95 4.0 into a 2000 Cherkokee...no start

[WHY_J]

I have a 00 cherokee with a blown engine so I swapped my spare 4.0 from my 95 Wrangler. I used all sensors and both manifolds from 00 4.0. I dropped the cam sensor into the hole for the distributor and it wouldn't fire. I then synced the oil pump drive to the engine by putting engine to TDC and aligning hole on CMP. Still no fire. It sometimes backfires and sounds like its out of time but won't actually fire up. Is there something I'm missing or are these years/engines not interchangeable?

[SilverXJ]

How did you align the hole in the Cam sensor? Is the engine giving any codes?

[IH 392]

TDC on compression?, or TDC between exhaust and intake???

[SilverXJ]

Good point. You need to be on the compression stroke. You can either:

A) remove the valve cover, watch for the intake valve to open (#2 valve) and then watch for it to close. Once closed align the TDC mark on the harmonic balancer with the 0* mark on the timing cover.

Or

B) Remove spark plug #1 (all would make it easier to turn over), put your finger on the hole and turn the engine over until you feel compression (make sure its compression not vacuum). Once you feel compression continue to turn the crank until the TDC mark on the harmonic balancer with the 0* mark on the timing cover.

Then remove the cam sensor (if it isn't already out), stick a tooth pick through the body into the alignment hole. With the notch in the body pointed toward the rear of the engine (or as close as possible) drop the sensor drive in. You may have to turn the oil pump with a screw driver to get the oil pump to align with the shaft.

Also, make sure you prime your engine first with a cut off screw driver blade and a drill.

[WHY_J]

I took out #1 got it on TDC compression, zero on timing mark, alinged cmp with toothpick and turned oil pump to match cmp. Cranks but wont fire. Shot some ether down intake and it backfired like it was still out of time.....i'm stumped

[SilverXJ]

Well, it sounds like you did it correctly. Did you use the flex plate form the 2000 or the 95?

[WHY_J]

I used the flex plate from the 2000 and transferred it to the 95 block. I set both engines to TDC 0 degrees, painted a mark on a tooth on the ring gear and a corresponding mark on the inspection plate that bolts to the engine on the bellhousing, transferred the flex plate and shield and the marks lined up.

Is it possible that the cranks are different and the 'jogs' or jut outs where the pistons connect differ between the two years based on the rotational location of the bolts for the flywheel. the flange bolt pattern is offset so I don't think I can put that on wrong. I have about 120 psi of compression in the 95 engine...its been sitting for a while so I assumed once i get some oil pumping and some compression strokes the rings, which may have collapsed a little bit from sitting

[amcinstaller]

i missed, you said there was no codes? is the transponder shutting it down? should come on solid then turn off.

[SilverXJ]

The cranks aren't different between the years. The flex plate only goes on one way with all the bolt holes lining up, so that can't be screwed up.

amcinstaller has a point. If you have the thicker grey key you will have the sentry key system. If for some reason it was failing to communicate with the PCM or skim module it would start run for a few seconds then die. And it would continue to act that way. The sentry key light would also be flashing on the dash in the few seconds that it did run.

Aside from going through, and making sure all the wiring is connected and the grounds are good, I would bet on the CPS.

Any codes? If you crank it long enough it might throw a code. I wouldn't be surprised if it threw a code that related to the ignition dwell time.

[WHY_J]

Sorry about the holiday delay. Banks for al the help. I scanned it today and there are no codes

[WHY_J]

And the key light on the dashboard does not illuminate while cranking

[WHY_J]

So I had someone pushing the coil packs down towards the plugs while cranking and it managed to fire and stay running...though it had a nasty exhaust leak at the manifold, as if the exhaust ports didn't line up on the head with the manifold flange. I turned it off and tried to duplicate it but I couldn't get it started again. Is it possible that because the head is different possibly the spark plug boots on the COP ignition can't reach the plugs and it takes time to jump the gap to the plug so it fires off time? I was thinking about swapping the 00 cyl head onto the 95 block to eliminate that possibility and stop the exhaust leak. Will I run into water port problems and oil drainage issues?

[gradon]

The 95 head(and basically 2686, 7120, 0630: 87-99 heads) has larger exhaust ports than the primaries on the 2000+ cast manifolds, so you do indeed have a leak there. I'm not sure if the aftermarket headers(Borla 17202 is one) for 2000+ have bigger primaries that'll cover the older heads. The older headers will obvious cover them, but then you have issues mating them to your precat downpipes. Use the older downpipe and weld bungs in for the precat sensors(if you have them) or use simulators(they don't control fuel, the downstream o2 does).

[SilverXJ]

The coil rail a) needs to be grounded through one of its mounting holes and b) needs to be mounted securely. It sounds like you have it just flopping around.

One the exhaust manifold leak. You probably have a leak. As grandon said, the stock header's exhaust ports are positioned too high for the earlier heads resulting in very little sealing mating. You can try to use copper rtv on both gasket sides and let it try before starting. I have also heard of people eliminating the gasket and using anerobic sealant on the intake and copper rtv on the exhaust.

Which exhaust gasket are you using btw?

[WHY_J]

The bolt holes originally used to bolt the coil rail to the head I ran nuts and bolts through and ran grounding wires to the negative terminal. I then securely zip tied the coil to the valve cover bolts so it wasn't flopping around, I'm just not sure if it reaches all. The way down to the plus. I even tried stretching the spring inside the boot.
To eliminate both exhaust port and oxygen sensor code problems can I just swap the head with no modificationsto ports for oiling and cooling. I'm using the typical graphite composite gasket you find at any part store with high temp orange rtv to seal and it leaks. I'm eventually giving this jeep to my kid brother so in the off chance he needs to repair it I rather not have crazy things like aftermarket parts and simulators that he, and the post middle aged local mechanic has no idea about