• RME Gear & Apparel

XJ, Temp Sensor No Start

Zerkalo

Zerkalo

Active Member
Location
Salt Lake City
It looks like the previous owner put a 2001 Valve cover which blocked the rear ECT.
Temp Sender Hilight IMG_9299.jpg
(I found the pic online just for reference, not my XJ though.)
So I have the plug hanging, a blank temp gauge, and a corresponding check engine code.

I was trying to splice the wire of the front working(for computer) one and wire it to the back one (for gauge).
But after it's all done, I cranked it, not only there is a deplayed start, it runs like shiet, blowing black smokes, and then it went back to normal.
The temp gauge did work, though.

And then I tried to disconnect the split wire, it starts normal, and I reconnect the wire, Temp sensor works fine just as before, bypassing the scary starting part.

Does anybody have the similar experience? what can I do to fix it? Should I kill the battery for a while to reset the computer?
Worse case, even though pretty stupid, but I'll just wire it onto a switch and start my sensor manually.:greg:
 
Greanbeans

Greanbeans

Active Member
What year is your cherokee again. And not having the gauge sensor won't cause a check engine light just FYI. Find a scan tool and look what codes you have
 
bryson

bryson

RME Resident Ninja
Supporting Member
Location
West Jordan
As has been said, the rear sensor is for the gauge only, and the front one is for the efi system. Don't splice them together, you're more likely to damage your computer than you are to fix your problem. If they could be spliced and work properly, then that's how Jeep would have made it. The rear gauge sensor provides a ground with varying resistance depending on temp. The front sensor I believe has a 5v reference signal that runs through it. Sending that 5v signal to your gauge is not a good thing, and sending the voltage on the gauge circuit (likely 12+v) to your ECM is even worse.

Since that rear sensor is only for the gauge, there is no way it set off your check engine light.

Given the code you're reporting the problem is probably the front sensor or its related wiring.
 
Greanbeans

Greanbeans

Active Member
Buy a new computer sensor and I better engine code goes away. And idk how a valve cover would keep you from being able to use the gauge sensor but if that's the case I have a cover that you can try to see if it works and just give me your old one
 
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