I have 98 tj that the battery died on so i jumped it drove it around for awhile and then let it sit on the charger all night. The next day went out to start it and had nothing so i then replaced the battery. After replacing the battery i still had nothing so i did a little digging and thought it was the ECM. Replaced that and got it to start cranking but still wouldnt run so i did a little more digging and replaced the crank shaft censor and the cam shaft censor. After that now the jeep will start but immediately die unless i turn the key off and the back on quickly and repeatedly. it had the black key so that shouldnt be the issue im all out of ideas.
Jeep starts but immediately dies
- Thread starter kmyers85
- Start date
More than likely the ECM you replaced your old one with has SKIM enabled, so it's expecting the matching grey key to go with it.
I'm 99.9% sure this is your issue. @Wranglerfix can remove the SKIM feature for you.
I'm 99.9% sure this is your issue. @Wranglerfix can remove the SKIM feature for you.
Tangerined
TJ Enthusiast
My bet is it's still battery related. An engine will NOT run for long with a dead battery after having been jump started. Modern alternators like our TJs use cannot produce power when the battery level is too low. The alternator uses 12v from the battery to produce its exciter voltage which it needs to produce power to run the ignition system or charge the battery. The days of being able to run an engine on a dead battery are over for all Wranglers and most cars as well.
What kind of charger did you charge the battery overnight with? For there to be a good chance the battery actually got a good charge, the charger has to be one capable of putting out 10-15 amps. Trickle chargers can't do that.
If you charged the battery all night with a good benchtop charger and the engine still isn't running long after getting it started (booster battery?), odds are the battery is toast. Take it to a battery specialty shop and request a "Load Test" be done on the battery. No, not an auto parts store as few of those counter sales guys know how to properly conduct a load test. Improperly done a load test will indicate a bad battery is still good. Many auto parts stores have sent many people to the nut house by telling them their bad battery is good so they run off and start changing crap like sensors.
Since your problems started with you having accidentally drained the battery, odds are good your problems are still related to it.
And once a conventional automotive battery is completely discharged, it never completely recovers even with a full day or two on a good high amp charger. Load test it.
I tried putting the old ecm in and it stops it from doing anything
Tangerined
TJ Enthusiast
The starter circuit shouldn't have anything with the ECM in it. It should crank over without an ECM even plugged in. It wouldn't start or run, but it should crank over. Perhaps it is a battery issue as Jerry suggested?
I have also replaced the battery and had it tested at a local shop to make sure it was good
Go clean the terminals until they are shiny and report back.
As a bonus post up a picture of the battery and it’s cables.
You mentioned you replaced the battery, was it with a brand new one? The one in the picture doesn't appear to be. I could be wrong.
After the engine dies do you see an amber SKIM indicator on the instrument cluster? Like the one at the top left here?
Also check your ASD relay, maybe switch it with the horn relay if possible and see if there is difference.
it will start run for a not even a second and die but if I turn the key of and right back on it will stay on as long as I keep turning the key off and on
yes it is a new battery it is just sitting out in an old bard and got dusty