Jeep 4.0L Crank Position Sensor Replacement

This week we are back to work on the 1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ. Today I will be fixing a common 4.0L failure. Today we will be replacing engine crank position sensor. This Job will be identical to all Jeep 4.0L and similar to the 2.5L found in Wranglers, Grand Cherokees and Cherokees. Today I will show you how to do the whole job from start to finish. If you have any questions that the video does not cover, make sure to leave them below.
OutJeeping Merch Store: outjeeping.com
All Parts listed below are for a 1999 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L model year. Your year and engine design may vary.
1999 Jeep 4.0L CPS Mopar Sensor: 56027866AC
Music Credit:
The Wrong Way by Silent Partner
Pickup Truck by Silent Partner

[@chrismcca]

That's the best view of the sensor in the engine bay i've seen anyone post! Thanks for fighting through.

[@brandy7842]

Thank you for this!! I replaced it with a parts store sensor and it just failed. Lasted 2 or 3 months. I should have went with your recommendation and ordered the part but I needed to get back on the road ASAP. Ordering the part from a dealer Monday and swapping the one with the "Life Time" warranty while the new one comes in.

[@michaelg6890]

You posted this just in time. Currently in the tow truck headed home. Thank you

[@ghrohrs2020]

I love you, man! My 2000 Cherokee Classic just died. An amateur Jeeper suspected it was this crank sensor and told me they're impossible to get to. You just disproved that with your determination and dexterity. I had believed my Jeep was dead and lost forever. Now I have great hope it can be recovered. THANK YOU!

[@1968JaguarXKE]

Thank You, I replaced my CPS with a cheep on and only got 3 tears out of it. Great explenation

[@eagleone5456]

Mine bucked one time yesterday and I thought, maybe its the crank sensor.. today it failed on my way to work. Appreciate the video, love the color.

[@brandy7842]

"bucked" that is a GREAT way to describe the way it feels when it cuts out while driving!! I replaced mine with one from O'Rileys and it has already failed. Order one from dealer!!

[@mrkultra1655]

Loving that tape on the u-joint trick, never seen that one before. Thanks,

[@Cantinatollo1]

Young man, you rock, ROCK! Thank you for sharing!

[@carlt8188]

When I replaced mine on my 99 XJ, I had the same problem as I did before, the cranking without starting. I ended up taking it to my neighborhood mechanic who told me they made two different ones for a 99 XJ. Not sure if that's true or not. The one I picked up at my local Autozone gave me one that had a slightly shorter cord. If anyone is replacing theirs, I'd recommend you take the one you have on your Jeep and take it in with you when you buy the new one and make sure they match.

[@k9under]

The same is true for front brake rotors for the 1999 XJ their are two sizes.

[@danhambrick6331]

Good call on the Mopar replacement.I tried a cheaper one on my '01XJ and it didn't run good at all, ordered a Mopar sensor and put it in and it ran like a champ.I always use oem sensors from now on...

[@JBenedict02]

I ended up replacing mine thinking it was the cause to a crank no start issue I was having when it was instead the ballast resistor under the hood(84-93 part). That was a fun realization...

[@artardFTW]

renix?? typically with a bad ballast resistor the jeep will start up on crank but as soon as you return the key to 'run' it will die out

[@JBenedict02]

@@artardFTW Mine is a 93 so not renix. I've just had bad luck with these things lol. Even my new one went out on me so I just connected the wires together and bypassed the thing.

[@artardFTW]

@@JBenedict02 yea for my 89 I kept an inch of wire with 2 female spades crimped on as a bypass but my 87 doesn't have the resistor

[@dealinwithit1]

Resistor saves the fuel pump , I went with a Crown decent product

[@JBenedict02]

@@dealinwithit1 ​ @dealinwithit1 That's what I went with and it went out within 6 months so I just bypassed it and haven't had any issues for the past two years.

[@gregj.gotham4402]

Great video on changing that crank sensor.

[@chrisminutello629]

Always the best how to vids

[@Amarillobymorning777]

I made a access hole from inside, next to the gas pedal . Be careful cus a gasolina line pass right there . But for me was the easy way. 01 grand Cherokee Laredo Tx .

[@seancaron3323]

About to do mine. Thanks for the vid! My symptoms are it stalhs when hot and has no spark until cooled off, no code.

[@brandy7842]

Did it fix your problem? Did you order a new sensor or buy one from the parts store?

[@joshuapreston5333]

I have the same issue on mine a 99 grand cherokee I've replaced the fuel filter and cleaned the iac valve so I'm moving to crank sensor.

[@joshuapreston5333]

​@brandy7842 try cleaning ur iac valve that made mine run for a week or so and didn't have the issue but now it's starting up again

[@k9under]

Awesome videos i also have that same 99 XJ my crank sensor went bad about six month ago but my hand was to big to get it from top had to get on ground.

[@dondercole4249]

Great video! Sound advice you gave for diagnosing the issue and sound advice using OEM sensor one and done!

[@GKirkland1]

Have 97 Grand Cherokee w/110k. Just started cutting out while driving. Sometimes for few seconds, sometimes longer and requires restart. How can I diagnose it’s the CPS? Great channel btw. Have picked up a lot so far.

[@pauldolan1493]

Thanks for your videos. I’m newer to jeeping and have a pretty completely built 96 XJ. Very first part I added to my “must have” box was a CPS on the advice of others with the 4.0. I was told 10mm swivel head. Gonna climb under later today and verify mine. I carry too many tools but I love actually getting it right first time on a project

[@OutJeeping]

Yeah the size should be 7/16" or 11mm, but it may have changed throughout the years.

[@QalAdventures]

My 90 used 11mm

[@seancaron3323]

Watching this.. I wonder how many people have dropped a bolt into the bell housing 😂😂😂

[@NomorEcars-f2b]

1992 jeep, had a bad computer, no signals out of it. Now we replaced it and it starts and dies after 2 seconds..... Any ideas? We have spark, and fuel while cranking

[@dealinwithit1]

Slows the pump during idle and cruise , saves wear on pump, if you’re Jeep is breaking the resistor you’re having a voltage or ground problem

[@charlespayne2002]

How do you get your hands in there bro? I can't even get close. But here's a new tip. Superglue the bolt to the socket when replacing them. Helps a ton!

[@OutJeeping]

Good tip or electrical tap holding them together. It's a tight squeeze for your hands forsure.

[@charlespayne2002]

What would you recommend if the bolt heads are stripped ?

[@Lucky-ou4vz]

Great Video Thanks

[@heinzstucki3069]

Sehr gutes Vidio wie immer, danke weiter so.Viele Grüsse aus der Schweiz Heinz (XJ 1999 Endeavor Sport)

[@429infocom]

I need help with my 99 xj, no spark. changed coil, checked fuses, no clue now...

[@Vivianauxito]

Is there any possibility to invite you to do a review for our pod lights?

[@1949ala]

Great job thanks

[@mcguireskaratetheartofsurv1942]

Nice, good info

[@bigben1995]

great video. thanks!

[@FireStorm-c9n]

I need some help i got the bolt.off the crankshaft position sensor but the senor doesn't want to come out help please

[@kowen8121]

There are two bolts to remove...

[@freeidaho-videos]

Super clean engine bay! Salute! ! ! I have watched a few of these videos by now, since my 99 XJ went from intermittent to hard fail. No one seems to address this, but how high did you lift your jeep off the ground to get a position where you could sit and work? Or was it on a lift? Thank you for the answer and for great videos. Subscribed.

[@OutJeeping]

Mine has just a 3" suspension lift so I didn't need to jack up the Jeep at all.

[@freeidaho-videos]

@@OutJeeping Thank you Sir!

[@artardFTW]

I find it much easier to pop off the front drive shaft at the axle, and zip tie it over on the exhaust crossover

[@OutJeeping]

That would definitely get you more room to fit that ratchet in there. Good idea!

[@artardFTW]

@@OutJeeping couple extra minutes early that make the job much easier later on

[@ryancollmar1242]

The real question is, how long are the extensions?

[@OutJeeping]

About 16"

[@victornaja7927]

hi so if crank sensor is bad you wouln't get rpm signal and needle in the dash wont move correct . with that being said if bad crank sensor it will disable the ignition coil so no spark at the coil correct???

[@OutJeeping]

Correct on all that

[@dealinwithit1]

Good vid I called dealership for my 93 and mopar no longer makes it for that year, so I went with a NTK made in USA part # EH0245

[@0-01]

Hardest thing in jeep xj. I had bad days with it lost bolt on that hole lol > Ther is no cover in my jeep 1999 so

[@cristobalrodriguez7957]

Does anyone know if Can you relocate the new one and if it needs to be grounded out

[@kodiak7438]

Excellent video ! I need your help . I have a 1993 jeep Cherokee xj my issue : the only way that I can start my jeep is #1 turn key to on #2 wait one to 20 minutes to hear a tick,tick,tick at the fuse box near the battery then that stops#3 immediately the fuel pump activates and now I can start it . The colder outside it is the longer this cycle takes. It always cranks otherwise.

[@OutJeeping]

It sounds like your fuel pump relay in the fuse box needs to be replaced.

[@kodiak7438]

@@OutJeeping hello , I put in a new one same things happens. Although my high beams don’t work maybe there is a short but Dext said that’s not possible with this year.

[@OutJeeping]

@kodiak7438 Have you checked all your grounds and make sure they have a good connection?

[@kodiak7438]

@@OutJeeping I have an except for that one coming off the valve cover near firewall , I see no easy way to get to it.

[@kodiak7438]

@@OutJeeping I’m still trouble shooting this , I have constant voltage to relays but on the ASD relay terminal #87 has the constant volts, on that same relay it seems that terminal #86 eventually gets voltage and then the fuel pump powers up. I’m not sure why there is a delay? I’ve read others have had same issue and said it was a soldering issue at ECM . The colder the temperature outside the longer it takes for this cycle to start.

[@kenc.9067]

Is there any way to test the CPS to know if its bad? My brother has a 99 Cherokee, cranks, no start. Replaced cap, rotor, wires, plugs, still no luck.

[@OutJeeping]

There is a way to check with a multimeter. If you look at some forums where they tell you what the resistance should be. But that's to tell if it's totally bad. If it has an intermittent issue like mine, it's pretty much impossible to test if it's bad.

[@davidmccomas7094]

where do you find the OE mopar sensor ? every where i have looked are out of stock and dealer says discontinued ?

[@OutJeeping]

Sometimes Rockauto or Amazon has them otherwise I got mine from the dealer.

[@patriot72]

Is your jeep an automatic Austin? I have an automatic and want to make sure I ask for the correct part number.

[@OutJeeping]

Yes mine is an automatic transmission.

[@TheBackpackingSailor]

bro you said dreaded and i thought you said threaded. i nearly shit myself thinking ive bought the wrong part

[@OutJeeping]

🤣

[@josezarco7774]

Hey, so I was driving and my jeep just died on me and won’t start I replaced the sensor and started right up but when I started driving it would want to die on me so I needed to keep it under 2000 rpm’s other wise it just wanted to shut off and knowing can’t even go into reverse, what do you think?

[@OutJeeping]

What brand sensor did you replace it with?

[@josezarco7774]

@@OutJeeping is an Autozone sensor where I live at there is no other brand better than that and I needed it ASAP

[@michelantoniomorin2201]

👍👍

[@videosYOUenjoy]

That’s a 99 ,?????

[@OutJeeping]

1999 Jeep Cherokee

[@videosYOUenjoy]

Doesn’t look like. 1999 jeep

[@OutJeeping]

Yup a 99 Jeep Cherokee

[@ChuckoMountain-fv9yj]

ALL this electronic garbage is nothing but grief