serious note, thanks for the help. I wouldn't have ever thought to check the clock spring, even though it wasn't the issue here... I never would have put those systems together as potential chicken and egg scenarios. Sometimes people think in a different way than you do and it can be an absolute benefit.

 

[Mhass]

Sometimes people think in a different way than you do and it can be an absolute benefit.

This, right here! I've seen it a thousand times troubleshooting radars, launchers and comms system.
The old salt that "knows everything" is stumped and some kid fresh out of boot-camp looks at a print and sticks his finger on the problem.
Then there's the unexplainables- swapped drive servo units on two radars looking for "known good". I stead, the problem disappeared entirely if we left the units swapped. Came back as soon as we swapped em back. Supposedly identical units. We ended up leaving them swapped and never had another problem with either of them.

 

[Ccturley]

Update:

Still looking for the root cause...

 

[AdventurePig]

Update:

Still looking for the root cause...

BROOOOO....that's crazy. I'd clear my schedule, bring over some beers and my toolkit if i we're closer.

 

[Ccturley]

BROOOOO....that's crazy. I'd clear my schedule, bring over some beers and my toolkit if i we're closer.

It's the thought that counts. And its appreciated.

 

[macleanflood]

What's your current theory?

-Mac

 

[RMETeeJay]

I read your last update. The fact that your lights dim before it dies indicates a power issue. I saw that you have tested alternator and battery, but that's the area that I would be looking at. Has it ever been in deep water?

 

[Ccturley]

What's your current theory?

-Mac

So, I went to my friends shop and borrowed their pro demand for an afternoon searching through the "known fix" tech tips section. Pro Demand if fantastic for this. Many many known fixes on file... thousands. Back to the topic. I read everything that covered literally everything that I've done so far.

Talked to his salty dog lifer lead tech, he suggested I look at the other engine sensors. Hhis thoughts are that a sensor like the TPS could be glitching and shorting for a split second, which if it was shorting signal to ground or 5V to ground could cause the ASD to trigger. Even suggested that the PCM could possibly have a cold solder on the board, and even though its new (I'm not convinced this is the issue but have done my due diligence and reached out to Mark about it.)

SO here is my theory... I don't know.

I got the jeep over to the shop yesterday, yep I'm defeated. Randy's initial thought is the PCM. But I'm running the old PCM back over today and were going to check diagnostic results. It bested me. Going over tomorrow to run through it again with him. fresh set of eyes and all.

I'll keep posting updates till this gremlin is cooked... I'm on a mission at this point.

 

[Ccturley]

I read your last update. The fact that your lights dim before it dies indicates a power issue. I saw that you have tested alternator and battery, but that's the area that I would be looking at. Has it ever been in deep water?

about 12 years ago I forded a river with it and was pushing water at 2 points over the hood but it never stalled. That's the only time in the 24 years I've owned it that it got "pull the tub plugs soaked"

I pulled the alternator and took it to Napa and had it bench tested and it tested fine. It has not presented since i put in the new PCM.

 

[RMETeeJay]

Do you mean that the lights dimming just before dying has not presented since the new PCM?

 

[Ccturley]

Do you mean that the lights dimming just before dying has not presented since the new PCM?

Correct, that disappeared with the PCM swap.

 

[Stump]

Looks like a lot of people already said so, but here is another plug for PCM and Wranglerfix. Here’s the link to my story. What I didn’t really say was that my original problem, about a year before all this, was occasional engine shutdowns. Key off then back on usually fixed it. I swapped out the ignition switch. I thought I had it fixed. See the novel below.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/thanks-wranglerfix.80041/#post-1585345

 

[RMETeeJay]

Correct, that disappeared with the PCM swap.

Have you checked the ignition switch?

 

[Ccturley]

Have you checked the ignition switch?

I did, and everything checked out there.

 

[RMETeeJay]

I recommend a new TJ.

Barring that, try using an OBDII reader to record all data from cold start to cutout.