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View Full Version : Tracker Newbie



TopCrusher
October 6th, 2004, 08:36 AM
I just bought a 1996 tracker for $500, it needed a new engine so I dumped one in. The thing has been running mint for aboot 3 weeks now, however with the cold weather it has started to show some issues......now this is all new to me as im a Jeap guy but I saw this thing and with the 4x4 I couldnt pass it up for a winter beater....and with the way gas is im thinking of selling the old cherokee and lifting this thing in the summer.

So here is what has been happening, mainly when first thing in the morning it will start up with no problem, but once you go to shift in gear it wants to stall. There are all kinds of little lights blinking (mainly the "check engine), and rellays clicking....but if you put the petal right to the floor sometimes it will start to behave and go......sometimes it will die. Sometimes just sitting at idle it will want to stall also, almost likea a big power drain.

Now my first plan of action is to do the usual Plugs, wires, rotor, cap and im thinking the coil/iginition module (i believe its one unit on these, again new to me). However once it warms up a bit, the symptoms seem to disapeer but can show up again with no tell tale signs. Once it does do all of this none of the "Check engine light" or any idiot lights for that matter seem to stay on as if no fault had occured, like no codes were triggered.

Some other thoughts I had were maybe the MAS sensor but I thought if this was defective or given wrong signal it would at least trigger some kind of idiot light.

Any help would be greatly greatly appreciated.

Thanks Brad. :beer:

TopCrusher
October 6th, 2004, 01:14 PM
Holy crap...so I just went to the dealership to price out one of these coil combo ignition things under the distributor cap...$320!!! I guess its just gonna be wires, plugs, cap and rotor for now.....still hesitates like a bastard when cold then clears up a bit as it warms up...wierd.

Twinkie
October 6th, 2004, 09:25 PM
Dude, check the main wiring harness/fude block in front of the battery (I think). It has 3-4 big fuses in it, check the harness/connector underneath, they are famous for corrosion, mine almost went up in flames because of it. When it starts to go the truck will act really wierd. When mine was on it's way out (took about 3 weeks) it did crazy shit, front no lights to lighting every lamp in the dash, was whacky to drive with it doing this. It's like it was possesed.

Fullload
October 6th, 2004, 11:34 PM
Sidekick nut is on to something. It could also be a connection frm the igintion module/coil assembly. Could be a bad wire to the ECM or even right under the dash at the keyswitch.
You said you swapped in a new motor right. Recheck every connection that it is plugged in and secure, espicially the ground behind the disty cap.
With a sidekick if you disconnect your MASS sensor for a second it will run like shit and flash an engine light but will go away almost instantly when you plug it back in.
Odds are it's just a cap and your getting moisture in there in the morning when it's damp.

Good luck aint electrical fun!!! P.S thats why i'm good friends with depot.

TopCrusher
October 7th, 2004, 09:16 AM
So last night i went to change the belts cause they have started to squeel.....and I manage to knock off some kind of ground thing with a spring in it.....it is right at the thermostat....somehow the whole fitting that goes into the manifold....its a single lead....almost looks like a glow plug from a s remote control car.....anyhoo broke out the old haynes...and I guess its some kind of ground thats connected to the gauge on my dash.....does anyone know if this is just a ground??? or does the whole spring contraption actually do anything....I have never seen anything like it before......at least the littel bastard isnt leaking....pow...that would have sucked!

TopCrusher
October 20th, 2004, 02:58 PM
Turns out it was the fuel pump....couldnt believe that it would cause a symptom like this...oh well live and learn....But does anyone know what the little sensor is off the thermostat housing is? I touched the wire to ground and I managed to get a full scale deflection from the needle indicating a over temp and once disconected it goes to cold. It only had a single lead wire off the top.