My daily driver TJ won’t start

[medicnole]

Please help I have been without my daily driver AKA my 2006 65th anniversary edition Wrangler for almost a week now. I have tried everything I can think of and going on YouTube and these forms looking for the fix but no luck yet so I'm hoping someone on here can help? Here is the situation:

I have a 2006 Wrangler TJ 65th anniversary edition manual transmission with a hundred and seventy thousand miles on it. I was driving to a friend's house and waiting at a stoplight, after it went green I press on the accelerator and it stalled I thought maybe I let off the clutch too early so tried starting it back up a couple times and eventually started and was able to sputter off to the side of the road but then eventually died again and has not started back up since. I thought maybe the battery or the starter. When I charge the battery fully then try to start it the voltage drops way down. It will crank and crank and crank but no start. Someone suggested that it sounded like it wasn't getting fuel but then when I put the key in the run position I could hear the fuel pump priming. I tried spraying starter fluid in the intake but still could not get it to start. Also when I try to crank it, the rpm gauge doesn't move. I know from my past wranglers that this was a sign of a bad crankshaft positioning sensor so I bought a new one and switched that out and still no change. I checked what I believed to be all the grounds and clean them all and also checked all the fuses but they all were fine but still nothing.I'm at my Wit's end and I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow and have no transportation. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[quinngs]

Long shot as mine wouldn’t turn over at all, but would not crank as yours is doing. Try pulling the gear shift knob off, pull out and reset the little rod down inside the shifter. It is made of plastic and the end wears down. Like I said mine wouldn’t turn over at all when I had to do this. Just trying to help narrow down without more money spent.

 

[Rubicon88]

You really need to get a fuel pressure reading. Hearing the pump prime is a good indication it's working but it could be weak.

It needs explored to confirm or rule out more than just I hear it.

Testing for spark is another one.

You have a coil on plug motor but you can still test for spark.

I'd start with those. Fuel first, spark next.

Good luck.

 

[CharlesHS]

After replacing the CKPS I would again try pouring a little fuel down the throat of the throttle body and see if the engine starts.
Since you replaced the CKPS already you can remove the bolts holding the coil rail onto the sparkplugs to check for spark.
As posted above; purchase or find someone that has a fuel pressure gauge so you can test the fuel pump and fuel rail pressure at the fuel rail screw on test port; should be about 49 psi.

 

[Rubicon88]

Pick up an OTC 5630
https://www.otctools.com/products/fuel-pressure-tester-kit
Advance usually has them. It will last you a life time and I promise you will use it again another day.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Long shot as mine wouldn’t turn over at all, but would not crank as yours is doing. Try pulling the gear shift knob off, pull out and reset the little rod down inside the shifter. It is made of plastic and the end wears down. Like I said mine wouldn’t turn over at all when I had to do this. Just trying to help narrow down without more money spent.

When the engine is cranking as the OP's is that won't affect its ability to start. And if the shifter is not in Park or Neutral it won't even crank.

As others above, I too suspect a fuel issue, try using more starting fluid.

 

[Darkwing327]

Not to scare you as I am in for agreeing with the fuel issue as well. However....

It only takes three things to make a bang...air, fuel and spark. If you are not getting any backfire out of the intake or exhaust after spraying starter fluid, you aren't getting any spark. Hopefully it is just flooded to death and the plugs just need to be dried out. If that is not the case, my first guess would be the OPDA gear/cam has stripped. Or coil pack....or PCM.

Easy to pull the plugs. Easy to pull the OPDA...also easy to put it back in wrong so be vigilant in doing this if you choose to.

 

[four angry squirrels]

I had a similar experience. I was heading off to work and all of a sudden my engine just died installed in the lane way. everything electrical seemed like it was working I was able to crank it multiple times but no luck. I found out later on that my aftermarket fog light wiring had disconnected and touched the body of the Jeep and shorted a fuse. It turns out I used the fuse bypass on the ignition coil - fuel injector fuse and burnt it out. the actual fuse that burnt out didn't look like it was burnt out it was only slightly off colour but I ran it through a electrical metre and it was definitely done.
I would suggest checking all the fuses related to ignition /fuel / starter.

 

[medicnole]

Okay update: now it seems like the problem is even worse after cleaning the grounds and replacing the starter. When I reconnected the battery and put the key in the on position it makes a weird buzzing sound from the engine bay and won't even crank now. My battery was at 12.4 volts, but after one attempt at starting, the voltage level drop down significantly to about 9 and still no RPM movementw whenattempting to start

 

[D M]

x2 to fuel issue, had the same problem on mine, fuel pressure should be between 40-60psi I believe, mine was reading 15 even though it still made noise

 

[medicnole]

Okay that's it I've spent over a week day in and day out trying to get my 06 manual TJ running after it just out of the blue died on me when I was sitting at a stoplight. I replace the crankshaft positioning sensor, checked all my grounds, checked the clutch safety switch, and still no start or crank I guess for that matter. When I put the key in and turn it to the run position it makes a loud buzzing sound coming from the fuse box and particularly the ASD. When I go to crank it you can hear the clicking of the starter but that's it. I have tried looking at YouTube videos reading forums and I have the Haynes manual and I'm just out of ideas on how to get this running, and since it's my daily driver it is my lifeline to survive. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know or if this is happening to you how did you fix it I just don't know where to go from here. I'm going to lose my job if I can't get it fixed by Monday, but time is of the essence thanks again to everyone for all your suggestions. One last note, when I put it into the accessory position when I go to crank it there are no RPMs, nothing moves but my battery and gas gauge do register

 

[jeepguy03]

If it was cranking before you cleaned the grounds and the starter connection recheck/tighten what you took apart. The clicking at the starter is usually a bad connection if it was spinning over before. You have to check fuel pressure and spark, otherwise you won't know which one to troubleshoot.

 

[Kaptainkid1]

Okay that's it I've spent over a week day in and day out trying to get my 06 manual TJ running after it just out of the blue died on me when I was sitting at a stoplight. I replace the crankshaft positioning sensor, checked all my grounds, checked the clutch safety switch, and still no start or crank I guess for that matter. When I put the key in and turn it to the run position it makes a loud buzzing sound coming from the fuse box and particularly the ASD. When I go to crank it you can hear the clicking of the starter but that's it. I have tried looking at YouTube videos reading forums and I have the Haynes manual and I'm just out of ideas on how to get this running, and since it's my daily driver it is my lifeline to survive. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know or if this is happening to you how did you fix it I just don't know where to go from here. I'm going to lose my job if I can't get it fixed by Monday, but time is of the essence thanks again to everyone for all your suggestions. One last note, when I put it into the accessory position when I go to crank it there are no RPMs, nothing moves but my battery and gas gauge do register

You seem not to have the right tools and knowledge. Take it to mechanic and let a professional fix the issue. Did you even put ODBII and see what error code you have? Also you have been cranking so much that you have killed the battery too. I would charge or get a new battery depending how old it is.

 

[medicnole]

Yes I've tried an OBD2 tool and it read no errors same thing when I turn the ignition 3 times to get the error codes it does not give any. I have left my battery on a charger overnight fully charged and still nothing I've even tried to jump start it and nothing. When I put the key into the accessory position I can hear and feel the ASD relay clicking back and forth real fast for about 5 seconds and then it stops. so when I try to crank it it just will click I've even tried to bypass the ignition switch by running a jumper wire directly to the starter solenoid and can get it to crank but it won't ever kick over to start

 

[Kaptainkid1]

Yes I've tried an OBD2 tool and it read no errors same thing when I turn the ignition 3 times to get the error codes it does not give any. I have left my battery on a charger overnight fully charged and still nothing I've even tried to jump start it and nothing. When I put the key into the accessory position I can hear and feel the ASD relay clicking back and forth real fast for about 5 seconds and then it stops. so when I try to crank it it just will click I've even tried to bypass the ignition switch by running a jumper wire directly to the starter solenoid and can get it to crank but it won't ever kick over to start

The error codes will clear if you have the battery off over night or couple hours. The errors might have cleared and ODBII is reset. If the battery isn't cranking the starter motor then the battery could be dead and too old. It's not holding a proper charge.

 

[amarusu]

Same thing happened to me a little while ago. I found it was the wire connecting the alternator to the battery was damaged.

 

[TWiG01]

Just to get back on track. Like others have said, you need to check for fuel pressure and spark. I’d be willing to bet one of those will give you an idea of what you need to focus your efforts on.

 

[Rubicon88]

So many people refuse to get the right tooling for diagnosis.
I'm not sure why because they'd rather throw parts at it not fixing it than get a tool for same $$$ or less and start a proper diagnosis.

This thing above needs fuel pressure checked before anything else.
If that's ok...then spark check is next.

Until then is all guessing and pipe hoping

 

[98TxTJ]

"When I charge the battery fully then try to start it the voltage drops way down."

"When I reconnected the battery and put the key in the on position it makes a weird buzzing sound from the engine bay and won't even crank now. My battery was at 12.4 volts, but after one attempt at starting, the voltage level drop down significantly to about 9."

Have your battery load tested. I think it's bad.

 

[medicnole]

I had the battery load tester today and they said it was fine