98' Jimmy Cranks But No Start?

[kingkong0192]

I'm back with another question.

Brothers girlfriend was driving down the road (i wasn't with her this is what she told me) and she had the radio on (couldn't really hear anything.). She said she saw the battery light and the brake light come on, then she lost her power steering, and the car died. Said she didn't hear any loud noises or anything.

I put a tow strap around the front tow points and pulled her about 3 miles back to our house. (Man does that 7.3 have some balls.)

Anyways, i popped the hood and started investigating. Coolant resevoir was just about empty, so i topped that off with 50/50. Coolant defiantly hasn't been changed in a long time as in the rad it's all rusty.

Pulled the oil dipstick and didn't see anything. She bought some oil, i pulled the drain plug, drained what was left into a bucket, changed the filter and put 4 1/2 quarts of new 5w-30 into the vehicle. There was 3 quarts or so of oil in the vehicle that i pulled out.

I then pulled the battery terminals and cleaned them off.

The vehicle just cranks and cranks and cranks. Will not start. I can hear the fuel pump prime when i first turn the key (have not verified fuel pressure with a gauge though.)

I even tried to jump it to no avail. (Which is why i don't think it's the alternator or battery but i could be wrong.)

Is there any sensor on this thing that would cause this problem? I'm totally lost and don't know anything about the sensors on the Jimmy. She does have a CEL on, but i don't have a code reader.

I know on jeeps a no start symptom like this is normally caused by a Crankshaft Position Sensor. Could that be the problem here?

Thanks for reading this. Thought i'd explain it all in detail.

tldr; Jimmy cranks and cranks. Will not start.

 

[Molson02536]

I'm back with another question.

Brothers girlfriend was driving down the road (i wasn't with her this is what she told me) and she had the radio on (couldn't really hear anything.). She said she saw the battery light and the brake light come on, then she lost her power steering, and the car died. Said she didn't hear any loud noises or anything.

I put a tow strap around the front tow points and pulled her about 3 miles back to our house. (Man does that 7.3 have some balls.)

Anyways, i popped the hood and started investigating. Coolant resevoir was just about empty, so i topped that off with 50/50. Coolant defiantly hasn't been changed in a long time as in the rad it's all rusty.

Pulled the oil dipstick and didn't see anything. She bought some oil, i pulled the drain plug, drained what was left into a bucket, changed the filter and put 4 1/2 quarts of new 5w-30 into the vehicle. There was 3 quarts or so of oil in the vehicle that i pulled out.

I then pulled the battery terminals and cleaned them off.

The vehicle just cranks and cranks and cranks. Will not start. I can hear the fuel pump prime when i first turn the key (have not verified fuel pressure with a gauge though.)

I even tried to jump it to no avail. (Which is why i don't think it's the alternator or battery but i could be wrong.)

Is there any sensor on this thing that would cause this problem? I'm totally lost and don't know anything about the sensors on the Jimmy. She does have a CEL on, but i don't have a code reader.

I know on jeeps a no start symptom like this is normally caused by a Crankshaft Position Sensor. Could that be the problem here?

Thanks for reading this. Thought i'd explain it all in detail.

tldr; Jimmy cranks and cranks. Will not start.

The good news is that you have a cell light on which most of the time indicates that your fuel pressure is good. Best to have the Jimmy scanned for the DTC codes which will direct you to the issue that's creating a no start.

Like you said, it could be a bad crank shaft sensor to a bad ICM that is causing you the issue your having. Start with the simple and check all your fuses and if you have a can of starter fluid, spray a small amount in to your intake and see if the engine will run with that.

If the engine does start up and run, then you have low fuel pressure from a bad ground to your fuel sending unit or it's time for you to replace a worn out fuel sending unit.

If the engine does not start with the starter fluid or run till the fluid is burnt up, then you have a ignition issue like a bad ICM or coil.

Keep us posted and hope we can help you get the Jimmy running 110% again.

Molson02536

 

[Smokey_Beer_89]

it could possibly the camshaft sensor, it identifies cylinder number 1 and signals when to fire cylinder 1, you will get a long hard crank if bad,

First things forst,, check for- air/fuel/spark if all are present then we proceed

 

[kingkong0192]

Well here's an update.

I put some starter fluid into the intake and it sounded like it wanted to start. Started for maybe a few seconds but died rather quick. Didn't want to flood the thing with starter fluid.

I put my fuel pressure tester on the schrader valve and it reads 30PSI right when i turn the key to prime the pump (right before it starts cranking) and after about 5 minutes it drops down to 24-25 PSI.

Anyone know what the pump should be putting out? That seems a little low to me.

 

[Molson02536]

Well here's an update.

I put some starter fluid into the intake and it sounded like it wanted to start. Started for maybe a few seconds but died rather quick. Didn't want to flood the thing with starter fluid.

I put my fuel pressure tester on the schrader valve and it reads 30PSI right when i turn the key to prime the pump (right before it starts cranking) and after about 5 minutes it drops down to 24-25 PSI.

Anyone know what the pump should be putting out? That seems a little low to me.

Cold start should be 64-65 lbs of pressure engine not running with the fuel system primed. (Ignition Key On).

Engine running should be 60-66 lbs pressure depending on engine load and anything less then 60 lbs of fuel pressure running will usually result in a no-start condition, or the system will be lean and will barely run above idle, and DTCs may be set.

Check the ground first before replacing the fuel sending unit. Good luck and keep us posted.

Molson02536

 

[kingkong0192]

Cold start should be 64-65 lbs of pressure engine not running with the fuel system primed. (Ignition Key On).

Engine running should be 60-66 lbs pressure depending on engine load and anything less then 60 lbs of fuel pressure running will usually result in a no-start condition, or the system will be lean and will barely run above idle, and DTCs may be set.

Check the ground first before replacing the fuel sending unit. Good luck and keep us posted.

Molson02536

Where is this "ground" located? Is it near the gas tank or what? I'd assume the fuel pump is in the gas tank, correct?

Any clue on how long it would take to drop the tank and replace the pump? I'd assume my pump is totally shot if its only putting out 30PSI right before it cranks.

Is it possible that its not getting enough power, or would you reckon the pump is just shot? Ill check the ground first.

She always drove the thing with like no gas in it. I'm willing to bet the gas sloshed around in the tank the pump sucked in air and other junk and overheated. Or something along those lines.

They need to teach basic automotive skills when you get your license. It's ridiculous.

Thanks!

 

[Molson02536]

Where is this "ground" located? Is it near the gas tank or what? I'd assume the fuel pump is in the gas tank, correct?

Any clue on how long it would take to drop the tank and replace the pump? I'd assume my pump is totally shot if its only putting out 30PSI right before it cranks.

Is it possible that its not getting enough power, or would you reckon the pump is just shot? Ill check the ground first.

She always drove the thing with like no gas in it. I'm willing to bet the gas sloshed around in the tank the pump sucked in air and other junk and overheated. Or something along those lines.

They need to teach basic automotive skills when you get your license. It's ridiculous.

Thanks!

Ground is near as tank attached to the cross frame, and from what you have described in your post. The pump most likely has gone bad.

Common cause of fuel sending unit going bad is from running it low on fuel, the fuel it self keeps the pump cool. Also fueling in the winter with low gas in the tank also take life from the sending unit.

The new gas going into your gas tank in the winter is colder then the gas in your tank and will cause the internal parts in your pump to contract making parts move with less tolerance until all the parts start to expand again. This is why most sending units fail in the cold seasons then the summer.

Long story short, keep at least 1/4 of fuel before fueling and more in the winter to buy you more time with your sending unit and a new sending unit only has 150,000 mile life expectancy and more miles our of it is considered borrowed time.

Im only on my second fuel sending unit and my Jimmy is just over 415,XXX mile. Good luck and this job takes about 4-5 hour with the clean up time, being a older Jimmy, it may be better to just replace the gas tank also and tank straps.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Molson02536

 

[kingkong0192]

Well here's an update. I told her the news (brothers girlfriend.) and she kind of looked at me confused. I proceeded to tell her that running it low on fuel (like she always does) is probably why the fuel pump only lasted a year.

She offered me $100 to fix it, and i simply refused it. (Shun me i know.)

She's now going to try to sell it for whatever she can get for it, and get another car. I (trying to think smart here) am thinking about buying it, tossing in a new pump, and selling it for a profit.

I have no clue how much jimmies are worth, so i come here. How much would you pay for this jimmy in its current shape?

From what i can physically see it needs a new;

-Fuel Pump
-Passenger Mirror
-A Major Clean Up Inside (It's a bloody mess.)
-Possibly New Battery (Won't even turn starter now. However, she might of just cranked and cranked the thing hoping to 'get lucky'.)

Another question is when i do get it running, how much do you see this selling for? I've taken some pictures so you guys can physically see it. If you need a picture of something specific - speak up! Thanks!

Scroll through my photobucket album. There's like 12 pictures of it there.

(Just keep tapping the right arrow on your keyboard to scroll through them.)

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/...BBE006AE-251-0000002C418CCB45_zpsf96e2e9c.jpg

 

[Hammerstorm]

u can probably sell it to someone as a parts truck
idk if id waste my money on replacing the pump unless i was going to hold on to it.
probably get 1k for it as is, not much more with the new pump in. thats what id give you if you were in nj

i just picked up a 99 jimmy sls with 88k miles in amazing condition for 2500 just to put pricing in perspective. but i picked it up from a little old lady who was the original owner lol. put it up on craigslist man. you never know. good luck

 

[amanda13]

hey, i have been having a similar issue, full tank of gas and she only cranks. will start with a boost. have not been able to fix yet so now she wont even crank-needs boost. replaced battery and result goes back to the same. crank but no catch. I am in no way a mechanic and would not know where to start but any info would potentially save me $ when my mechanic looks at it.