Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Jeep dies after driving and getting up to temp (lesson learned)

2003Goldie

New Member
Original poster
Joined
Sep 24, 2024
Messages
3
Location
Fort Worth, TX
I just went thru 3 weeks frustration with my DD's 03 Wrangler, started as the would run till it got warm then just random shut downs, sometimes it would start right back up others you had to wait for it to cool down a bit.
NO CODES. To the forums, I did the obligatory Crank sensor first, right that's what every other post says to do, when I pulled out the old it had dirt and metal shavings caked all over it, thought dang, that was easy. Drove all weekend with no problems, Let my daughter take it back Monday to go to school and I get the call at 9am and I can hear the hazards in the background. I go swap cars still NO CODES took me 40 mins to nurse it the 3 miles back home.
Back to the forums, I did NOT use a NTK sensor so went picked one up threw it in, idles for 30 mins in driveway, awesome I think. Hop in take off get about 3 miles out, sputters dies, took 40 mins to nurse it back home, still NO CODES. Start looking for Vacuum leaks Fix several and replaced several cracked old fittings, found a good one in the brake booster vacuum valve, idles forever in driveway, hop in for drive? you guessed it took me 1 hour to nurse it home.
Bought a cheap fuel pressure gauge, 55 looking good..........
Back to the forums, new NTK Cam sensor, nope. back to the forums, heat soak on the coil packs, replaced it with the plugs, nope.
By now I've got the wires de loomed and rib cage is sore from leaning over the fenders and fuse box going thru wire by wire, did i mention I rolled relays to check for bad ones.
Took readings at most of the sensors to check for voltage.
Saw a post from Jerry about bank 2 sensor 1 o2, replaced it. nope
Took it out a few times with cold water in a spray bottle and would hop out and spray the crank and cam sensors and the pcm to cool them off to see if it helped, it didn't.
Bought the DEI heat shield for the injectors and fuel line, thinking heat soak, nope.
I had left the fuel pressure gauge on just because, but of course it doesn't have pressure when it dies..........
I was just letting it idle in the driveway trying to figure out how to get it to roll down the boat ramp and it starts stumbling, fuel pressure gauge had dropped to 10. Went to restart it, fuel pressure didn't return. Let it set, fuel pressure came back Jeep started up. I was so caught up in electrical or bad sensors my fuel pump had been just failing the whole time.
Needless to say I dropped the tank replaced the Delphi pump that i just replaced in June and I'm a week and a half of driving it everyday no stalls. Hope I don't jinx it making this post, not sure this is your problem. But somebody may read this and run out and put their fuel pressure gauge back on. lol.
 
Intermittent problems like this can be hard to diagnose, good job keeping at it until you got lucky having the fuel gauge hooked up when it finally failed at the right time.
 
Took your advice... early this year when I installed a Brute Power fuel pump.

IMG20240330184511.jpg


-Mac
 
Racetronix fuel line adapter.

https://www.racetronix.biz/p/adapter-qdf-5-16qdm-5-16-1-8-port/qda-56f56mp

Bought the adapter, which slides right between the fuel rail and hose, and a gauge.

I have a 97 and it has a Schrader valve...you could hang a gauge right on that port...but I wanted that free for using my OTC gauge to verify accuracy and release pressure when servicing.

Another option is replacing your fuel rail with something with additional ports. If I didn't already have a Schrader valve I'd probably have gone down that route.

-Mac
 
I just went thru 3 weeks frustration with my DD's 03 Wrangler, started as the would run till it got warm then just random shut downs, sometimes it would start right back up others you had to wait for it to cool down a bit.
NO CODES. To the forums, I did the obligatory Crank sensor first, right that's what every other post says to do, when I pulled out the old it had dirt and metal shavings caked all over it, thought dang, that was easy. Drove all weekend with no problems, Let my daughter take it back Monday to go to school and I get the call at 9am and I can hear the hazards in the background. I go swap cars still NO CODES took me 40 mins to nurse it the 3 miles back home.
Back to the forums, I did NOT use a NTK sensor so went picked one up threw it in, idles for 30 mins in driveway, awesome I think. Hop in take off get about 3 miles out, sputters dies, took 40 mins to nurse it back home, still NO CODES. Start looking for Vacuum leaks Fix several and replaced several cracked old fittings, found a good one in the brake booster vacuum valve, idles forever in driveway, hop in for drive? you guessed it took me 1 hour to nurse it home.
Bought a cheap fuel pressure gauge, 55 looking good..........
Back to the forums, new NTK Cam sensor, nope. back to the forums, heat soak on the coil packs, replaced it with the plugs, nope.
By now I've got the wires de loomed and rib cage is sore from leaning over the fenders and fuse box going thru wire by wire, did i mention I rolled relays to check for bad ones.
Took readings at most of the sensors to check for voltage.
Saw a post from Jerry about bank 2 sensor 1 o2, replaced it. nope
Took it out a few times with cold water in a spray bottle and would hop out and spray the crank and cam sensors and the pcm to cool them off to see if it helped, it didn't.
Bought the DEI heat shield for the injectors and fuel line, thinking heat soak, nope.
I had left the fuel pressure gauge on just because, but of course it doesn't have pressure when it dies..........
I was just letting it idle in the driveway trying to figure out how to get it to roll down the boat ramp and it starts stumbling, fuel pressure gauge had dropped to 10. Went to restart it, fuel pressure didn't return. Let it set, fuel pressure came back Jeep started up. I was so caught up in electrical or bad sensors my fuel pump had been just failing the whole time.
Needless to say I dropped the tank replaced the Delphi pump that i just replaced in June and I'm a week and a half of driving it everyday no stalls. Hope I don't jinx it making this post, not sure this is your problem. But somebody may read this and run out and put their fuel pressure gauge back on. lol.

Great post- sorry for your pain but got this one filed away for someday.
 
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts