Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Jeep WJ timing issue


  Email This Post



Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 1:13 PM

Post #1 of 14 (1253 views)
Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

My 2002 Jeep GC HO is having some issues. Previously I replaced the water pump and the power steering hoses do to fluid leaking. This may have some cause but I'm not sure. Also recently had a cam shaft sensor replaced as the Jeep would bog down under power. Well it started doing the bogging down, or misfiring(?) again recently. I set up an appointment to get it in the shop but had to wait a couple days. I continued to operate the vehicle as it really only was having issues when it was cold. Once I got it to temp I didn't experience the problem. Well the last day it was so bad that it would sputter at idle. After warming up the issue was still a problem, but if I let off the gas and back on gently it seemed to be fine.
Well I brought it in thinking it was another sensor that went wrong but after 2 days of not being able to find the issue they thought that it was something with the timing and would pull the cover on the motor. The shop said they checked the wiring and even replaced the cam and crank sensors and it was still having the issue. I got a call today that they got to the timing chains and that the bottom two did have some slack in them.
I still don't think the timing chain is the issue but I told them to proceed as I need my vehicle back because I'm supposed to be moving. I am curious if anyone has any thoughts on this issue and might be able to offer some advice. Not only am I concerned about the price of the fix but I'm also concerned this is the incorrect fix and after it's done I will still be without a car.
Thank you for any help on this issue.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 15, 2016, 1:34 PM

Post #2 of 14 (1238 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

I'd have to agree. It sounds like they were trying to cover their time with selling you the timing chain.

Did anybody pull the codes on this thing?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 1:42 PM

Post #3 of 14 (1228 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

Yes, they said they pulled the codes, the check engine light did come on and remained on, before with the sensor it took longer to go bad and would actually clear the code itself. It was a whole day and a half down there where they said they were trying to find out the issue. They said it was an intermittent code. So this does sound strange to you as well? I don't understand how it can take 2 days to track down this problem. Also if it was the chain problem I wouldn't think it would change based on the temp of the vehicle.


kev2
Veteran
kev2 profile image

Dec 15, 2016, 1:53 PM

Post #4 of 14 (1224 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

do you know what the code was?


Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 2:02 PM

Post #5 of 14 (1222 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

No, I have no idea. I could probably ask them but I doubt I'll get a very good response from them.


Does this even sound like a timing chain issue though? If that's the problem I have no issue with the repair but I don't want to waste time and money I don't have.


Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 2:04 PM

Post #6 of 14 (1220 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

Previously it gave a throttle position sensor error I believe. I didn't hear them ever mention the TPS was checked so not sure it this would cause it but from what I read this doesn't sound like it is the issue. Also I was worried about maybe a bad coil and that being the issue. I never heard what I would call rattle or chain slap. Though several months ago it sounded like a clackety bearing in the front left of motor and I was worried about the chain tensioner bearing going bad. That noise only happened a time or two when idling then I never heard it again.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 15, 2016, 2:21 PM

Post #7 of 14 (1212 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

Taking 2 days to find the problem doesn't surprise me but the timing chain doesn't add it. That wouldn't create an intermittent problem.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 2:36 PM

Post #8 of 14 (1204 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

Could my driving it during the sputtering have caused additional problems? Could it have jumped the timing chain? I heard the Jeeps are a type of engine that can't spin freely or go backwards I forget what its called but could I have messed something up there? I heard could lead to problems in the valves perhaps?


I think it was just a sensor that caused this but I don't know if my not getting it fixed immediately ended up causing more damage. Could this sputtering be a part of the choils or plugs? Or is timing something that is compeletly different. Also sounds like the computer itself could be messed up, not sure what problems that would show or how they would have checked it.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 15, 2016, 2:42 PM

Post #9 of 14 (1201 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

They may have fed you that line to be able to sell the timing chain but that's a bunch of crap. Once the chain jumps, that's it. It never runs the same again until it is repaired.

You never said how many miles are on this engine but I drive the same vehicle with the 4.7 HO ('04) and I've never seen a timing chain fail on one.

I wasn't aware they offered the HO in 2002. What is the 8th digit of the VIN#?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 7:02 PM

Post #10 of 14 (1182 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

02 was the first year they made the HO. With the 02 styling it's my favorite WJ they make. I hand about 150k and the car looks to have been well maintained. I bought the vehicle in February last year. 8th VIN # is a J. Should I say anything if they do this fix and it's still having issues? They have had the car since Tuesday and if I don't have it ready tomorrow I'm pretty well screwed.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 15, 2016, 7:06 PM

Post #11 of 14 (1179 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

Did you ask them if they are guaranteeing this to solve the problem?

This shouldn't have a bad timing chain at that mileage.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 7:11 PM

Post #12 of 14 (1173 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

No, I am desperate to get my car back and they said this was what they found that is the problem. I mentioned several times that I thought it was censor or something simple but they said they checked and double checked all that so then they had to pull it apart to look deeper.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 15, 2016, 7:13 PM

Post #13 of 14 (1170 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

I would pin them down on it. Make them guarantee their diagnosis or you aren't paying for it.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Kalibr906
Novice

Dec 15, 2016, 7:47 PM

Post #14 of 14 (1154 views)
Re: Jeep WJ timing issue Sign In

Yeah, it's hard to be tough about it when your car won't run and is in pieces. I will try to get some answers from they though. I really appreciate all the help you have given thus far.






  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap