2012 jku automatic
A couple of weeks ago I started having long crank issues. it would crank for 4-5 seconds then eventually catch and run fine but it has progressively gotten worse. Sometimes it will just crank for the full 10 seconds (tip start) and never run, other times it will crank for a few seconds then catch and sputter out after a couple seconds and sometimes it will still catch and run fine (no rough idle or anything). The times it felt like it was going to sputter out I could hit the gas pedal and rev it about 2k rpm’s and it would run fine afterwards. Also, whenever it does run the traction control light comes on almost immediately.

I don’t have a code reader other than flipping the key back and forth, but whenever I do that I get the following codes: p0340, p0345, p0365, p0390 all camshaft position sensor codes and every once in a while I’ll get a p0622 codes for the generator circuit.

I’ve changed out both cam sensors as well as the crankshaft sensor with oem parts. I’ve checked the wiring going to both sensors and everything seems to look ok. I checked all the spark plugs and the gap was fine and the were all sparking.
The battery and alternator both seem fine when checking voltage with a multimeter. I’ve checked and cleaned every ground I can find and they all looked good and none were loose.

The traction control light coming on with the long crank makes me think it’s electrical but I could very well be wrong and the two issues aren’t related at all.

Any tips/suggestions would be very much appreciated.
thanks

 

A couple other notes:
-Replaced starter out a couple months ago
-About a year and a half ago had an issue with traction control/abs lights coming on fixed that by tightening the negative battery terminal
-Battery is two years old
-Alternator looks to be the original
-I can hear a little buzz from the fuel pump when the key is in the on position
-Sprayed a couple squirts of starting fluid in the intake earlier and it seemed to have a harder time cranking than usual
-I can’t get it to run at all now, will crank but will not run

 

hi, did you ever find anything solution or fix to this? I’m having very similar problems.

 

Yes. All of the dash lights coming on were because of a nicked ground wire. The bad ground wire was a part of a bundle that ran almost parallel with the steering shaft. Bundle wasn’t secured so over time the steering shaft rubbed through that wire. Replaced bad section of wire, rewrapped, and lots of zip ties took care of that.

The long start issue ended up being the fuel pump relay at the bottom of the fuse box. I replaced the fuel pump and it seemed to work fine for a week or so but then started acting up again. Hooked the old fuel pump up to a battery and it worked fine (should have done this before buying new pump) so figured it wasn’t the pump. Ran a jumper wire from the fuel pump fuse to another fuse in the fuse box and has worked perfectly since. There is a thread somewhere on here that can walk you through running the jumper wire.

Hope that helps.

 

I'm getting the P0390 code. Check engine lite and traction control light comes on. Cruise control stops working. So I need to look at the Bank 2 camshaft position sensor (P0390). BUT I CAN'T FIND ANY PICTURES OF WHERE THE DANG THING IS LOCATED ON THE ENGINE. Any images would be much appreciated. I can find images of the sensor on the passenger side of the engine, but my understanding is the Bank 2 sensor is somewhere on the DRIVER side of the engine.

 

helps to know which engine we're talking about here. if it's the 3.6L, it's literally on top of the valve cover. can't miss it.

 

This is the engine: 3.6L V6 24V VVT ENGINE

I am a real beginner here. Is there any picture out there that will make it real clear to me which spot on the engine we are talking about?

 

Maybe this will help



It is on top of the valve cover. You can see it without removing anything, but removing it may be a bit more difficult.

Those long crank times could be indicative of something else. The codes themselves are tied to a lot of different things, but the sensor(s) may not be the root cause of the issue(s).

You may want to check out a couple videos on YouTube. The motor city mechanic and pine hollow auto diagnostic come to mind. The can get in depth, but you will learn more about the Pentastar in you Jeep.

 

These are excellent YouTube channels.

@elmer2flp , I won't say never, but "typically" these codes are not the sensors themselves. If you do replace the sensor, I'd stick with a factory one. Cam codes are such a pain in the ass to troubleshoot that you do NOT want to introduce the chance that it could be an issue with a cheap aftermarket sensor. How long have you had this jeep, and how many miles are on it? I always suggest using 5W30 oil rather than 5W20 that Jeep calls for. The valvetrain on this engine is super sensitive to oil and I have found the 5W30 to be better, especially as the miles pile up.

As mentioned above, these codes can be a whole host of things. They are really aggravating to deal with. Few people find it to be an electrical issue have have to pigtail in a new wiring harness. There are videos on YouTube that show you how to test the wiring harness with a multimeter. Keep in mind this engine is in a ton of cars, so videos might not be JK specific. I find most the time it's actually a mechanical issue or an oil issue. What I'd suggest is that if you are not a big DIY'er, it could be a really long road. This is not one of those things that you can just take to a "pro" and think you're gonna pay them and roll out with no more headache. Their first course of action is always throw parts at it with little diagnosis....and it eventually will bleed you dry.

 

Thanks! Appreciate your help.