Hey guys and girls I'm so bummed. I wanted to build myself a Stroker for my 99 XJ for a long while. I did a lot of research, I found a receipt, on this awesome site but my jeep ran great and couldn't justify tearing her down. Then it happened! I got into a bad car wreck (not in the XJ) and was hospitalized 8 months. During that time I lent my good ole X now father in law my jeep. To make a long story more boring, by the time I was home and able to walk again, I went to get my Jeep and the Head gasket was blown. Ofcourse nothing was said and nobody knew anything but now I can build my Stroker. I found an old YJ w/ 4.2 for the crank and it was the better lower weight Crank. I had my block dipped, and bored 30 over, the crank was cleaned up and balance tested, and I had the machine shop rebuild my head which turned out to also be the desired head. Then I did the following:Cleaned-shop pined Rods for reuse
Keith Black Low Pistons .030 over
Chromoly rings
wrist pins pressed at MS.
Comp. Cam 2 steps up for torque
High Vol. Oil Pump
Raised the Main Truss and that was the lower end.
Top end:
New stock lifters
cleaned tested and reused push rods
port & polished the head and manifold slightly and installed
W/new exhaust header
reused the stock distributor
new stock timing set
High Vol. WP
Oversized radiator
New Accel hot coil
New 26lb? Ford fuel Injectors
Reused stock fuel rail
Sent out throttle body to be bored to 66mm?
K&M Cold Air Intake
Dual battery ETC.
Got everything set, fresh Super 92 Oct. Fuel and she fired right up. She sounded good, idled, was very responsive to pedal, I let her run a few mins, cut her off and drained the oil. Refilled oil, checked all fluids, water, tightness, and fired her up again. All was good, so I ran her for 20 mins between 1500 and 2000 RPM for Cam break in. I didn't go for a ride because I had the interior torn down putting in accessories. After the 20 mins she came down to an idle nicely, I cut her off and drained the oil again, clean, nice. I topped everything off, check tightness, fired her up quick this time I got a bit of a rough start and when I took my foot off the pedal and she stalled. It was late so I quit for the night.
The next day she started rough, I even had a few back fires..and she wouldn't idle. I checked the timing by ear and realized the distributor was loose. so I tried to get her tuned in but she seemed to be getting worse as far as running rough and it didn't seem to matter where the distributor was until it was far enough to kill the engine, aside from that I was so excited the night before I didn't realize how loud she was either.
I should mention, I'm a backyard mechanic and that's it! I can do this yeah as long as all is well. The last engine I rebuilt was in a 1979 Dodge 4X4 Van I had with a 360 in it. The only thing electronic in it was the choke LOL!!! I didn't even consider all the electronics when I started this build.
That started weighing on me because I suddenly realized I had know idea how to diagnose anything beyond a half assed knowledge of a multimeter. So with that I got the bright idea that perhaps the distributor was put in a tooth off. So I pulled the distributor, put it back in and nothing. it didn't even sound like she wanted to start. It was late so I quit for the night. I didn't get back out for a few days and I forgot which way I went so I took a shot and nada! After a week and a winter I began reading again, and I cam here for help. I got alot of good suggestions but somebody said, I forget what he called it but it was starting from the beginning to find TDC and reinstall the distributor, that should do it. So I read up on doing this perfect, it took a while but I got everything lined up, I put the distributor in and .......Nothing. After the winter went by I was looking a the jeep and noticed a wire hanging down under the truck. The crankshaft Position Sensor wire that was flapping down there. I was thrilled, that has to be it, so I plugged it back in and she still didn't start. I moved the distributor a bit and she wanted to go, I moved the D a little more and she started but ran horribly. I couldnt believe it. I thought what if I put the Dist. back in 180 degrees off? So I pulled the distributor and put it back in 180 degrees turned. Nothing again. So back to the drawing board, I got everything lined up to TDC put the Dist. back in a nothing! More months went by. and I realized there was no spark. By now I had been learning what and how I could diagnose different areas with the multimeter, and other methods. So I tested the CPS. and it was bad. I had to order a new one. well I don't know where it came from but it took some time. I finally got it, put it in and now still no spark.
Come to find out they sent the wrong one and when I plugged it in I didn't notice the plug fit but the connection did not connect. That took along time to figure out. I got a new one, put it in and the jeep started again. but she never ran nice again. I'm trying to look for vacuum leaks and I did find a few and fixed them........ more time went by and I got her to where I could start to truck, she would run ok, not great but ok, she would never idle again though. This past year I said I need to get this figured out. I loved that jeep, I dumped a lot of money into it and I did all this work on this engine I just wanted to get my truck back so I decided to swallow my pride and take it to a mechanic.
So I just wanted to get the interior back together before I let somebody trained in these electronic to get her tuned up, and fix the manifold gasket that I obviously messed up. So over the late summer early fall I went out to work on the interior but every so many days I started her up just to keep it running. This day I had a bunch of crap on the drivers seat so I opened the door bent down to put my hand on the gas pedal and started her up. She was real groggy this morning so I was trying to get the engine to run ahead of the fuel instead of behind if that makes sense to you? In other words it was like bogging but as I pressed the gas with hand it was beginning to come out of it then all of a sudden it started bogging badly. I was like "Oh come on!" I took my hand off the pedal, she stalled before I stood up only to see the engine burning!!!!!! What the heck!!! I tried to smother it, but no way, I grabbed an extinguisher and put it out.
The fire burned a couple of the injector wires that about it but im thinking maybe that was my problem. I didn't test the fuel rail, I don't know how or have the equipment but I remember a few of the injector o rings were hard to get on and the injectors gave me a hard time also. If the injectors were not sealed that would cause the engine to run rough correct? If anybody stayed with me this long? My question is now can anybody tell me what I need to do to replace the injector wires that burned? Please? Is it even fix able or did I flush a $6K engine down the toilet? OH MY GOD I hope not!!! Im thinking now I should really take it to a mechanic as embarrassing as that's going to be, I think if im ever going to see my Jeep on the road and get to play with it again, what do you all think? The fire had to start at the injectors, so I need to get those in correctly installed and tested right? The wires are the big problem??? Any Idea's Please???
Hey Randy your the best man, I know that was a long read... Thanl you so much for your reply !!'you gave me hope again my Friend, I mean it! Im happy dancing now 
I was sooooooooooo bummed out but the fire was not to bad from my 1st discussed look. I have to be honest, I did clean it up a bit and look at it but I was so discussed I dont remember what I saw. I dont believe it was very bad, I remember saying to myself 
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