1985 Jeep scrambler won't fire

This had me chasing my tail for 2 days!

Take your module (old and new) to Autozone or Advance Auto....they will test it for FREE!!!

Test it 5-8 times to warm it up...if it fails the later testing replace it........Then test the new one before you leave!!!! (as I did not!)

I'm here for you buddy, I will continue to assist you, for as long as it takes!

I answer the CJ 5 & 7 Forums frequently---you will see the extent I will go to assist!

Try that 1st---and come back with more info if you have it---We will take it from there!

Want this info: What type coil did you get--Part # Store?

The Medic

Also include how you went about replacing the distributor. I take it that you have no spark at all........I know that sick helpless feeling.

If you did have spark, a shot of starter fluid in the carb does what?

Does it just Roll over and over......Or does it spit and sputter at some point---------Explain

I CAN GET YOU GOING!

The Medic

I got all of my parts from Autozone, The ignition module is Duralast F102 and the coil is also Duralast part # c832. I have also tested the new and old module to see if they are any good. Thanks for the help.

The starting fluid does nothing, it will not spit or sputter. Gas in the carb does nothing. I have inconsistent spark. The timing checks out good.

I wanted to BE ABSOLUTELY SURE---YOU HAVE THE COIL--"For Use With External Resistor"

PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT---"THE TIMING CHECKS OUT GOOD" MEANS EXACTLY?

THIS MAY BE THE ISSUE, AND I CAN HELP YOU THRU IT, IF YOU WILL BE MY EYES AND HANDS!......I CRAVE INFO!

THE MEDIC

Yes, i believe it is the same coil. I appreciate the help. Crank is on top dead center, #1 cylinder piston comes to top, roder is directed to #1 spark plug wire. Also i put new ground to engine block to frame, engine block to firewall, and engine block to battery, and continuity tested all wires in harness from ignition switch to the alternator.

TOP DEAD CENTER ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE?

OR ITS JUST AT THE TOP?.......WITH NO IDEA ON WHY?

HOW DID YOU FIND THE COMPRESSION STROKE?....OR DID YOU?

THIS IS A 4 CYCLE ENGINE, THE PISTON MOVES UP AND DOWN TWICE FOR EACH "CYCLE"

DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE YOU THRU THOSE MOTIONS..........GETTING ON COMPRESSION STROKE....THEN SETTING THE HARMONIC BALANCER TO "ACTUAL TDC" ON THE SCALE THEN.......INSTALLING THE DISTRIBUTOR?

I DO NOT MIND HELPING AT ALL--THIS IS FUN FOR ME!

THE MEDIC

The harmonic balancer is on top dead center. The compression stroke on #1 cylinder blows out of cylinder. the roder is pointing in direction of #1 plug wire on distributor cap

2ND TIME TO SEND THIS

DID YOU HAVE YOUR FINGER OR THUMB IN #1 PLUG HOLE WHEN IT "SPIT" (CONFIRMING COMPRESSION BUILDING) THEN ASAP!!!! LET GO OF THE KEY WHEN "SPIT" 1ST HEARD---THEN ROTATE THE ENGINE WITH A SOCKET OR WRENCH--CLOCKWISE (STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ENGINE) TILL YOUR MARK LINES UP ON ZERO (THIS WOULD BE "REAL TDC") AS IN MY PIC.

ALSO DID YOU ROTATE YOUR OIL PUMP UNTIL THE DISTRIBUTOR SAT "ALL THE WAY DOWN" AND YOUR ROTOR BUTTON WAS POINTING AT #1 "TOWER"

IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHICH "TOWER" IT POINTS TO, AS LONG AS YOU PLACE YOUR WIRES IN FIRING ORDER--CLOCKWISE.......LOOKING DOWN ON THE DISTRIBUTOR

PIZZING YOU OFF?----OR GOING OVER THIS, INSURING EVERYTHING IS RIGHT AIDING YOU AT ALL?

YOUR TURN......I'VE GOT MORE POSSIBILITIES....JUST DON'T WANT TO WRITE A WHOLE BOOK, IF CHAPTER 1 FIXES YOU!

Yes I have done all of these things exactly have you have described, so this makes me believe the timing is correct. No your not pizzin me off, i appreciate the assistance.

OK LET'S TRY-----1950'S (AND BEFORE), GRAND THEFT AUTO!

WERE GONNA BY PASS EVERYTHING, AND GIVE THE COIL, FULL BATTERY JUICE......JUST FOR A TEST!

LET'S JUMPER POS BATTERY TO POS COIL..........THEN ATTEMPT A START...IF IT STARTS WE SORTA HAVE A DIRECTION TO FOLLOW.

KILL IT, BY REMOVING THE JUMPER!

THIS IS HOW I DO IT-----THE FUSE IS JUST EXTRA PROTECTION (YOU DO NOT "HAVE TO" HAVE IT).........INSURE GOOD CONTACT IN COIL'S POS CONNECTOR.........YOU MIGHT ALSO MAKE SURE THE "COPPER CONTACTS" AND WIRES DID NOT GET "PUSHED BACK" IN THE CONNECTOR, WHEN YOU HAD IT OFF BEFORE!

YOUR TURN (CAN YOU SEND PICS OF DISTRIBUTOR, TOP ON AND OFF?)

THE MEDIC

Ok I will try this, I will get back to you first thing tomorrow morning, I dont know where you are from but in Ohio it is getting a kind of late. Thank you for your help. and I will send pictures

I WON'T ABANDON YOU!.....I'M IN SC, YOU'RE WORKING IN YOUR GARAGE I HOPE!

SEE YOU TOMORROW!

YOU INITIATE

THE MEDIC

as you can see i got it on top dead center and the roder aligns with #1 plug wire. Nothing happened when i ran the jumper from battery to positive side coil. As you see I have juice to the positive side coil, I have no juice to the negative side with the wire on. When I unplug the negative side I have juice to the negative side of the coil.

I AM ABOUT TO GO TAKE SOME PICS OF MINE FOR YOU---IN THE MEAN TIME READ THRU THE INFO AT THIS OTHER POST I ANSWERED.

REALLY CHECK OUT THE SOLENOID STUFF----MAKE YOURS THAT WAY!

YOU MAY HAVE TO "COPY AND PASTE THIS ONTO A NEW TAB....LINKING IS NOT WORKING FOR ME AT THIS SITE NOW, IT'S STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION....IT'S WORKED IN THE PAST, BUT NOT NOW

HERE'S THE LINK

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1986-jeep-cj7-help-needed

YOU REALLY NEED TO HIT A SALVAGE YARD......GO THRU THE 80'S FORDS AND GET YOU A GOOD COIL CONNECTOR!

I WILL HAVE YOU SOME MORE TESTS REAL SOON

DO YOU HAVE A DIGITAL VOLTMETER ($10-$12 AT PARTS STORE, YOU NEED ONE)

DO YOU HAVE A REPAIR MANUAL?

THE MEDIC

Let me jump in here a second.
If you are receiving no power reading on the neg side if the coil, it means it is constantly grounded. You need to try cranking the engine for that test and it should pulse ground. Do not use an incandescent test light for this as it can fry you module. Make sure it uses a diode for a bulb to be computer safe. If you find that you have no pulse there, then there is an issue with the module, pick up coil or related wiring. Make sure the distributor is actually turning also.

ALLRIGHTY THEN,

I SAW YOU WERE USING A TEST LIGHT--SO I PERFORMED THE SAME TESTS WITH MY VOLTMETER...TO SHOW YOU WHY YOU NEED A VOLTMETER!

HAD 2 BUDDIES COME OVER AND SORTA HELD ME UP

THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING OVERLOOKED OR DONE WRONG

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT YOUR SOLENOID SET-UP AND FIXED LIKE MINE?

I REALLY HOPE YOUR DISTRIBUTOR IS NOT 180 DEGREES OUT, CAUSE WE WOULD BE CHASING OUR TAIL NOW!

EVEN NEW STUFF CAN BE BAD

WE WILL TEST THE COIL AND DISTRIBUTOR NEXT

HERE'S WHAT I JUST MADE

WAITIN' ON YOU!

THE MEDIC

A voltmeter isn't going to help you when looking for pulse. There is too much delay in the response to read pulse. You need to only use a diode style light.

ROGER.......HE LACKS EQUIPTMENT

SHOWING HIM THERE IS VOLTAGE, HE COULD NOT SEE!

ALSO SHOWING THE REDUCED VOLTS VIA THE "RESISTANCE WIRE".......THIS SYSTEM ONLY GETS FULL BATTERY VOLTAGE AT "START-UP" PROVIDED BY "I" TERMINAL ON SOLENOID.

HE HAS NEW DISTRIBUTOR-COIL-AND MODULE (IF IT'S STILL GOOD)

THE ROTOR BUTTON TURNING, WHILE CRANKING, WAS A NICE TOUCH, I OVERLOOKED THAT ONE!

MY NEIGHBOR HAD AN ISSUE WITH HIS DISTRIBUTOR/ AND OTHER WIRES FLOPPIN'........SHAKIN' WHILE CRANKIN' FOUND A SHORT TO THE DISTRIBUTOR ON HIS "7"

JUST THOUGHT I COULD RUN DOWN THE EZ LIST, 1ST, SINCE WE GOT SO MUCH NEW STUFF ON HERE!

hlwilson........WHACCU THINK? MAYBE HAVE A BUDDY RECHECK COMPRESSION STROKE WITH THUMB, AND THEN, BY HAND (CW, FROM FRONT)), LINING TIMING MARKS UP......MAYBE YOU PASSED YOUR MARKS ACCIDENTALLY OR YOU ARE SO IN TUNE WITH IT, YOUR BUDDY MIGHT AID IN FINDING AN ISSUE.

WAS YOUR OLD MODULE BAD?.....YOU JUST GOT A NEW FOR THE HECK OF IT?......CAN YOU GET A DIFFERENT PERSON TO TEST...OR A DIFFERENT STORE?.....TEST BOTH!!!

YOUR TURN

THE MEDIC

The position of the distributor has no bearing on whether the coil is receiving a pulse signal or not. He is is trying to read the (-) side of the coil so the voltmeter is worthless to do that.

ROGER, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THAT TEST, AS THINGS MIGHT CONTINUE NOT TO BE GOING RIGHT.

HOWEVER, IF HE HAS INSTALLED THE ROTOR SHAFT 180 DEGREES OUT (SAME AS INSTALLING IT KINDA RIGHT, BUT AT "TDC" ON THE EXHAUST STROKE OF #1 CYLINDER)---IT WILL STILL "PULSE" (AS YOU HAVE ADDRESSED)......BUT HE WILL BE SHOOTING ON #6 CYLINDER COMING UP ON THE EXHAUST STROKE........AND THUS, IT STILL WILL NOT RUN, UNTIL THE DISTRIBUTOR IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY......PULSING OR NOT!........YA?

TRYING TO KEEP THIS SIMPLE IF I CAN, MANY LACK THE TOOLS AND EXPERIENCE.......I TRY W/ PICS AND DOWN TO EARTH EXPLANATIONS....WITH MINIMAL TOOLS, TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

hlwilson, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THUS FAR?---ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH WHAT'S GOING ON? DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING----THIS IS YOUR QUESTION, FOR SURE, WE WANT YOU INVOLVED!

WE'RE GONNA STAY WITH YOU....JUST KEEP US INFORMED!

THE MEDIC

None of this matters until he resolves the issue of seeing constant ground on the (-) side of the coil so all these distractions are doing nothing but create chaos. He needs to approach this systematically and right now the priority is determining if it has pulse or not. All your DIY nonsense is just confusing the issue.

ALSO LOST IN THE CONFUSION WAS......WHAT IS THE HISTORY AND CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH LED TO THE "NO RUN" ISSUE?

DID THIS RIG, JUST GET BOUGHT FROM THE EVIL, RECKLESS, MUDDER GUY ACROSS TOWN, WHO HAS THE REPUTATION FOR TEARING STUFF UP, THIS WAS PILED UP BEHIND HIS GARAGE.........OR DID IT JUST SIMPLY DIE, CRUISING DOWN THE ROAD, AFTER PURRING LIKE A KITTEN FOR 30,000 MILES?

THE MEDIC

Sorry for the delay in response, I am running the computer for my grandpa and i was at work, Thank you so much for your help. I greatly appreciate it. it was running good and i was plowing with it to move the ton of snow we got and it just quit,
I got my jeep running, I cleaned the terminals of my brain, I rebuilt my starter, and cleaned it. I also rewired my coil and redid my timing, my oil pump was off, to be honest i do not know which one fixed my problem but it is running the better than when i bought it. Thanks again for your help and concern.

Quote:
"I also rewired my coil"


I'll bet that was the answer.

INCREDIWONDERFUL!!!

IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL HELP

YOU CAN COME BACK TO THIS POST AND REPLY

YOU CAN CREATE A NEW QUESTION

YOU CAN GO TO THE CJ 5 AND 7 FORUMS AND JUMP ON ONE OF THEM!

YOU CAN GET A LOT OF INFO OVER THERE, EVEN THOUGH, ALL CJ'S HAVE FEW PROBLEMS (COMPARED TO THIS NEW STUFF!) SCRAMBLER SECTION IS NOT REAL BIG---"5s" AND "7s" CAN PROVIDE YOU A LOT OF INFO, THEY ARE JUST LIKE YOURS MOSTLY..........IF YOU WILL JUST READ THRU THEM!

CLICK ON MY AVATAR--STUFF THERE MIGHT INTEREST YOU THERE TOO--LET ME KNOW.

I HAD FUN!!!

HAPPY JEEPIN'........YOUR HOOD SHOULD ONLY BE UP TO "IMPRESS" OTHERS!

DO YOUR MAINTENANCE--FIX STUFF LIKE IT SHOULD BE!

THE MEDIC

Will do... Thanks again for all your help! I appreciate it.

Next time, bring your buddy's car here.

You have a CJ........We know you won't be back with it, for a good while!

You just can't hardly tear one of 'em up!

Be Good

The Medic