*Sigh* JP Jeep Update

Kinja'd!!! "Zerofret" (zerofret)
01/18/2017 at 10:29 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 9
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Well, I threw the decals on Monday night so we’re officially official.

So I was set on driving the Jeep to work the next day since people keep stopping by my office asking when they can see it. So I hop in, drive out of my neighborhood to the first intersection aaaaaaand, it dies on me. Tried starting it up again, but it just wouldn’t turn over. So there I am, stuck at am intersection. It was bad enough that I was stuck in at an intersection in a dead Jeep in school traffic (theres an elementary school down the road from me), but even worse that I was stuck at an intersection in a dead JURASSIC PARK JEEP in school traffic. finally after several tries I could hear the engine slightly turn over so i applied a little gas and it started going again. Thankfully theres a parking lot on the other side of the intersection, so I pulled it in there just to have it die on me again. Keep in mind that I’m literally a block away from my house at this moment. (which, now that I think of it, could’ve been worse.) So I get out and check my battery, cables and whatnot. nothing out of the ordinary. Try starting it again and, nothing.

So I call Roadside Assistance and they get me a tow truck. But right after I got off the phone with them it started right up again, no problem! WTF.

I call back and cancel the tow and head straight back home. So now the real fun begins to where the issue really is. I have 3 possible reasons

1. Spark plugs (obviously)

2. Air Filter (incredibly dirty)

3. Fuel filter (wouldn’t hurt to be changed)

So I get home from work and start wrenching change all the spark plugs and clean the air filter, then let it dry naturally overnight.

Got up this morning, installed the cleaned air filter and the jeep started up perfect, got out and looked at the engine, tested the throttle and everything seems to be running fine. However, the check engine light is now on. I might need to let it cycle for a little or I have Compys in my crappy 90's Chrysler electronics.

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 We’ll see.


DISCUSSION (9)


Kinja'd!!! AfromanGTO > Zerofret
01/18/2017 at 11:34

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Good luck! Hopefully it runs like a T-Rex is chasing it!


Kinja'd!!! unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Zerofret
01/18/2017 at 11:43

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Clean out the idle air control valve and throttle body. I had the same issue last semester until it wouldn’t run without the throttle.


Kinja'd!!! Urambo Tauro > Zerofret
01/18/2017 at 11:44

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So I hop in, drive out of my neighborhood to the first intersection aaaaaaand, it dies on me. Tried starting it up again, but it just wouldn’t turn over.

Good idea, checking the battery cables. For the car to stall AND not crank over sounds like a 12V power issue. When the engine “slightly turned over”, you were probably getting power through a very weak connection somewhere.

Changing plugs and cleaning the air filter doesn’t have anything to do with the starter circuit, but it sounds like they were due for attention anyway. So, no harm there.

Andrew just posted a piece about starter issues on The Garage the other day, but since your problem was accompanied by the vehicle stalling after it was already running, you might want to focus on things that the two symptoms have in common, like the ignition switch.


Kinja'd!!! Zerofret > Urambo Tauro
01/18/2017 at 12:04

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Great info! the splugs were way overdue for a good change anyways. I bought the Jeep back in late 2015 and who knows when the last time they had been changed.


Kinja'd!!! TheRealBicycleBuck > Zerofret
01/18/2017 at 12:29

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I am reminded of a story. Bear with me, it’s relevant.

A friend of mine worked for a guy who did a frame-off restoration of a Jeep. I’m not a Jeep guy, so don’t ask me what model. It was old, but not that old.

When the boss got the Jeep back to the shop (this is a diesel shop I’m talking about), it would crank and crank, but it wouldn’t start. After messing with it for a few weeks, the boss finally decided he needed a guy who worked on gasoline engines to supplement the shop’s capabilities. Of course, his first task is to get the Jeep running.

The new guy works on it for two weeks straight. No dice.

All this time, my buddy is making lower and lower offers for the Jeep. I think he started at $5,000 and worked his way down. Finally, the boss caved and sold the Jeep to him. I think he paid $1,000.

He dragged the Jeep home on a Friday. On Saturday, he poked around for a while and thought about it. He finally decided that it must be a spark issue and the most likely culprit was the newly-painted frame. So, he grabbed a chunk of wire and a knife, scraped some paint off the frame, and made a makeshift grounding strap between the engine and the frame. The Jeep started on the first try.

On Sunday he made a permanent fix. On Monday he drove the Jeep to work.

Boy was the boss mad!

When my buddy refused to sell the Jeep back to his boss, he knew his days were numbered. Before the boss could fire him, he packed up his tools and left.

Now he owns his own business.

Morals of the story: Look for a grounding problem; don’t buy your boss’ projects; and losing your job over a Jeep may lead to owning your own business, for better or for worse.


Kinja'd!!! AbsintheMinded: NeonHeatDreams > Zerofret
01/18/2017 at 12:30

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You my good sir are a hero. I sent this to my wife and told her that we need to build one of these too as we are massive JP fans. (My wife walked down the isle to the JP theme)


Kinja'd!!! Zerofret > AbsintheMinded: NeonHeatDreams
01/18/2017 at 14:21

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That’s Amazing! And I would say that it’s such a joy, and a pain to build at the same time haha but that depends on how screen accurate you want it. jurassicparkjeep.com is the forum you’ll wanna join if you decide to do it :)


Kinja'd!!! Zerofret > TheRealBicycleBuck
01/18/2017 at 14:23

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That’s amazing! Very relevant considering it too has just been freshly painted.


Kinja'd!!! TheRealBicycleBuck > Zerofret
01/18/2017 at 15:39

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Yeah, that was the long way of suggesting that you make sure everything is properly grounded.