Hello Everyone

So I am having a hell of a time trying to figure this out. My jeep started to rough idle a couple of weeks ago, and as I go to gas it up for the hour trip to my fathers nice big shop to work on the thing and figure it out it completely dies on me at a set of lights. I go to try restart it and it tried to fire and then just spins, but if I let off the key it keeps spinning the starter until I take the key all the way back to the off position where you can remove it. So I get it towed back to my place and pull a P0175 code running to rich. So first things first I changed the plugs and wires, no help..., next I tried the full pump, also no help. I am about to do O2 sensors but they should not cause a non-start and the weird starter spin has me thinking TIPM. I have no other TIPM symptoms that I can see (blinking lights, windshield wipers running etc.) all the fuses seem good.

Anybody on here have any ideas on what else could be causing the non-start?

Thanks!

 

So just an update to see if anyone has any better ideas at this point. I have since this time replaced the fuel pump, and the cam and crank sensors. Still no start, I had a mechanic take a look and they said to check the timing chain, as he said that it was backfiring now when he tried to start it (it did not do this for me just a couple of days before). I had replaced the timing chain last fall, and while not a huge process it is still time consuming and involved tearing apart a good portion of stuff, this is not something I want to do if I do not have too. Is there anything else I should look into before I do this? Please I have been weeks without driving my jeep and the shakes are getting bad from wanting to drive it....

 

So i finally have the problem figured out. The little pin that holds the camshaft gear to the camshaft broke. You cannot just replace the pin as its part of the camshaft. I jist have one quick question here. Do I have to remove my heads to get the camshaft out. In the process of getting all the parts and gaskets together to try and make tear down and replacement a 1 day job.

 

Wow, that sounds like a tough deal. I'm following this because I have an 08 with 143k miles on it. It is running perfectly right now, but at its age, anything can happen. I appreciate you sharing your experiences with it! I wish I could offer help, but you are way beyond me in mechanical knowledge.

How many miles are on your Jeep?

 

I have around 230,000 kms

 

Wow, if I calculated correctly, thatś about the same as mine.

 

It would be, these 3.8L's can be very good or very bad. Some make it 70,000 miles with little to no problems, some make it 200,000. I consider mine somewhere in the middle.

 

There is a local dealer that took an ’07 in on trade and has thrown it back out there for $8900. It’s a rare 2WD version and the dang thing has 309k miles on it! That is pretty respectable. I’m a bit shocked by the list price. Lot of members here with super high mileage 3.8Ls. Seems that with proper care that engine can often just go and go.

Sorry I can’t help with the original thread issue.

 

To answer your question - yes you should be able to remove cam without removing heads. On the body side you need to remove grille and radiator (thats not all bad to do) and engine whole front part like water pump, belt idler, front cam cover etc. Oil pan probably needs to have front bolts removed where it goes into front engine cover I believe. Valve area remove lifter shafts and pushrods and pull lifters as you will be replacing them. Try and get a better cam profile if you can for a bit more power There is no cam advance on a 3.8 (is that what you have?) so it is just timing gears. While it is out get new timing gears, chain tensioner, seals etc. Get someone to degree the cam according to the cam card you should get with the cam. 230kkms though?? Does it use oil? What city you in?

 

I was following this. 190k on my 08 and it's drinking 1qt every 3k non synthetic. That's a bigger job than I would want to do in my driveway.