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[Benjeep]

Hi Everyone,

I'm Ben from Stafford and registered a couple of days ago having just bought my first Jeep.

It's a 200W Cherokee 2.5TD with 96K off ebay

The seller kindly left half a tank of diesel in it when I bought it but I'm wondering if this wasn't just his big old heart!
I had a few issues in the first couple of days which I've been trying to work out by searching on the forums, a couple of times on the way back the engine died for a second or two and at the same time the glowplug light illuminated. (radio, lights etc stayed on though) but it immediately sprung back into life and we carried on.

I thought it may have been the fuel pump...As I work near a Jeep dealer I thought I'd price one up (knowing it would be costly) ha...they quoted me £3583 for the injection pump and £352 for the pump in the tank.......that's excluding VAT! The fuel filter is £32+ VAT.

I then read that if you run it with more than half a tank of diesel it'll be OK so I filled up and all seemed fine (it tended to cut out when I was on 1/4 tank and the engine was under load)

Anyway...I broke down this morning and this time it stopped and wouldn't restart - the "fuel in water" light and "low coolant" lamps are on.

3 hrs later and I'm sat at home waiting for the AA.

What do you think? a simple case of draining the fuel filter water catcher thingy (I'm not that mechanical yet but get the feeling I'll learn quickly with dealer prices) or are these well known signs of a soon to be scrapper?

Any advice welcome on this or general must do maintenance.

Cheers,

Ben

[jay140285]

Sorry to hear your having trouble,

I cannot offer any advice on the TD,

But someone will soon.

Hope you get it sorted.

[Jeepjedi]

Welcome to the club dood, dont give up the tech heads will be with you soon

[Bulldog67]

Salutations BJ 

[bigjeepzj]

well come mate
sure it was  full tank of diesel 

[big g]

Welcome Benjeep.

A diesel xj with low coolant light on,surely not

[craigderby]

Bad luck, hope you get sorted.  Could be something as simple as air in the fuel line

[Bubba]

welcome dood

[Mike Pavelin]

A few points....

It doesn't have a pump in the fuel tank.

If it runs on 1/2 tank and stops on 1/4 theres a chance the gauge sender is faulty, this is quite common.

If it keeps losing coolant and there's no sign of an external leak, oh dear.

[Benjeep]

Thanks for the welcome all.



I have an update from my notes after talking to the AA Technician:

The fuel filter seemed to be clear - no water in the fuel he sucked through.
His Diagnostic kit wouldn't communicate - said it would need to a main dealer system?

Checked fuses for glowplugs - fine
Couldn't locate a green multiplug by the fuel pump - but others nearby were fine.
Checked earth to the engine & chassis - both fine

It did crank but the immobiliser light remains on (the sentry key symbol on the dash)
The rev counter doesn't move when cranking
It doesn't respond to the throttle pedal
The fuel guage isn't going up (definitley over 3/4 tank and definitely diesel javascript:void(0);
When you turn the ignition on, you no longer get the glowplug preheat light come on - just the water in fuel, low coolant/immobiliser lights.


He thinks it may be either the immobiliser or the crank sensor (if a faulty crank sensor triggers the immobiliser?) which is in turn cuts out the fuel pump.

That's all I know so was hoping it might be enough of a clue for someone to give some advice from experience?

He did talk to a tech support guy who said that if I cut a brown wire near the bulkhead, it would bypass the immobiliser........?

Apart from the obvious, I love the Jeep!

Thanks in advance,

Ben

[Benjeep]

Hi mike,

Thanks for your response - I was typing mine as you posted.

mmmm, the fuel gauge seemed fine before and I filled it to the brim 20 miles ago.

Thanks for letting me know about the fuel pump in tank...or lack of - the parts guy at the Jeep dealers didn't seem to confident about anything - they're a Fiat dealer who recently took on the Jeep franchise.

I havent really looked into the coolant issue yet as the light had never illuminated when it cut out/restarted before.

I hope my other notes may help a bit?

Cheers

Ben

[ivanidea]

Welcome to the madhouse.  I never went near to Platts when I had a Fiat, and no way am I going to take my Jeep there.  It is possible they have improved since the 80's, but I'm not currently taking a chance.

It is a pity that Cumbo's went bankrupt since they were one of the best Jeep dealers in the UK.  I can highly recommend Kings (Manchester) in Stockport, although not really economical for an older model like the XJ.

The only Jeep specialist (former Jeep engineer) I use these days is in Derby.  I think he managed to obtain a Jeep starscan tool.

[Benjeep]

Thanks Ivanidea,

I think by the time the dealers have had there way with me I'd might aswell sell her for spares and buy another - don't really want to do that though!

I thought either a decent autoelctrician or a diesel doctor - a mate says he knows one in Telford for £10 per hour so worth a day of his time I reckon.

Is the starscan tool the diagnostic? Derby is about 25 miles from me so may be a solution.

Thanks,

Ben

[ivanidea]

The scanners will only tell you which sensor the cpu thinks is faulty, as well as offer some cpu reprogramming (replacement keys etc).  I'm not sure what the current rates at the garage are, certainly more expensive than £10ph you've been quoted at Telford.

There used to be another Jeep specialist near Chesterfield, and anaother company who specialised in VM engines (as found in your Jeep).  Not sure if they are still going though.

[bgbazz]

Think the one ivanidea is  talking about is George at vmdieselspecialist.co.uk..I've used him a fair bit and he knows his stuff, but can't be sure he is still in Chesterfield.

Good luck mate.

[Benjeep]

Thanks Ivanidea and Bgbazz,

I might replace the crank sensor as a matter of course and  see how the Telford chap gets on for a day as he can come to me, I'll have a look at the vmdiesel specialist too though so thanks again.

I'll let you all know how I get on.

One other question, would a standard Cherokee manage the sort of greenlaning that you do?  you'll have to tow me through till I get the engine running!!!

Ben

[big g]

Not sure I'd be replacing owt 'til the SKIS is cleared.

Once that mofo is on it ain't going anywhere.

[Mike Pavelin]

The immobiliser (SKIS) will not stop the engine when it is running, so will not be the cause of the original breakdown.

[Benjeep]

Thanks Big G & Mike - So need to clear the SKIS and then get to the route of the problem - which unless it's a weird coincidence has activated the immobiliser?

Cheers,

Ben.

[Benjeep]

Hello again,

So, after the last 2 months trying to get someone to come out and failed attempts to get my XJ recovered I've borrowed a 110 Defender and hired a trailer and I shall be taking the Jeep to the VMdieselspecialists in Chesterfield tomorrow.....fingers crossed they'll be able to sort my issues without bankrupting me (bleedin road tax due now too!)

I did have a go at getting to the crank sensor but I don't have 5 socket extenders and I've got hands like cows t1ts so that came to nothing.

Anyway, I'll update the thread when I hear back, most probably next week.

Cheers,

Ben.



 

[jay140285]

Good luck mate and safe trip up there.

Keep us posted.

Am I correct in thinking that your local isn't to west mids / Worsester / stratford.

If you need a lift up when its ready for collection up that was so could sort something.

[Benjeep]

Cheers Jay, I'm in Stafford.

So, I managed to get it up there in the end who have started to have a look at it today - their first response was that there is no BUS and that all the gauges are out. Also that the diagnostic wasn't able to speak to it. I'd read on a few threads that it sometimes reads NO BUS on the odometer but he said it's still showing the mileage.

The discussion then turned to trying to diagnose and the costs - he wasn't able to give me any sort of idea on the likely time involved in diagnosing the issue (not even to to the nearest day), we agreed that they should spend 3 hrs and then report back!

To be honest, I'm a bit miffed, so I did some more googling and found a good few threads that again pointed towards the CPS as a cause of NO BUS and no starting. We left it that they would have a look at this.

So, the long & short of it is that it doesn't crank off the key - the gauges don't work, the sentry key light is on but the little red security light isn't flashing - I'm now paying for then to start from scratch (surely this is what any mechanic would do? Therefore I could have saved myself a month of waiting, a day off work, trailer hire, a load of strife getting it there etc) and if they don't find anything by close of play tmw I'll be £4/500 down and no further forward.


I know the old adage "you pay your money and take your choice" Just a bit frustrating when it could be something simple for the right person to spot!

I'll keep you posted.

Any ideas would be welcome as always.

Cheers,

Ben

[Jeepjedi]

You must love your truck, I'd have torched it by now, keep us posted dood

[tedthefed]

Ive got a y reg 2.5 td for sale 65 k on clock , that said  "no bus" the other day when i decided to give it a quick run . Pushed the dash board and it disappeared . told a loose connection behind the dash ?? . All i did was pushed it in around the mileage area.a presto

[JamesH]

My experience of no bus on a 4.0 is a sensor circuit shorting out to ground. For me it was a CPS wire melted and touching the exhaust manifold but Jeep was dead and only a proper Jeep Dr knew what to do (thanks Mike  )