1998 5.9L Jeep Grand Cherokee binding when turning

Tiny
JEEPBOY444
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE
  • V8
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 147,380 MILES
I have a 1998 5.9L Jeep Grand Cherokee. When I turn left or right, (usually at parking lot speeds, pulling into parking spaces) the entire vehicle seems to bind very hard and will come to a complete stop with no use of the brakes at all. The sharper I turn the wheel, the harder it binds and the quicker the jeep comes to a stop. The rear tires (right rear if turning right, left rear if turning left) will chirp or slip. This problem ( hard steering, chirping tires, coming to a stop) does not exist "AT ALL" on Gravel. I have replaced front and rear differential fluids with synthetic fluid and the additive. It just "APPEARS" these differentials have no limited slip or if they do, its just not working properly. May be a transfer case problem, computer problem, I don't know, any help would be greatly appreciated!
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 AT 11:37 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,384 POSTS
CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR
Removal & Installation
Disconnect negative battery cable. Disconnect sensor harness connector. Remove camshaft position sensor bolt and remove sensor. To install, reverse removal procedure.

Camshaft Position Sensor (C(3)I)
The 3.8L C(3)I models use a Hall Effect camshaft position sensor. The cam sensor provides PCM with a TDC No. 1 signal used to compute the exact position of valves. This allows PCM to properly time fuel injection. A fault in the cam sensor circuit (no cam sensor signal) will allow the engine to continue running (based on last known timing) and should set a related trouble code.

It is possible for all injectors to go bad. But It would be very unusual for them ALL to go bad at the same time?
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Monday, November 1st, 2010 AT 4:51 AM
Tiny
OLDSMOBILE88
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Ok thanks. Cuz my car will crank but wont start. I put a fuel pump in it, cumputer and tested the new fuel pump for the right pressure and all checked out good. So im getting fuel all the way to the fuel rale but its not hitting the engine. Cuz it will start with starting fluid but cuts right back out in 2 sec. And the car is getting a nice hot spark so that ruled out the crank sencor. And I was told that the cam sencor tells the fuel injector to work. Anything you can tell me about that? Cuz I dont want to replace it if its not broke. Like I did the fuel pump and main cumputer. I was told it cant be my fuel injectors because even if one did go bad it would still start, but rough. And it wont. Its like a dry crank(diffrent sound).I think I have always needed the cam sensor cuz it would stall when I came to a stop and hit the gas to go again. Was told if I let it go too long without replacing it, it would eventully make my car not run at all? Is this right? All the info you could give about what I just said would be VERY helpfull! Thank
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Monday, November 1st, 2010 AT 11:07 AM
Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,384 POSTS
Camshaft Position Sensor (C(3)I)
The 3.8L C(3)I models use a Hall Effect camshaft position sensor. The cam sensor provides PCM with a TDC No. 1 signal used to compute the exact position of valves. This allows PCM to properly time fuel injection. A fault in the cam sensor circuit (no cam sensor signal) will allow the engine to continue running (based on last known timing) and should set a related trouble code. May cause a NO start situation after vehicle has been turned off.

Use multimeter to check you are getting an electrical pulse signal to fuel injectors
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Monday, November 1st, 2010 AT 7:19 PM
Tiny
OLDSMOBILE88
  • MEMBER
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Ok well im gonna buy the cam sensor tomorrow cuz I cant afford a noid light. And see what that does. Cuz the last time my engine ran I went out to start my car in the morning when it was cold.(Always starts right up cold) sometimes had trouble starting warm although not often. Been happening for about 2 years. But anyway I went out to start my car and it had a hard time starting, when I got it to start it ran REALLY rough! So I cut it off and tryed to restart it, and it started right up. So I went to the store I noticed a BIG decrease in power. Hit the gas a little hard but didnt want to barly move. Went to the store came home turn my car off and it never started again. And based on what your saying from my understanding, the last time it did start it was using the last know data. Now it has no data to run off. Is that right? Sorry if im not getting it. I only know so much about cars. And thank you very much! You have been a big help!
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Monday, November 1st, 2010 AT 11:18 PM
Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,384 POSTS
Hall effect sensors tend to be affected by heat and not work when hot. Yes you are correct it was probably using the last known data to run. It should be throwing a fault code. But again this is not always the case with older cars. I would be replacing the cam sensor. You can use a digital multimeter to check for a pulse signal from cam sensor after it will not start?
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Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 AT 3:59 AM
Tiny
OLDSMOBILE88
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
Well.I put the cam sensor in and still no start. Put a fuel filter too. Still no start. Based on what I told you the only thing left is fuel injectors right? And they all have to be bad to make the engine not start right? And there is no check engine light. But I know there can still be a trouble code even if not. But peopple want $100.00 dollars to hook it up to a cumputer. And $90 to get it towed to them. And thats just to tell me the problem. Thats not even to buy the part and have them fix it. Whatever it may be. And I dont have the money for that. So the last thing is injectors right? I need to test them? Its just hard to bleave there all bad. But thats the only thing I can think of. If you have a good hot spark it cant be the crank sencor right? Cuz I heared it has to do with injectors too? Thanks again for all your help!
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Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 AT 3:46 PM
Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,384 POSTS
Please check the security indicator on the dash display?

DESCRIPTION & OPERATION
Vehicles are equipped with Personalized Automotive Security System (PASS-Key II(R)). PASS-Key II(R) system operates using sensing contacts which are located in ignition key lock cylinder. These contact a key resistor pellet which is located on the ignition key. When lock is rotated, battery voltage is applied through appropriate fuse to PASS-Key II(R) decoder module. Pellet resistance is then compared with programmed value in module.

PASS-Key II(R) Diagnostic System Check
Check for diagnostic codes. See appropriate TESTS W/CODES article in the ENGINE PERFORMANCE Section. Check SECURITY light while attempting to start vehicle.
If engine cranks but does not start, see ENGINE CRANKS BUT DOES NOT START. If engine does not crank or start, check SECURITY light function. If light flashed or stayed on at all times, see SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHT EITHER FLASHES OR STAYS ON ALWAYS. If light never came on, see appropriate SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON. If light came on, then went off after about 5 seconds, see ENGINE DOES NOT CRANK OR START & SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON & GOES OFF AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS.
If engine cranks and starts, and SECURITY light came on and went off after about 5 seconds, system operates normally. See NOTES ON INTERMITTENTS. If light never came on, see appropriate SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON. If light comes on at all times, see ENGINE CRANKS & STARTS, SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ON. If light flashes on and off, see SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHT EITHER FLASHES OR STAYS ON ALWAYS.
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Thursday, November 4th, 2010 AT 4:25 AM

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