I had that code for 3 years! I had to use a friend's ECU to pass smog the first time because his ECU didn't detect an issue for some reason. I changed both sensors multiple times with cheap ones and expensive ones, traced the wires, bought a new ECU, and tried EVERYTHING. I got the code before I changed out my distributor. Smog is due this week, and I saw this video. Sure enough the duralast distributor I had in was 180° off. So odds are I just needed to change one of the 2 sensors with a Mopar one the first time, and I would have saved 3 years of my life. Thanks for helping me keep my jeep!
Hello Dave, awesome job on this distributor sync video. My issue start out as an oil leak around the distributor on my 1997 TJ 4.0. Removed the distributor and took it totally apart, not noticing the relationship of the gear to the distributor shaft, like your video mentions. I cleaned the distributor of all the oil, reasssembled it. Installed a new dustributor base gasket and installed distributor back in the engine. It ran fine and no oil leak. The second time of driving my TJ i received a check engine light at about 2min into driving it. The fault code was P1391. But it was runing fine. Cleared the code and drove it again no code. The next time I drove it, again two mintues into the drive the fault code returned. The engine runs fine, just having this fault code P1391 issue. I must have installed this distributor gear 180 deg. out of sync of the shaft??? I tested the cam position sensor and crankshaft position sensor and they both work fine (0v to 5v when triggered). What do think the issue is with this fault code P1391? Do i need to go back and rotate the distributor gear 180 deg. on the shaft?
Hello, yes timing being off can potentially cause that code. Was the sync hole lined up correctly and the distributor mounting fork hit the mounting hole correctly when installing? If when you installed it you were at TDC, had the sync holes lined up and the mounting hole ended up in the correct location for the fork you probably do not want to rotate the gear. It would throw the distributor off. However if you missed lining up that sync hole and went off the common practice of lining up the rotor with #1 cylinder based on the cap there is a chance you are off half a tooth and rotating the gear might fix that. I would first pull the distributor cap, rotate the engine to TDC and see if the holes are aligned.
Hello Dave, thanks for the fast reply. The engine was at TDC when I removed and installed the distributor. The distributor alignment hole is off maybe a half hole. I can stick a small screwdriver through the alignment holes. Wouldn't the engine run rough or miss fire a bit if I have the distributor off alignment to TDC?
Yeah sounds like it might need rotated. As far as how it is running. The computer is probably compensating for the offset, since in these vehicles the computer controls the timing advance and what not. That might be why the code is getting thrown, the computer may know that something is not exactly right but its not far enough off that it puts it in a position it misfires.
Hello Dave, once again thanks for the fast response and expert advise. Most of my engine experience is on Chevys. This is my first Jeep. I don't ever remember having an issue with a distributor gear alignment with Chevys. 🤷 I went back in and rotated the distributor gear 180degs. I have drove my TJ three different times now. No fault codes. So I think the distributor gear rotation did the trick. My TJ would display the fault code after the 2nd. drive Thank you sooo much for the help, it is greatly appreciated!!!! I subscribed to your UA-cam channel. Keep up the awesome videos, I'm sure it's helping a lot of people out like me. 😁
For some reason my brother's 97 jeep 4.0 will only run if that rotor end is facing towards that steering wheel of the car basically 180° from where this one is idk but runs fine that way
Well, i got a new motor from Autozone. Ended up being a stroker (not what i ordered) and used the original distributor. Its not lining upm i just went turn 180, the roll pin does bot line up on the shaft of the distrubutor to allow me to do so. Im wondering if a new distributor may line up with the new motor...
Make sure your oil pump slot is correctly lined up, then when you inert it you will have to rotate the distributor into place. So it can be tricky getting that oil pump slot in the right location.
Mooost Awesome! I was installing my new [Made in China] distributer and was wondering why it would not align with the hold-down bolt hole!!! I had set my engine for TDC on #1 and I pinned my rotater plate and hole for 2.5L 4cyl hole (not the 4.0L I6) But something was not right. I saw that sping pin holding the small gear, but I did not want to go messing around with OEM. I do not pretend to be an engineer. I even compared to my old distributor, which was identical. The problem with my old setup, it always operated poorly, as if something was off. The operation had no power going uphill, as if something was not sinked right. I am wondering if the previous owner, who "rebuilt" the engine, had the same problem, and simply retarded the timing to get the distributor to bolt up. Anyway, I am going to rotate the gear 180 and see what comes of it.
No I dont believe so, you should be able to rotate the distributor on those years. These have this process because you cant rotate the distributor to adjust the timing.
@@TabooCustoms Im gonna go out on a limb and say it might? im doing one in my nephews 93 yj 2.5 and same distributor(bolted tabs and all), amazon bought, runs like dog farts so gonna zero it out lock the keyway and try it on wednesday and if its off or not I will absolutely report back but i have to break out the old timing light to verify and i havent used it in like 12 years. wish me luck on finding it. then if all else fails 180 degree rotation of the gear.
About to try this, any tools I can use that are "common" also, I assume I hit it from the side that is further in. Sorry but out in the middle of Mozambique there ain't no way I am getting that pin hitting tool thingamabob!
Your the only bloke on the Web showing this part with the distributor gear ⚙️ 👏 👌 good work mate saved alot of people headaches
Thanks, it gave me a bit of a headache at the time.
I had that code for 3 years! I had to use a friend's ECU to pass smog the first time because his ECU didn't detect an issue for some reason. I changed both sensors multiple times with cheap ones and expensive ones, traced the wires, bought a new ECU, and tried EVERYTHING. I got the code before I changed out my distributor. Smog is due this week, and I saw this video. Sure enough the duralast distributor I had in was 180° off. So odds are I just needed to change one of the 2 sensors with a Mopar one the first time, and I would have saved 3 years of my life. Thanks for helping me keep my jeep!
Thankyou for this video. I would have been chasing this problem for years Bought my distributor from Rock Auto
Amazing video save me a lot of hrs working on my xj distributor👌
Glad it helped
Very informative about the bolt hole slightly off
You’re amazing , your knowledge is outstanding “maestro”
Think I might have the same gear issues. Will try to turn it tomorrow. Thank you
I appreciate you blood hope all is well its start up just rough but i am going to get it after work
Thanks for this informative video, I had the same issues, and it was alot easier to fix my Jeep due to your advice.
Cheers, Ken from New Zealand.
Great to hear!
You are, as always, The Man.
Finally after 4 years whit the same code!!! 🎉🎉🎉
Glad it helped you out.
Hello Dave, awesome job on this distributor sync video.
My issue start out as an oil leak around the distributor on my 1997 TJ 4.0. Removed the distributor and took it totally apart, not noticing the relationship of the gear to the distributor shaft, like your video mentions.
I cleaned the distributor of all the oil, reasssembled it. Installed a new dustributor base gasket and installed distributor back in the engine.
It ran fine and no oil leak. The second time of driving my TJ i received a check engine light at about 2min into driving it. The fault code was P1391.
But it was runing fine. Cleared the code and drove it again no code. The next time I drove it, again two mintues into the drive the fault code returned.
The engine runs fine, just having this fault code P1391 issue. I must have installed this distributor gear 180 deg. out of sync of the shaft???
I tested the cam position sensor and crankshaft position sensor and they both work fine (0v to 5v when triggered).
What do think the issue is with this fault code P1391?
Do i need to go back and rotate the distributor gear 180 deg. on the shaft?
Hello, yes timing being off can potentially cause that code. Was the sync hole lined up correctly and the distributor mounting fork hit the mounting hole correctly when installing? If when you installed it you were at TDC, had the sync holes lined up and the mounting hole ended up in the correct location for the fork you probably do not want to rotate the gear. It would throw the distributor off. However if you missed lining up that sync hole and went off the common practice of lining up the rotor with #1 cylinder based on the cap there is a chance you are off half a tooth and rotating the gear might fix that. I would first pull the distributor cap, rotate the engine to TDC and see if the holes are aligned.
Hello Dave, thanks for the fast reply.
The engine was at TDC when I removed and installed the distributor. The distributor alignment hole is off maybe a half hole. I can stick a small screwdriver through the alignment holes.
Wouldn't the engine run rough or miss fire a bit if I have the distributor off alignment to TDC?
Yeah sounds like it might need rotated. As far as how it is running. The computer is probably compensating for the offset, since in these vehicles the computer controls the timing advance and what not. That might be why the code is getting thrown, the computer may know that something is not exactly right but its not far enough off that it puts it in a position it misfires.
Hello Dave, once again thanks for the fast response and expert advise. Most of my engine experience is on Chevys. This is my first Jeep. I don't ever remember having an issue with a distributor gear alignment with Chevys. 🤷
I went back in and rotated the distributor gear 180degs. I have drove my TJ three different times now. No fault codes. So I think the distributor gear rotation did the trick. My TJ would display the fault code after the 2nd. drive
Thank you sooo much for the help, it is greatly appreciated!!!!
I subscribed to your UA-cam channel.
Keep up the awesome videos, I'm sure it's helping a lot of people out like me. 😁
@@randyh5465 Awesome, glad it worked. Yeah the joy of everything being computerized, one hair out of place and it causes problems.
For some reason my brother's 97 jeep 4.0 will only run if that rotor end is facing towards that steering wheel of the car basically 180° from where this one is idk but runs fine that way
So the last part of the video is how it was lined up before you made the 180 degree spin on the gear? Confused on that.
If I remember correctly that part is after I spun it 180 Deg.
Well, i got a new motor from Autozone. Ended up being a stroker (not what i ordered) and used the original distributor. Its not lining upm i just went turn 180, the roll pin does bot line up on the shaft of the distrubutor to allow me to do so. Im wondering if a new distributor may line up with the new motor...
A fix the hole inside the distributor and bring the shaft mark to zero but when I try to insert it it doesn't go down completely... why?
Make sure your oil pump slot is correctly lined up, then when you inert it you will have to rotate the distributor into place. So it can be tricky getting that oil pump slot in the right location.
Mooost Awesome! I was installing my new [Made in China] distributer and was wondering why it would not align with the hold-down bolt hole!!! I had set my engine for TDC on #1 and I pinned my rotater plate and hole for 2.5L 4cyl hole (not the 4.0L I6) But something was not right. I saw that sping pin holding the small gear, but I did not want to go messing around with OEM. I do not pretend to be an engineer. I even compared to my old distributor, which was identical. The problem with my old setup, it always operated poorly, as if something was off. The operation had no power going uphill, as if something was not sinked right. I am wondering if the previous owner, who "rebuilt" the engine, had the same problem, and simply retarded the timing to get the distributor to bolt up. Anyway, I am going to rotate the gear 180 and see what comes of it.
Thanks, let us know if that cleared up that issue.
Soluciono tu problema?
Any luck?
Thanks!
Is this sync method relevant to 93-95 YJ’s?
No I dont believe so, you should be able to rotate the distributor on those years. These have this process because you cant rotate the distributor to adjust the timing.
@@TabooCustoms Im gonna go out on a limb and say it might? im doing one in my nephews 93 yj 2.5 and same distributor(bolted tabs and all), amazon bought, runs like dog farts so gonna zero it out lock the keyway and try it on wednesday and if its off or not I will absolutely report back but i have to break out the old timing light to verify and i havent used it in like 12 years. wish me luck on finding it. then if all else fails 180 degree rotation of the gear.
How’d you knock out that center pin
Roll pin
I clamped it in a vise horizontally and used a small straight punch.
I used a "center pin knockout tool" It looks amazingly like a roll pin knockout tool.
About to try this, any tools I can use that are "common" also, I assume I hit it from the side that is further in. Sorry but out in the middle of Mozambique there ain't no way I am getting that pin hitting tool thingamabob!