Jeep Dies Randomly

Robert Alford

New Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
9
Location
Beaumont, TX, USA
Alright Gentlemen Im stumped on this one. This is my first post, sorry if I messed up any of the forum procedures. They will be corrected upon request. Here we go... I have a 06 Jeep Rubicon stick shift, the straight 6. Ive had a few mechanics look at it, and even left it with the dealer for a week. I replaced a number of parts that I will list at the bottom.

Symtoms:
Jeep randomly dies at stop signs, or slow speed turns.(random being that sometimes it drives perfectly fine)
Will then turn back over, sometimes the starter will grind while attempting, but will turn over and drive like nothing happened.
The fuel gauge will go immediately to empty and rest there until I've driven awhile.
The check engine light flickers but doesn't remain, nothing else on the on dash changes. (just my luck)
Radio and other gauges will remain on except fuel and cruise control, until I turn ignition again.

What has been Replaced: (get ready)
Spark Plugs
Coil Pack
Starter
Battery
Alternator
Belt
Fuel Pump with Assembly
Clean fuel tank, and ran a number of octane busters though system.

Any questions, ask away guys. Obviously this is a huge hazard, not the mention the embarrassment when people are behind you. I have a couple ideas but wanted to see what is said before I act upon them, I've been wrong too many times now and it is starting to hurt my feelings.
 
A couple common causes of sudden stalls and inability to start the engine include the CPS (crankshaft position sensor) and the ignition switch actuator pin which mounts behind the ignition switch. If you replace the CPS, avoid cheap store brands which just cause problems. I'd try to go Mopar for any sensor with the exception of O2 sensors which need to be NTK which is the OEM.

The CPS is mounted on the transmission mount and next to the flywheel. Its job is to generate the engine's master timing signal by generating electrical pulses from notches cut into the flywheel.

For the ignition switch actuator pin, this is what I bought to carry as a spare... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BYX8W8/?tag=wranglerorg-20

And keep in mind that running octane boosters NEVER HELP with anything related to our Jeep engines. They don't help the engine run any better, stronger, neither do they help clean anything. The ONLY thing octane does, and its purpose, is to make gasoline harder to ignite and slow its burn rate as is needed for engines with higher compression ratios than what the Jeep engines have.
 
Last edited:
Alright Gentlemen Im stumped on this one. This is my first post, sorry if I messed up any of the forum procedures. They will be corrected upon request. Here we go... I have a 06 Jeep Rubicon stick shift, the straight 6. Ive had a few mechanics look at it, and even left it with the dealer for a week. I replaced a number of parts that I will list at the bottom.

Symtoms:
Jeep randomly dies at stop signs, or slow speed turns.(random being that sometimes it drives perfectly fine)
Will then turn back over, sometimes the starter will grind while attempting, but will turn over and drive like nothing happened.
The fuel gauge will go immediately to empty and rest there until I've driven awhile.
The check engine light flickers but doesn't remain, nothing else on the on dash changes. (just my luck)
Radio and other gauges will remain on except fuel and cruise control, until I turn ignition again.

What has been Replaced: (get ready)
Spark Plugs
Coil Pack
Starter
Battery
Alternator
Belt
Fuel Pump with Assembly
Clean fuel tank, and ran a number of octane busters though system.

Any questions, ask away guys. Obviously this is a huge hazard, not the mention the embarrassment when people are behind you. I have a couple ideas but wanted to see what is said before I act upon them, I've been wrong too many times now and it is starting to hurt my feelings.
Sounds electrical to me. Was there so much as any freeze frame data from the OBDII?
 
Mr. Braford, I replaced the ignition actuator pin (exact link you sent) a few months ago after it broke. I will seek more information about the CPS. It always starts back up there within a few minutes.

jeep_boss, i have a programmer to read but it only covers current. The dealer said there wasn't any data to follow upon though, so they called me to pick it up. Apparently without a light on they don't want to mechanic.
 
I had this same problem and it ended up being that the OPDA was off by 30 degrees.

Long story short, needed to have ball joints replaced so dropped it off at a Jeep mechanic, highly recommended from the local Jeep forum.

The mechanic calls and says all is good....BUT, the Jeep just started to stall when approaching a stop. Mechanic kept it for another week and could not figure it out. I took the Jeep and said to myself good riddance of that so called Jeep expert...my guess was he was well past his prime and only cared about his Jeeps.

Ended up bringing the Jeep to what I thought was a generic mechanic. Guy figured it out in a few hours. OPDA, or distributed as he called it, was off. Jeep has been fine since then, and this mechanic is like gold. Dude can do it all, like a diamond in the rough find.
 
skrelnik, I did a little research on the OPDA and its sounds like a real possibility. I was just hoping you could elaborate on the symptoms of your jeep. Since you said you had the same problems.
 
skrelnik, I did a little research on the OPDA and its sounds like a real possibility. I was just hoping you could elaborate on the symptoms of your jeep. Since you said you had the same problems.

My symptoms were only that the engine would die out when at a red light or stop sign. Everything else was okay. I do not know how to check the OPDA to see if it is out of sync, so maybe someone else can chime in so you can take a look to see if that is the issue.
 
Have you check the connection at the gas tank/fuel pump? A clue to me is that your fuel gage goes to zero. There is only one harness that connects to the fuel pump and sender so, if that has corrosion or anything, you might be experiencing intermittent failure. You don't notice at high speed because it will reestablish fuel flow, and the inertia of the engine gets it going again. At low speeds like at a stop, the engine speed isn't enough to keep it fired, so it dies?

I dunno...spit balling. I sounds electrical to me, and related to fuel...not Spark. But...then again...the best small engine mechanic I know says 90% of all carb problems come from the spark plug (meaning people focus on the fuel in error).
 
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Have you check the connection at the gas tank/fuel pump? A clue to me is that your fuel gage goes to zero. There is only one harness that connects to the fuel pump and sender so, if that has corrosion or anything, you might be experiencing intermittent failure. You don't notice at high speed because it will reestablish fuel flow, and the inertia of the engine gets it going again. At low speeds like at a stop, the engine speed isn't enough to keep it fired, so it dies?

I dunno...spit balling. I sounds electrical to me, and related to fuel...not Spark. But...then again...the best small engine mechanic I know says 90% of all carb problems come from the spark plug (meaning people focus on the fuel in error).

Yep, one of the best carb re-builders in the Triumph TR6 forums says "says 90% of all carb problems are ignition/timing related"
 
I had the same issue over the post few months. I changed my exhaust manifold over the weekend. Took a spin to check everything out and my Jeep died about a mile from the house. Started it back up and made it just a little ways and died again. This time it wouldn't start and I could smell gas. Climbed under the Jeep and felt around by the tank and it was covered in gas. Traced the fuel line and sure enough it was slightly disconnected. I'm guessing taking the fuel line off the fuel rail for manifold finished of what had been going on over the last few months. Runs like new and no stalls yet. It's worth checking out.

Have you check the connection at the gas tank/fuel pump? A clue to me is that your fuel gage goes to zero. There is only one harness that connects to the fuel pump and sender so, if that has corrosion or anything, you might be experiencing intermittent failure. You don't notice at high speed because it will reestablish fuel flow, and the inertia of the engine gets it going again. At low speeds like at a stop, the engine speed isn't enough to keep it fired, so it dies?

I dunno...spit balling. I sounds electrical to me, and related to fuel...not Spark. But...then again...the best small engine mechanic I know says 90% of all carb problems come from the spark plug (meaning people focus on the fuel in error).
 
ISSUE RESOLVED: It has been a month since a new PCM was installed, and not a single issue since then.
I have been following your thread, glad you successfully made it through.
My Sahara, I spent $1,000 on a dealership just to change everything that I need them to change, broken or not, for I have around 200,000 miles already in it and it keeps me tip-top on my toes.
Now I am looking forward for the next 200,000 miles of fun memories!
 
A couple common causes of sudden stalls and inability to start the engine include the CPS (crankshaft position sensor) and the ignition switch actuator pin which mounts behind the ignition switch. If you replace the CPS, avoid cheap store brands which just cause problems. I'd try to go Mopar for any sensor with the exception of O2 sensors which need to be NTK which is the OEM.

The CPS is mounted on the transmission mount and next to the flywheel. Its job is to generate the engine's master timing signal by generating electrical pulses from notches cut into the flywheel.

For the ignition switch actuator pin, this is what I bought to carry as a spare... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BYX8W8/?tag=wranglerorg-20

And keep in mind that running octane boosters NEVER HELP with anything related to our Jeep engines. They don't help the engine run any better, stronger, neither do they help clean anything. The ONLY thing octane does, and its purpose, is to make gasoline harder to ignite and slow its burn rate as is needed for engines with higher compression ratios than what the Jeep engines have.
Jerry if it was the CPS should it not be throwing a check engine light though? i have the exact same behaviours i stall randomnly either off road or on road when least expected and usually when it put the pedal down.. first reaction is lose all gauges and then stall... i will replace the ignition switch pin although i think po had already done one as it doesnt look original when inspecting. i also cleaned up the ignition switch electrical portion as it had corrosion now it starts 100% every time..cps has never been replaced i m on 70000 miles.. but i have read cps usually gives you check engine; this does not always apply? this is on my 2006 wrangler tj 4.0L x model