86 comanche wont stay running

bluecomanche · 08-02-2007, 08:28 PM

I have an 86 jeep comanche 4cyl 4 speed manual 2 wheel drive. It will run for about a half hour or so and then shut off and wont start for like a half hour then it will start right up and drive fine for like a half hour until it sputters and stops running. It is not getting spark because I sprayed ether in the intake and it still wouldnt start. I have replaced the coil, plugs, wires, distrib. cap and rotor button and cant think of any other reasons that the vehicle wont get spark. any help would be appreciated, thanks, Rob

**qldit** · 08-02-2007, 09:18 PM

Good Afternoon bluecomanche, I am not familiar with that vehicle but from experience and your excellent description of thermal effect, would have to consider the distributor as the problem.

If your machine uses the old conventional ignition points I would immediately suspect the condenser is shorting when hot, if your machine uses the later magnetic sensing I would immediately consider the ignition module usually mounted in or on the distributor.

If this describes your machine and it has one of these modules and it needs replacing, check the price of the item before getting too involved, I kind of like getting parts from the wrecking yards and a replacement distributor with a functional module may only a fraction of the cost of a new part.

At one stage with some machines, these modules were mounted outside of the distributor and had thermal grease under them for heat transfer, repeated engine washing with water blasters often removed this thermal transfer compound and thus caused failure through overheating to cause a similar symptom as you mention.

Worth a look anyway. Your problem is most likely in this area.

Others will have different ideas.

Cheers, qldit.

08-02-2007, 08:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
bluecomanche Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1 OS: XP	86 comanche wont stay running I have an 86 jeep comanche 4cyl 4 speed manual 2 wheel drive. It will run for about a half hour or so and then shut off and wont start for like a half hour then it will start right up and drive fine for like a half hour until it sputters and stops running. It is not getting spark because I sprayed ether in the intake and it still wouldnt start. I have replaced the coil, plugs, wires, distrib. cap and rotor button and cant think of any other reasons that the vehicle wont get spark. any help would be appreciated, thanks, Rob

08-02-2007, 09:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
qldit TSF Gearhead Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brisbane Australia. Posts: 592 OS: All Systems, mainly Linux	Re: 86 comanche wont stay running Good Afternoon bluecomanche, I am not familiar with that vehicle but from experience and your excellent description of thermal effect, would have to consider the distributor as the problem. If your machine uses the old conventional ignition points I would immediately suspect the condenser is shorting when hot, if your machine uses the later magnetic sensing I would immediately consider the ignition module usually mounted in or on the distributor. If this describes your machine and it has one of these modules and it needs replacing, check the price of the item before getting too involved, I kind of like getting parts from the wrecking yards and a replacement distributor with a functional module may only a fraction of the cost of a new part. At one stage with some machines, these modules were mounted outside of the distributor and had thermal grease under them for heat transfer, repeated engine washing with water blasters often removed this thermal transfer compound and thus caused failure through overheating to cause a similar symptom as you mention. Worth a look anyway. Your problem is most likely in this area. Others will have different ideas. Cheers, qldit.