I own two '97 TJ's, and I've started (jokingly?) calling this LJ, my 2005 JK because it's just so frustratingly different from my '97's, which have literally never thrown a code.
TLDR; Bought a 2005, it came with a P2096 code, a flash from Wranglerfix and/or stock intake seems to have fixed it. Probably. Maybe.
* July 2024 - Purchased jeep in Albuquerque, NM. 110,000 miles - mostly stock*, other than air intake. More on that later. 2005 LJ, Rubicon, 6 speed.
* 100 miles after leaving albuquerque, P2096 popped up
* Pulled the battery a few times on the 1,000 mile drive home, and P2096 would pop up pretty reliably every 100 miles.
* Previous owners comments on the topic (some of which I knew before buying the jeep, some I didn't):
** He had check engine light problems a "few years ago", which required changing the fuel pump to resolve.
** He also changed some of the O2 sensors at the time.
** Immediately before I arrived, he replaced the gas cap that was on it with his "good gas cap he uses for smog tests" (wtf? That's not sus at all....).
* P2096 was the only code. Fuel trim's levels looked fine. However my Xtool A30M scanner code reader reported the "2/1 O2S Level" PID as "High O2/Right bank Fuel System Lean". O2 sensor voltages all looked as expected (based on my fairly rudimentary understanding)
* After getting home, I read the forums some more, and did the following:
** Ran 3 doses of fuel cleaner through it
** Switched to premium gas
** Replaced all O2 sensors (some of which were obviously new)
** Used a smoke machine to smoke test exhaust, and intake/vacuum lines (it was a 0.5 psi smoke machine, and didn't indicate any intake/exhaust leaks - but I KNOW there are leaks around the valve cover - so I suspect a higher PSI smoke machine would be required)
** Fuel rail pressure leak down test - 15 minute leak down usually resulted in ~10 psi drop, but never lost all pressure. Compare this to both my '97s. One of which I think has a fuel cell with I believe a replacement pump. They both lost nearly all their pressure in less than 5 minutes.
* Attempted to apply TSB 18-028-06 firmware flash - But none of the dealers within 200 miles of me had the DRB3 scan tool. One said they had the DRBIII scanner, I drove there, but they couldn't actually get the firmware from chrysler because their subscription had expired or something. Nobody really knew how the tool (or anything prior to 2008) worked at any of the dealers, and they all wanted good money for unreliable service (surprise, surprise...)
* So I sent the PCM to wranglerfix for an inspection, and firmware update. They had great customer service, and the tech not only did a bench inspection, but put my PCM into his 2005 LJR 6 speed and drove it to and from work - no CEL - but I also don't think he drove 100 miles.
* Wranglerfix said the PCM was fine, and upgraded me from version 56044539AG to 5604439AI
* I put the PCM back into my jeep, drove 100 miles, and P2096 is gone! ...
* But now I had P0153. yay - FWIW P0153 only showed up after coming to a stop and idling for a few minutes. Not while driving, unlike P2096.
* I replaced my Banks Air intake with a factory OEM air intake.
* 25 miles later, CEL turned itself off!
* I immediately put on a flat skid, beadlocks, 35's, and lifted it before leaving for a cross country utah and colorado trip (I towed the jeep).
* My check engine light has not come back on. I've driven the jeep roughly 500 miles, on road, and offroad. Including 12,000+ feet at sub freezing temperatures.
* Is it fixed? I have no idea... It seems like the stock intake did the trick. But would it have done the trick without the ECM firmware update from wranglerfix? I don't know. Do I need to still be using high octane fuel? I don't know. Did the fuel treatement do anything? I doubt it, but again, I don't know.
* I don't daily drive the jeep, so it's hard to put a lot of miles on it. I will probably start undoing some of the changes I made and see what happens, I will report back here with those changes, but it may be a while before I have anything else useful to report.
How it started:
How it's going:
TLDR; Bought a 2005, it came with a P2096 code, a flash from Wranglerfix and/or stock intake seems to have fixed it. Probably. Maybe.
* July 2024 - Purchased jeep in Albuquerque, NM. 110,000 miles - mostly stock*, other than air intake. More on that later. 2005 LJ, Rubicon, 6 speed.
* 100 miles after leaving albuquerque, P2096 popped up
* Pulled the battery a few times on the 1,000 mile drive home, and P2096 would pop up pretty reliably every 100 miles.
* Previous owners comments on the topic (some of which I knew before buying the jeep, some I didn't):
** He had check engine light problems a "few years ago", which required changing the fuel pump to resolve.
** He also changed some of the O2 sensors at the time.
** Immediately before I arrived, he replaced the gas cap that was on it with his "good gas cap he uses for smog tests" (wtf? That's not sus at all....).
* P2096 was the only code. Fuel trim's levels looked fine. However my Xtool A30M scanner code reader reported the "2/1 O2S Level" PID as "High O2/Right bank Fuel System Lean". O2 sensor voltages all looked as expected (based on my fairly rudimentary understanding)
* After getting home, I read the forums some more, and did the following:
** Ran 3 doses of fuel cleaner through it
** Switched to premium gas
** Replaced all O2 sensors (some of which were obviously new)
** Used a smoke machine to smoke test exhaust, and intake/vacuum lines (it was a 0.5 psi smoke machine, and didn't indicate any intake/exhaust leaks - but I KNOW there are leaks around the valve cover - so I suspect a higher PSI smoke machine would be required)
** Fuel rail pressure leak down test - 15 minute leak down usually resulted in ~10 psi drop, but never lost all pressure. Compare this to both my '97s. One of which I think has a fuel cell with I believe a replacement pump. They both lost nearly all their pressure in less than 5 minutes.
* Attempted to apply TSB 18-028-06 firmware flash - But none of the dealers within 200 miles of me had the DRB3 scan tool. One said they had the DRBIII scanner, I drove there, but they couldn't actually get the firmware from chrysler because their subscription had expired or something. Nobody really knew how the tool (or anything prior to 2008) worked at any of the dealers, and they all wanted good money for unreliable service (surprise, surprise...)
* So I sent the PCM to wranglerfix for an inspection, and firmware update. They had great customer service, and the tech not only did a bench inspection, but put my PCM into his 2005 LJR 6 speed and drove it to and from work - no CEL - but I also don't think he drove 100 miles.
* Wranglerfix said the PCM was fine, and upgraded me from version 56044539AG to 5604439AI
* I put the PCM back into my jeep, drove 100 miles, and P2096 is gone! ...
* But now I had P0153. yay - FWIW P0153 only showed up after coming to a stop and idling for a few minutes. Not while driving, unlike P2096.
* I replaced my Banks Air intake with a factory OEM air intake.
* 25 miles later, CEL turned itself off!
* I immediately put on a flat skid, beadlocks, 35's, and lifted it before leaving for a cross country utah and colorado trip (I towed the jeep).
* My check engine light has not come back on. I've driven the jeep roughly 500 miles, on road, and offroad. Including 12,000+ feet at sub freezing temperatures.
* Is it fixed? I have no idea... It seems like the stock intake did the trick. But would it have done the trick without the ECM firmware update from wranglerfix? I don't know. Do I need to still be using high octane fuel? I don't know. Did the fuel treatement do anything? I doubt it, but again, I don't know.
* I don't daily drive the jeep, so it's hard to put a lot of miles on it. I will probably start undoing some of the changes I made and see what happens, I will report back here with those changes, but it may be a while before I have anything else useful to report.
How it started:
How it's going:
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