# No Spark on Jeep Cherokee



## wastedYeti (Apr 28, 2006)

I have a 1989 Jeep Cherokee. Its a strait six and has 4 wheel drive. Its been slow to start these past couple of weeks and it finally wont start. So I first checked the battery and it was fully charged. Then i checked for spark on each spark plug wire with a spark checker. No spark. So i then checked the wire that leads from the coil (i think thats what its called) to the distributor and hey i got a healthy spark. So i want to know should i go out and buy a new distributor? And is it too hard for a slightly intelligent kid to figure out? Thank you so much for any help these forums are amazing!

Oh and i tried to get the Haynes book today but my auto part store didnt have it.


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## redeye-racing (Apr 23, 2006)

if you have spark at the distributor side of the coil wire hten go ahead and take the dist. cap off. take note of where the rotor is pointed. bump the motor over with the ignition switch or have someone else crank it over. look to see that the rotor is turning as you crank. if it is thats good. it means you didnt break a timing chain. next i would replace the rotor and the dist. cap.make sure you don't mix up any of the plug wires, do them one at a time or mark them masking tape. it wouldn't hurt to replace the plug wire too,and maybe hte plugs too if you have the will and skill.


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## wastedYeti (Apr 28, 2006)

How fast should the rotor spin? Mine spins but it looks kinda slow. Im not sure how fast there supposed to go but i guess it goes however fast it needs to go. So part stores carry just the rotor and cap so you dont have to purchase the whole distributor?


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## redeye-racing (Apr 23, 2006)

fast or slow doesn't matter..as long as it's turning..it has a gear on it that is driven of your cam shaft. it has a 4 to 1 gear ratio... one rev. of the dist. to 4 revs. of the engine.


yes you can buy just the cap and rotor..and they shuold be checked or changed as regular tune up items. you can pay about 50 bucks ....2-3 hundred for the whole dist.


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