Wrangler starts, runs for 3 seconds?
 

I've got a 2000 4-cylinder manual Wrangler. The other day, after
stopping for a bit in the back-country of Big Bend National Park, we
started experiencing a problem. The Jeep would start and run normally
for roughly 3 seconds, then quit as if the ignition were turned off. I
checked everything I could at the time, including fuses, relays, fuel
delivery, and airflow. Fuel was near full and oil pressure read normal
before the engine cut off. Problem is reliably repeatable (meaning I
still can't get the blasted thing to run for more than 3 seconds).
Couldn't find anything obviously wrong, which makes me suspect it's an
"electronic" problem. Does anybody have any ideas what to look for?

After waiting for about 8 hours, the Border Patrol finally found us and
dispatched a *very* expensive tow truck to haul us back to our RV. With
the Jeep malfunctioning, we cut our little vacation short, hooked it up
to the RV and drove home. I'm reluctant to take the Jeep off-road again
until (1) I know what caused the problem and (2) have a way to fix it
(at least temporarily) in the field should it happen again.

Thanks for your help,
Bill

Do you have a security "Sentry" key system? If so, I'm betting it's
related to that.

ElAlumbrado wrote:
> I've got a 2000 4-cylinder manual Wrangler. The other day, after
> stopping for a bit in the back-country of Big Bend National Park, we
> started experiencing a problem. The Jeep would start and run normally
> for roughly 3 seconds, then quit as if the ignition were turned off. I
> checked everything I could at the time, including fuses, relays, fuel
> delivery, and airflow. Fuel was near full and oil pressure read normal
> before the engine cut off. Problem is reliably repeatable (meaning I
> still can't get the blasted thing to run for more than 3 seconds).
> Couldn't find anything obviously wrong, which makes me suspect it's an
> "electronic" problem. Does anybody have any ideas what to look for?
>
> After waiting for about 8 hours, the Border Patrol finally found us and
> dispatched a *very* expensive tow truck to haul us back to our RV. With
> the Jeep malfunctioning, we cut our little vacation short, hooked it up
> to the RV and drove home. I'm reluctant to take the Jeep off-road again
> until (1) I know what caused the problem and (2) have a way to fix it
> (at least temporarily) in the field should it happen again.
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Bill
>
>
>
>

--
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL N6TAY
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

Were you using an after-market key, just recut from the original?

I had a key made at Home Depot, not realizing that it needed to the the
electronic (encoded) key. It would crank, run 3 seconds, and shut off.

As Jerry noted, it may be security related.

--james--

It shouldn't start at all if you have the wrong key.
At work we have a cherokee and it's key fits in my ignition...and will turn
it, but the KEY-shaped light comes on, on my console....no start though1


"Jerry Bransford" > wrote in message
news:Gk4_d.72020$Tt.69316@fed1read05...
> Do you have a security "Sentry" key system? If so, I'm betting it's
> related to that.
>
> ElAlumbrado wrote:
>> I've got a 2000 4-cylinder manual Wrangler. The other day, after stopping
>> for a bit in the back-country of Big Bend National Park, we started
>> experiencing a problem. The Jeep would start and run normally for roughly
>> 3 seconds, then quit as if the ignition were turned off. I checked
>> everything I could at the time, including fuses, relays, fuel delivery,
>> and airflow. Fuel was near full and oil pressure read normal before the
>> engine cut off. Problem is reliably repeatable (meaning I still can't get
>> the blasted thing to run for more than 3 seconds). Couldn't find anything
>> obviously wrong, which makes me suspect it's an "electronic" problem.
>> Does anybody have any ideas what to look for?
>>
>> After waiting for about 8 hours, the Border Patrol finally found us and
>> dispatched a *very* expensive tow truck to haul us back to our RV. With
>> the Jeep malfunctioning, we cut our little vacation short, hooked it up
>> to the RV and drove home. I'm reluctant to take the Jeep off-road again
>> until (1) I know what caused the problem and (2) have a way to fix it (at
>> least temporarily) in the field should it happen again.
>>
>> Thanks for your help,
>> Bill
>>
>>
>
> --
> Jerry Bransford
> PP-ASEL N6TAY
> See the Geezer Jeep at
> http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

Nope, it will start even with the wrong key and then after the code is
checked, the engine will be killed if the code doesn't match. I
discovered this when I had an extra key made for my wife's JGC that did
not have any kind of security chip.

Jerry

SteveBrady wrote:
> It shouldn't start at all if you have the wrong key.
> At work we have a cherokee and it's key fits in my ignition...and will turn
> it, but the KEY-shaped light comes on, on my console....no start though1
>
>
> "Jerry Bransford" > wrote in message
> news:Gk4_d.72020$Tt.69316@fed1read05...
>
>>Do you have a security "Sentry" key system? If so, I'm betting it's
>>related to that.
>>
>>ElAlumbrado wrote:
>>
>>>I've got a 2000 4-cylinder manual Wrangler. The other day, after stopping
>>>for a bit in the back-country of Big Bend National Park, we started
>>>experiencing a problem. The Jeep would start and run normally for roughly
>>>3 seconds, then quit as if the ignition were turned off. I checked
>>>everything I could at the time, including fuses, relays, fuel delivery,
>>>and airflow. Fuel was near full and oil pressure read normal before the
>>>engine cut off. Problem is reliably repeatable (meaning I still can't get
>>>the blasted thing to run for more than 3 seconds). Couldn't find anything
>>>obviously wrong, which makes me suspect it's an "electronic" problem.
>>>Does anybody have any ideas what to look for?
>>>
>>>After waiting for about 8 hours, the Border Patrol finally found us and
>>>dispatched a *very* expensive tow truck to haul us back to our RV. With
>>>the Jeep malfunctioning, we cut our little vacation short, hooked it up
>>>to the RV and drove home. I'm reluctant to take the Jeep off-road again
>>>until (1) I know what caused the problem and (2) have a way to fix it (at
>>>least temporarily) in the field should it happen again.
>>>
>>>Thanks for your help,
>>>Bill
>>>

>>
>>--
>>Jerry Bransford
>>PP-ASEL N6TAY
>>See the Geezer Jeep at
>>http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/
>
>
>

--
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL N6TAY
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

"Jerry Bransford" > wrote in message
news:Gk4_d.72020$Tt.69316@fed1read05...
> Do you have a security "Sentry" key system? If so, I'm betting it's
> related to that.

Key is the same key I've been using for 5 years. Perhaps a sensor
failure of some kind?

Bill

try the crank position sensor


"ElAlumbrado" > wrote in message
...
> I've got a 2000 4-cylinder manual Wrangler. The other day, after stopping
> for a bit in the back-country of Big Bend National Park, we started
> experiencing a problem. The Jeep would start and run normally for roughly
> 3 seconds, then quit as if the ignition were turned off. I checked
> everything I could at the time, including fuses, relays, fuel delivery,
> and airflow. Fuel was near full and oil pressure read normal before the
> engine cut off. Problem is reliably repeatable (meaning I still can't get
> the blasted thing to run for more than 3 seconds). Couldn't find anything
> obviously wrong, which makes me suspect it's an "electronic" problem. Does
> anybody have any ideas what to look for?
>
> After waiting for about 8 hours, the Border Patrol finally found us and
> dispatched a *very* expensive tow truck to haul us back to our RV. With
> the Jeep malfunctioning, we cut our little vacation short, hooked it up to
> the RV and drove home. I'm reluctant to take the Jeep off-road again until
> (1) I know what caused the problem and (2) have a way to fix it (at least
> temporarily) in the field should it happen again.
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Bill
>
>
>

A friend of mine had a cougar that did the exact same thing. It was
actually the ignition switch itself. The tumbler that the key inserts into.
As it sprung back from "start" to "run" it would cut off. After starting
it, I'd let go just enough to disengage the starter. It would run forever,
until you let the key go.

Eric
99 TJ SE
"ElAlumbrado" > wrote in message
...
> I've got a 2000 4-cylinder manual Wrangler. The other day, after stopping
> for a bit in the back-country of Big Bend National Park, we started
> experiencing a problem. The Jeep would start and run normally for roughly
> 3 seconds, then quit as if the ignition were turned off. I checked
> everything I could at the time, including fuses, relays, fuel delivery,
> and airflow. Fuel was near full and oil pressure read normal before the
> engine cut off. Problem is reliably repeatable (meaning I still can't get
> the blasted thing to run for more than 3 seconds). Couldn't find anything
> obviously wrong, which makes me suspect it's an "electronic" problem. Does
> anybody have any ideas what to look for?
>
> After waiting for about 8 hours, the Border Patrol finally found us and
> dispatched a *very* expensive tow truck to haul us back to our RV. With
> the Jeep malfunctioning, we cut our little vacation short, hooked it up to
> the RV and drove home. I'm reluctant to take the Jeep off-road again until
> (1) I know what caused the problem and (2) have a way to fix it (at least
> temporarily) in the field should it happen again.
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Bill
>
>
>

I would be checking the fuel pump. One that's on it's way out will do
that: enough pressure builds up to start but not enough capacity to
even keep up with idle RPM fuel usage. A badly clogged fuel filter
can act the same way, but you should have had some warning if that was
the case (stumbling at higher RPM, etc.).

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:30:09 UTC "ElAlumbrado"
> wrote:

> I've got a 2000 4-cylinder manual Wrangler. The other day, after
> stopping for a bit in the back-country of Big Bend National Park, we
> started experiencing a problem. The Jeep would start and run normally
> for roughly 3 seconds, then quit as if the ignition were turned off. I
> checked everything I could at the time, including fuses, relays, fuel
> delivery, and airflow. Fuel was near full and oil pressure read normal
> before the engine cut off. Problem is reliably repeatable (meaning I
> still can't get the blasted thing to run for more than 3 seconds).
> Couldn't find anything obviously wrong, which makes me suspect it's an
> "electronic" problem. Does anybody have any ideas what to look for?
>
> After waiting for about 8 hours, the Border Patrol finally found us and
> dispatched a *very* expensive tow truck to haul us back to our RV. With
> the Jeep malfunctioning, we cut our little vacation short, hooked it up
> to the RV and drove home. I'm reluctant to take the Jeep off-road again
> until (1) I know what caused the problem and (2) have a way to fix it
> (at least temporarily) in the field should it happen again.
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Bill
>
>
>
>


--
Will Honea

Could be, if the Auto Shutdown relay doesn't get a signal from the
Crank Position Sensor it will shut down at three seconds, as per:
http://www.billhughes.com/TJshutdown.pdf
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O


ISellJeeps wrote:
>
> try the crank position sensor