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Ceejmo · 06-19-2010, 09:47 PM

I've been a diesel driver for many years until I recently got tired or the noise. So I sold my diesel powered Ramcharger

and bought a 98 Cherokee Sport. I've had it for about 4 months and am very happy with it.

I have some OBD codes but I'll start at the beginning.

Airbag light was on when I purchased the vehicle. There is a possible recall for this.
Several weeks ago I noticed that my cruise control would work sometimes and other times it wouldn't. It would be working and if I had to brake or cancel the cruise it sometimes would not re-engage. Cruise light is on but it just wouldn't set.

Next, a few days ago, I started getting some random intermittent miss-fires. Just jerky feeling like the engine shut off for a split second and then started back up. The tach doesn't jump when this happens (maybe happening too quick). After a few days of driving with this random miss fire I got a check engine light. There were two codes.

P1683 (Spd ctrl pwr rly, or s/c 12v driver circuit)
and
P1391 (Intermittent Loss of CMP or CKP Loss of the Cam Position Sensor or Crank Position sensor has occurred.)

I was told that it's possible that a shorted clock spring could cause all four of these problems. Since the cruise control works with some kind of speed sensor and the airbag circuit goes through the clock spring it seems reasonable for those three. The fourth issue (CMP/CKP code) was said to be caused by the short affecting the current going to the CMP/CKP.

By the way, the horn, tach and speedometer are working.

Does this sound reasonable? Any thoughts?

Ceejmo
1998 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L Automatic transmission and bone stock.

xjman4life · 06-19-2010, 09:59 PM

It sounds like the clock spring is the issue. They are easy to replace and would probably fix your cruise issues. If it is shorting, try to turn the wheel several times and then drive it up to speeds and see if the cruise works after that. It would give you a better idea of if the clock spring is causing issues. The cruise and horn on my 00 cougar give me issues but as soon as I turn the wheel to full lock the horn and cruise come back to life.

Ceejmo · 06-20-2010, 06:34 AM

Thanks for the input XJ, I'll give the steering wheel turn a test to see if it has any effect on the problems.

Ceejmo

Ceejmo · 08-29-2010, 04:44 PM

I replaced the crank position sensor and nothing changed. I have driven it with the occasional miss and it has gotten worse. Now I have several codes.
P1683 - speed control power circuit
P1391 - crank position sensor intermittant
P0340 - cam position sensor circuit malfunction
P0320 - distributor engine speed input circuit malfunction
P0351 - ignition coil A primary/secondary circuit malfunction

????????? Any ideas?

Ceejmo · 08-29-2010, 04:44 PM

I replaced the crank position sensor and nothing changed. I have driven it with the occasional miss and it has gotten worse. Now I have several codes.
P1683 - speed control power circuit
P1391 - crank position sensor intermittant
P0340 - cam position sensor circuit malfunction
P0320 - distributor engine speed input circuit malfunction
P0351 - ignition coil A primary/secondary circuit malfunction

????????? Any ideas?

Ceejmo · 10-02-2010, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ceejmo

P1683 - speed control power circuit
P1391 - crank position sensor intermittent
P0340 - cam position sensor circuit malfunction
P0320 - distributor engine speed input circuit malfunction
P0351 - ignition coil A primary/secondary circuit malfunction

Now in addition to the above codes I have a oil pressure gauge that sometimes reads 0 and sometimes reads way high, it occasionally reads correctly but mostly high (replaced with new, twice, and still 0 or high) and I have a battery voltage gauge that is sometimes 14v and sometimes 12v and often 0v. When I am driving and the voltage goes to 0 I can turn the key off and on quickly and the voltage will go back to normal for a while and then go back to 0. When it goes to 0 the alternator is not charging. I had first assumed that the gauge was bad and drove it one day until the battery drained so low that the car died. I got a jump and after it started the gauge came up as charging. On the way home the gauge would go to 0 and I did the off/on with the ignition switch to "reset" the alternator to charging and managed to make it home fine. Also, one of the above codes (P0340 - cam position sensor circuit malfunction) puzzles me since the parts house says this vehicle does not have a cam position sensor.

I haven't read the codes since the gauge issues started but I'm wondering if all of these things can be bad or is it the PCM since all of the signals for these things are sent or received through the PCM. The alternator charging state and (I believe) the oil pressure signal are also controlled (or sent) by the PCM.

**mcatald** · 10-02-2010, 08:25 AM

Get a load test performed on your battery. I once had a dead cell in a battery that eventually took out the battery and when it did I had all kinds of lites and gauge issues. Checkers or Auto Zone will perform that test at no charge.

Ceejmo · 10-05-2010, 05:54 AM

Battery and alternator checked out good. Ordered ECM yesterday.

Ceejmo · 10-13-2010, 05:55 PM

Well that was a wasted $260.00. When I first put it in it started up and ran like crap. After about 30-45 seconds it leveled out and ran great. Drove it last night and it was fine. Drove it to work this morning and it seemed to miss a couple of times but not as hard as it did before. Now it's time to go home an it won't fire. No start. ??

????????????????????????????

Ceejmo · 10-13-2010, 07:26 PM

I kept going back out the the Jeep about every 15 minutes or so trying to start it. Finally after about 5 or 6 trips out I turned the key and it fired up like it was new. Drove 28 miles home with a few misses but it ran strong most the way. Got home and turned it off and restarted it with no issues. I'm sure I'll run into the no start situation again.
Any suggestions?? Borrowing a code reader tomorrow.

CapeCodXJ · 10-13-2010, 11:19 PM

I wish i could help you, but i have the exact same problem on my 89, i dont know what it is, and ive replaced the camshaft sencor, distributor, plugs, wires, alternator, and battery, and somedays it drives like a champ, and others it does exactly what your saying, im on my second mechanic trying to figure it out, im considering a new jeep lately =/, no one has any answers and both mechanics so far say the CPU is fine, im at a loss, i hope yours can be saved

Ceejmo · 10-14-2010, 05:36 AM

Frankly CapeCod, with the electrical issues I've had and the ones that I've read about with no solutions I would be very hesitant to buy another Jeep. But, this one is bought and paid for so I'll keep throwing money at it until the issue is resolved.

Ceejmo · 10-14-2010, 05:10 PM

Just read codes:
P0320 - distributor engine speed input circuit malfunction
P0340 - cam position sensor circuit malfunction

I found out today that even though this vehicle doesn't have a CAM position sensor that the code probably relates to the pickup assembly in the distributor which was eventually replaced by the cam position sensor on newer models (so I'm told). My son has a baseball game tonight so I'll swing by O'Reilly while we're out and pick up the part.

Ceejmo · 10-14-2010, 10:13 PM

Counter drones..... when I say cherokee sport they hear Grand Cherokee. Didn't realise it until I got home but they sold me the wrong part. I'l try again tomorrow.

Ceejmo · 10-15-2010, 06:29 PM

Replaced the pickup assembly today and now I'm down to one code. Still have the
P0340 - cam position sensor circuit malfunction