1988 JEEP CHEROKEE engine overheat

in the section(s) you are accessing.
BASIC GASOLINE ENGINE - MECHANICAL TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART









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CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION








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Engine Lopes At Intake manifold-to-head Replace manifold
Idle leaks gasket, See ENGINES
Blown head gasket Replace head gasket,
See ENGINES
Worn timing gears, chain Replace gears, chain or
or sprocket sprocket
Worn camshaft lobes Replace camshaft, See
ENGINES
Overheated engine Check cooling system,
See COOLING
Blocked crankcase vent Remove restriction
valve
Leaking EGR valve Repair leak and/or
replace valve
Faulty fuel pump Replace fuel pump









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Engine Has Low Leaking fuel pump Repair leak and/or
Power replace fuel pump
Excessive piston-to-bore Install larger pistons,
clearance See ENGINES
Sticking valves or weak Check valve train
valve springs components, See ENGINES
Incorrect valve timing Reset valve timing, See
ENGINES
Worn camshaft lobes Replace camshaft, See
ENGINES
Blown head gasket Replace head gasket.
See ENGINES.
Clutch slipping Adjust pedal and/or
replace components, See
ENGINES
Engine overheating Check cooling system,
See COOLING
Auto. Trans. pressure
regulator valve faulty Replace pressure
regulator valve
Auto. Trans. fluid level Add fluid as necessary
too low
Improper vacuum diverter
valve operation Replace vacuum diverter
valve
Vacuum leaks Inspect vacuum system
and repair as required
Leaking piston rings Replace piston rings,
See ENGINES









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Faulty High Low fuel pump volume Replace fuel pump
Speed Operation
Leaking valves or worn Replace valves and/or
springs, See ENGINES
Incorrect valve timing Reset valve timing,See
ENGINES
Intake manifold restricted Remove restriction
Worn distributor shaft Replace distributor









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Faulty Improper fuel pump stroke Remove pump and reset
Acceleration pump stroke

Missing valve lock Install new valve lock
Excessively worn camshaft Replace camshaft, See
lobes ENGINES
Plugged valve lifter oil Eliminate restriction
holes or replace lifter
Faulty valve lifter check Replace lifter check
ball ball, See ENGINES
Rocker arm nut installed Remove and reinstall
upside down correctly
Valve lifter incorrect for Remove and replace
engine valve lifters
Faulty push rod seat or Replace plunger or push
lifter plunger rod









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Noisy Valves Improper valve lash Re-adjust valve lash,
See ENGINES
Worn or dirty valve lifters Clean and/or replace
lifters
Worn valve guides Replace valve guides,
See ENGINES
Excessive valve seat or Reface seats or valve
face run-out face
Worn camshaft lobes Replace camshaft, See
ENGINES
Loose rocker arm studs Re-tighten rocker arm
studs, See ENGINES
Bent push rods Replace push rods, See
ENGINES
Broken valve springs Replace valve springs,
See ENGINES









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Burned,Sticking Weak valve springs or Replace valves and/or
or Broken Valves warped valves springs, See ENGINES
Improper lifter clearance Re-adjust clearance or
replace lifters
Worn guides or improper Replace valve guides,
guide clearance See ENGINES
Out-of-round valve seats Re-grind valve seats
or improper seat width
Gum deposits on valve Remove deposits
stems, seats or guides
Improper spark timing Re-adjust spark timing









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Broken Undersize pistons Replace with larger
Pistons/Rings pistons, See ENGINES
Wrong piston rings Replace with correct
rings, See ENGINES
Out-of-round cylinder bore Re-bore cylinder bore
Improper connecting rod Remove and realign
alignment connecting rods
Excessively worn ring Replace pistons, See
grooves ENGINES
Improperly assembled Re-assemble pin-to
piston pins -piston, See ENGINES
Insufficient ring gap Install new rings, See
clearance ENGINES
Engine overheating Check cooling system
Incorrect ignition timing Re-adjust ignition
timing, See TUNE-UP









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Excessive Leaks at manifold to Replace manifold or
Exhaust Noise head, or to pipe pipe gasket
Exhaust manifold Replace exhaust

Incorrect injector pump Check pressure, see
housing pressure FUEL SYSTEMS









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Engine Cooling system leaks Check cooling system
Overheating and repair leaks
Belt slipping or damaged Check tension and/or
replace belt
Thermostat stuck closed Remove and replace
thermostat, see
ENGINE COOLING
Head gasket leaking Replace head gasket









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Oil Light on at Low oil pump pressure Check oil pump
Idle operation, see ENGINES
Oil cooler or line Remove restriction
restricted and/or replace cooler









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Engine Won't Injector pump fuel solenoid Remove and check
Shut Off does not return fuel valve solenoid and replace
to OFF position if needed









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VACUUM PUMP DIAGNOSIS
Excessive Noise Loose pump-to-drive Tighten screws
assembly screws
Loose tube on pump assembly Tighten tube
Valves not functioning Replace valves
properly
Oil Leakage Loose end plug Tighten end plug
Bad seal crimp Remove and re-crimp
seal









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FUEL INJECTION TROUBLE SHOOTING
NOTE: This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended
to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle
configuration. The purpose of this Trouble Shooting
information is to provide a list of common causes to
problem symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting,
refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available
in the section(s) you are accessing.
BASIC FUEL INJECTION TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART









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CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION








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Engine Won't Cold start valve inoperative Test valve and
Start (Cranks circuit
Normally)
Poor connection;vacuum or Check vacuum and
wiring electrical
connections
Contaminated fuel Test fuel for water
or alcohol
Defective fuel pump relay Test relay and
or circuit wiring
Battery too low Charge and test
battery

or alcohol
Intermittent ECM ground Test ECM ground
connection for
resistance
Restricted air cleaner Replace air cleaner
Restricted exhaust system Test for exhaust
manifold back
pressure
Poor MAF sensor signal Check leakage
between sensor and
manifold
Poor VSS signal If tester for ALCL
hook-up is available
check that VSS
reading matches
speedometer









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Ping or Knock on Poor Knock sensor signal Test for shorted or
Acceleration open sensor or
circuit
Poor Baro sensor signal Test for shorted or
open sensor or
circuit
Improper ignition timing See VEHICLE EMISSION
CONTROL LABEL (where
applicable)
Check for engine Low coolant, loose
overheating problems belts or electric
cooling fan
inoperative









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NOTE: For additional electronic fuel injection trouble shooting
information, see the appropriate article in the ENGINE
PERFORMANCE section (not all vehicles have Computer Engine
Control articles). Information is provided there for
diagnosing fuel system problems on vehicles with electronic
fuel injection.
IGNITION SYSTEM TROUBLE SHOOTING
NOTE: This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended
to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle
configuration. The purpose of this Trouble Shooting
information is to provide a list of common causes to
problem symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting,
refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available
in the section(s) you are accessing.
Ignition Secondary Trouble Shooting Chart








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START: Visually inspect Spark Plug Wires, Coil Wires, 

Plug Wire Boots, Rotor, and Distributor Cap for 

signs of damage. 

connections for
tight and clean
connections
Ignition switch faulty Adjust or replace
or misadjusted ignition switch as
necessary









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Starter Cranks Battery weak or Charge or replace
Engine Slowly defective battery as necessary
Engine overheated See ENGINE COOLING
SYSTEM article
Engine oil too heavy Check that proper
viscosity oil
is used
Poor battery-to-starter Check that all
connections between
battery and starter are
clean and tight
Current draw too low or See Bench Tests in
too high STARTER article
Bent armature, loose pole See STARTER article
shoes screws or worn
bearings
Burned solenoid contacts Replace solenoid
Faulty starter Replace starter









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Starter Engages Engine timing too far See Ignition Timing in
Engine Only advanced TUNE-UP article
Momentarily
Overrunning clutch not Replace overrunning
engaging properly clutch. See STARTER
article
Broken starter clutch See STARTER article
Broken teeth on engine Replace flywheel and
flywheel check starter pinion
gear for damage
Weak drive assembly See STARTER article
thrust spring
Weak hold-in coil See Bench Tests in
STARTER article









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Starter Drive Defective point assembly See Testing in STARTER
Will Not Engage article
Poor point assembly ground See Testing in STARTER
article
Defective pull-in coil Replace starter
solenoid









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Starter Relay Dead battery Charge or replace

Excessive cylinder wear Rebore or replace
block
Excessive valve guide Worn or loose bearing
clearance









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Gap Bridged Deposits in combustion Clean combustion
chamber becoming fused chamber of deposits
to electrode









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Blistered Engine overheating Check cooling system
Electrode
Wrong type of fuel Replace with correct
fuel
Loose spark plugs Retighten spark plugs
Over-advanced ignition Reset ignition timing
timing see ENGINE PERFORMANCE









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Pre-Ignition or Incorrect type of fuel Replace with correct
Melted Electrodes fuel
Incorrect ignition timing Reset ignition timing
see ENGINE PERFORMANCE
Burned valves Replace valves
Engine Overheating Check cooling system
Wrong type of spark plug, Replace with correct
too hot spark plug, see
ENGINE PERFORMANCE









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Chipped Severe detonation Check for over-
Insulators advanced timing or
combustion
Improper gapping Re-gap spark plugs
procedure









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Rust Colored Additives in unleaded Try different fuel
Deposits fuel brand









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Water In Combus- Blown head gasket or Repair or replace
tion Chamber cracked head head or head gasket









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NOTE: Before diagnosing an electronic ignition system, ensure that
all wiring is connected properly between distributor, wiring
connector and spark plugs. Ignition problem will show up
either as: Engine Will Not Start or Engine Runs Rough.
BASIC ELECTRONIC IGNITION TROUBLE SHOOTING CHARTS









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CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION








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Engine Won't Open circuit between Repair circuit
Start distributor and bulkhead
connector
Open circuit between Repair circuit
bulkhead connector and

\003
TU NE-U P - 6 -C YL

1988 J e ep C hero ke e
1987-88 TUNE-UP
Jeep 6 Cylinder Tune-Up
Cherokee, Comanche, Wagoneer, Wrangler
IDENTIFICATION
ENGINE IDENTIFICATION
Engine can be identified by the fourth character of engine
Build Date Code number, located on a tag attached to right side of
block between No. 2 and 3 cylinders.
The same code letter is also the fourth character in the
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), located at top left corner of
dashboard.
ENGINE CODE TABLE









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Engine Code
4.0L (242") MPFI ....................................... M
4.2L (258") 2-Bbl. ..................................... C









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TUNE-UP NOTES
NOTE: When performing tune-up procedures described in this
article, these notes and precautions must be followed.
Due to late changes and corrections, always refer to Emission
Control Label in engine compartment before attempting tune-up. If
manual and label specifications differ, use label specifications.
When performing tune-up on vehicles equipped with a catalytic
converter, do not allow or create an engine misfire in one or more
cylinders for an extended period of time. Damage to converter from
overheating may occur due to loading with unburned fuel.
TESTING
ENGINE COMPRESSION
Check compression pressure with engine at normal operating
temperature, all spark plugs removed, throttle and choke valves wide
open and engine at cranking speed.
COMPRESSION SPECIFICATIONS TABLE









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Application Specification
Compression Ratio .................................. 9.2:1
Compression Pressure ....... 120-150 psi (8.4-10.5 kg/cm
)
Maximum Variation Between Cylinders .. 30 psi (2.1 kg/cm)








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HIGH TENSION WIRE RESISTANCE
Do not puncture spark plug wires with any type of probe.
Remove spark plug wire and check resistance using an ohmmeter.

3800 engines were suffering from exactly this. The point is that a
lack of detail could cause misdiagnosis.
As you might have guessed, a lab scope would not miss this.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DWELL & DUTY CYCLE READINGS TABLE (1)









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Dwell Meter (2) Duty Cycle Meter
1
.................................................... 1%
15 .................................................. 25%
30 .................................................. 50%
45 .................................................. 75%
60 ................................................. 100%
( 1) - These are just some examples for your understanding.
It is okay to fill in the gaps.
( 2) - Dwell meter on the six-cylinder scale.









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THE TWO TYPES OF INJECTOR DRIVERS
OVERVIEW
There are two types of transistor driver circuits used to
operate electric fuel injectors: voltage controlled and current
controlled. The voltage controlled type is sometimes called a
"saturated switch" driver, while the current controlled type is
sometimes known as a "peak and hold" driver.
The basic difference between the two is the total resistance
of the injector circuit. Roughly speaking, if a particular leg in an
injector circuit has total resistance of 12 or more ohms, a voltage
control driver is used. If less than 12 ohms, a current control driver
is used.
It is a question of what is going to do the job of limiting
the current flow in the injector circuit; the inherent "high"
resistance in the injector circuit, or the transistor driver. Without
some form of control, the current flow through the injector would
cause the solenoid coil to overheat and result in a damaged injector.
VOLTAGE CONTROLLED CIRCUIT ("SATURATED SWITCH")
The voltage controlled driver inside the computer operates
much like a simple switch because it does not need to worry about
limiting current flow. Recall, this driver typically requires injector
circuits with a total leg resistance of 12 or more ohms.
The driver is either ON, closing/completing the circuit
(eliminating the voltage-drop), or OFF, opening the circuit (causing \
a
total voltage drop).
Some manufacturers call it a "saturated switch" driver. This
is because when switched ON, the driver allows the magnetic field in
the injector to build to saturation. This is the same "saturation"
property that you are familiar with for an ignition coil.
There are two ways "high" resistance can be built into an
injector circuit to limit current flow. One method uses an external
solenoid resistor and a low resistance injector, while the other uses
a high resistance injector without the solenoid resistor. See the left
side of Fig. 1.
In terms of injection opening time, the external resistor
voltage controlled circuit is somewhat faster than the voltage
controlled high resistance injector circuit. The trend, however, seems
to be moving toward use of this latter type of circuit due to its
lower cost and reliability. The ECU can compensate for slower opening