Random shutoff/stalling - Engine Code 11

SirDoopYJ

SirDoopYJ

YJ Enthusiast
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Joined
Oct 2, 2020
Messages
755
Location
Stick Red, Louisiana
I changed out my transmission gasket and refilled it with fluid recently and in doing so, I will check my dip stick every now and then to make sure I am not leaking and have enough fluid. A couple of times when checking the dip stick, the Jeep would randomly shut off. This past Monday, I am driving down the road and start braking to prepare for a turn and my engine shuts off. I thought these occurrences had to do with not having enough fluid in my transmission because I can still feel my shifting kind of jerk or not really catch here and there. I brought the Jeep home and checked the dip stick and it still needed a pint.

Jeep was running fine up until yesterday. It shut off not soon after I stuck it in 4-Hi when doing a little trail near my house, but this time it would turn over, but not start back up. I checked around the engine bay to see if there was anything, checked the relays. I tried starting it again and it came on. I drove maybe 10 feet, stalled again, and wouldn't start until after 10 minutes of sitting around. Once I got it started I drove it straight home before having it die on me again.

I checked the engine codes and one of them was code 11 (No crank reference signal detected during cranking. Timing belt skipped one or more teeth; or intermittent loss of either camshaft position sensor or crankshaft position sensor.).

After doing further research it seems it could possibly be both my camshaft and crankshaft sensor? Bad camshaft sensor usually causes erratic stalling or not starting and a bad crankshaft sensor will stall the engine and not start until it cools down.

I am going to further investigate after work to make sure they are bad before I order new sensors, they are pretty expensive. Should I look into anything else?
 
Sounds like the crankshaft position sensor, a $40 part at places like R/A. The run,not run it what typically happens when the go south. Plus if your seals leak it could have gotten so goobered up with a oily dirty covering its not reading anymore. I do not believe your 95 or the early 2.5's use a Camshaft sensor. I have a 91 4 banger and there are runs of sensor wires that would flap around in the wind or on a bumpy road to the point the inner wire itself could break. Ive had it happen on my Buell and some other motorized stuff. After you get it going again Id get a bag or zip ties and secure things better than jeep did.
 
Gilaguy23 said:
Sounds like the crankshaft position sensor, a $40 part at places like R/A. The run,not run it what typically happens when the go south. Plus if your seals leak it could have gotten so goobered up with a oily dirty covering its not reading anymore. I do not believe your 95 or the early 2.5's use a Camshaft sensor. I have a 91 4 banger and there are runs of sensor wires that would flap around in the wind or on a bumpy road to the point the inner wire itself could break. Ive had it happen on my Buell and some other motorized stuff. After you get it going again Id get a bag or zip ties and secure things better than jeep did.
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They all (91+) have a camshaft sensor but it’s not called that. It’s called the distributor ignition pickup coil. It could be bad, but the crank position sensor seemingly goes bad far more often.

Crank position is where I’d start. Keep it clean and if it doesn’t solve the issue, return it or save as a spare.
 
I am trying to test it with a multmeter. I have it set to Ohms 2000 and checking B and C terminal as it states in the FSM. Meter reads 1 no matter which way I touch the B and C circuits with the red and black terminals.

Idk if the terminals are plugged correctly either. This is my first time using a meter.
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Cleaned oil off with a towel and bolted sensor back. I check my codes, code is gone. It starts, I drive it around to test it doing between 25 and 35 mph. I turn on the main hwy and the moment I punch it a little it kills and leaves me stranded for 5 minutes before I can start it again and drive back home. Code 11 is back.
 
I had a similar problem, but the crankshaft position sensor itself was fine. On mine, if you trace backwards from the sensor and up the wire, there is a connector for the sensor wiring near the back of the power steering reservoir. In my case, that connector had been installed with a broken "snap" latch so the connector would open up intermittently. Not "come apart", but internally "unconnect" if you will. I replaced the connector, but could have been creative with small wire ties.

Another subject... I see you have the $6 Harbor Freight Digital Multimeter. I have about 5 of them myself, scattered around the house so as to be handy when needed. I like them, but I've had two meters fail... not he meter itself but the leads they use that plug into the front. The wire-to-probe connections are small and manufacturing quality is "iffy", so I would also get the "1" indication if the lead was not being held in a particular position for the internal wire to make contact. I tried to repair one of them, but found it easier to just buy a couple new meters on my next visit to Harbor Freight. I didn't even try to return them. Just a "for what it's worth" comment.

One last comment... I don't think that the amount of dirt/oil your picture shows on the sensor surface is enough to cause your problem. Just wipe it off. However, when installing that connector, it needs to be secured (bolted) VERY close to the crankshaft dampener (.020 to .060 inch clearance), We're talking the thickness of a stiff piece of paper AFTER tightening it down. Do not overtorque. If you crack the sensor housing and/or bracket, it's a new sensor for you. Just for interest, I'll admit that I have a spare crankshaft position sensor on my parts shelf. Mopar used to sell an "offroad kit" that included a spare crankshaft sensor for back-country repairs. On mine, that kit also included a spare electric fuel pump. That fuel pump is NOT something all Jeep YJ's use.
 
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Grabbed another meter from my dad's shed. He gets them all the time at Harbor Freight as well. I am still getting a 1. I popped off the panel that runs along the intake to expose the wiring and removed electrical tape here and there Here is what it looks like and what I found. Looks like the A wire on the connector is exposed.

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Would the exposed A wire on the connector cause a problem? It was wrapped with electrical tape. Where can I find a new connectoe to splice in?
 
SirDoopYJ said:
Would the exposed A wire on the connector cause a problem? It was wrapped with electrical tape. Where can I find a new connectoe to splice in?
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Probably not ever going to find that connector, but you could just get a simple weatherproof 3-wire plug and wire it up. They make them with wires hanging out that you can just splice in with heat shrink butt crimps.
 
machoheadgames said:
Probably not ever going to find that connector, but you could just get a simple weatherproof 3-wire plug and wire it up. They make them with wires hanging out that you can just splice in with heat shrink butt crimps.
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So I will have to splice one end on the connector side and then splice the mating one to the sensor side?
 
SirDoopYJ said:
So I will have to splice one end on the connector side and then splice the mating one to the sensor side?
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Yeah, something like what you see when you search 3-wire pigtail on amazon. I tried to link but it wouldn’t work. You would get rid of the factory plug and splice each side of one of those kits to your sensor and body wiring. In the future, sensor replacements would of course require splicing another plug onto the new sensor. Not a big deal though.
 
machoheadgames said:
Yeah, something like what you see when you search 3-wire pigtail on amazon. I tried to link but it wouldn’t work. You would get rid of the factory plug and splice each side of one of those kits to your sensor and body wiring. In the future, sensor replacements would of course require splicing another plug onto the new sensor. Not a big deal though.
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I understand. Your link is not working for me though.
 
Alright, went ahead and bought a new CPS from Napa. Echlin ignition brand. I noticed that they also sell what I thought was a "box of spacers" for 5 dollars. The image displayed even had more than a few spacers. Nope, I just received one little spacer for 5 dollars. The automatic must also use thicker spacers because this boy was thicc. The new CPS also didn't come with a spacer. So much for my 5 dollar spare.

Good news though. Installed new CPS and no stall issue yet. It started and I let it sit idle for 10 minutes. Took the Jeep out where there are halfway done with a subdivision and drove it up and down on a square section of road and turns. I had an old couple in a golf cart come watch me and probably wondering why the hell I was running laps non stop. I should of stopped and asked what my fastest time was.
 
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SirDoopYJ said:
Alright, went ahead and bought a new CPS from Napa. Echlin ignition brand. I noticed that they also sell what I thought was a "box of spacers" for 5 dollars. The image displayed even had more than a few spacers. Nope, I just received one little spacer for 5 dollars. The automatic must also use thicker spacers because this boy was thicc. The new CPS also didn't come with a spacer. So much for my 5 dollar spare.

Good news though. Installed new CPS and no stall issue yet. It started and I let it sit idle for 10 minutes. Took the Jeep out where there are halfway done with a subdivision and drove it up and down on a square section of road and turns. I had an old couple in a golf cart come watch me and probably wondering why the hell I was running laps non stop. I should of stopped and asked what my fastest time was.
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Excellent!
I fell out of my chair on your last sentence!
 
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