'89 Jeep Wrangler won't start

Hi,

I recently came into posession of an '89 Jeep Wrangler, 2.5L, 4 cyl.
It sat untouched for almost 8 years and now it won't start.

I've changed the battery, plugs, distributor cap and cables, air and
oil filters and the ignition coil. When I try to start the vehicle it
cranks nicely but I don't appear to be getting any electric down from
the starting coil assembly to the distributor. The starter assembly
has a three-wire input and a one-wire input. I can see the 12v on one
of the wires in the three-wire input.

I'm stumped. I've been thinking of replacing the rest of the ignition
assembly (the unit that the ignition coil rests into) and/or the
crankshaft sensor (not sure if this vehicle has one) and/or the
ignition control module.

I'm new to this group and have just basic car maintenance experience.
I'd really appreciate any help.

Thanks,
Paul

On an 89, the next thing i would do is to run a booster cable from the
battery negative to the body, making sure I had a body contact. The
body ground fails and then you can have your symptoms.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
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wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I recently came into posession of an '89 Jeep Wrangler, 2.5L, 4 cyl.
> It sat untouched for almost 8 years and now it won't start.
>
> I've changed the battery, plugs, distributor cap and cables, air and
> oil filters and the ignition coil. When I try to start the vehicle it
> cranks nicely but I don't appear to be getting any electric down from
> the starting coil assembly to the distributor. The starter assembly
> has a three-wire input and a one-wire input. I can see the 12v on one
> of the wires in the three-wire input.
>
> I'm stumped. I've been thinking of replacing the rest of the ignition
> assembly (the unit that the ignition coil rests into) and/or the
> crankshaft sensor (not sure if this vehicle has one) and/or the
> ignition control module.
>
> I'm new to this group and have just basic car maintenance experience.
> I'd really appreciate any help.
>
> Thanks,
> Paul

A good test for ignition problems versus fuel problems, is a squirt of
starter fluid in the intake while cranking. If it fires up for a second,
then your problem is fuel.

Earle

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I recently came into posession of an '89 Jeep Wrangler, 2.5L, 4 cyl.
> It sat untouched for almost 8 years and now it won't start.
>
> I've changed the battery, plugs, distributor cap and cables, air and
> oil filters and the ignition coil. When I try to start the vehicle it
> cranks nicely but I don't appear to be getting any electric down from
> the starting coil assembly to the distributor. The starter assembly
> has a three-wire input and a one-wire input. I can see the 12v on one
> of the wires in the three-wire input.
>
> I'm stumped. I've been thinking of replacing the rest of the ignition
> assembly (the unit that the ignition coil rests into) and/or the
> crankshaft sensor (not sure if this vehicle has one) and/or the
> ignition control module.
>
> I'm new to this group and have just basic car maintenance experience.
> I'd really appreciate any help.
>
> Thanks,
> Paul
>



*** Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com ***

I had a similar problem... just make sure ALL electrical contacts are sanded
and clean. I replaced the coil and it still wouldn't crank, but after
cleaning the contacts it did.

Troy