More problems with my 2006 Rubi LJ

[JohnnyS]

While cruising around in the mountains yesterday my Jeep decided to no longer be a 4wd.
The 4wd indicator light turned off, as did the locker lights. After a break they did it again, obviously something is not happy in there.
A similar thing happened about 6 months ago when my lockers stopped working, guess it wasn't fixed.
This whole thing is accompanied by a really (almost not running) low idle after operating in low range.
I just bought new 33x10.50 KM2s too and was so stoked with how well they are working!
I'm going back to an FJ40.

 

[alosix]

Mine only tends to run really rough when it needs a new cap/rotor/wires.. But that won't help your 06 much at all .

The only other 2 inputs that I'd think could be acting up to cause this would be the CPS or TPS.


For the 4wd issue. I'm thinking the sensor on the t-case is having a bad time. If the rubi doesn't think its in 4wd it won't lock the diffs.

Me thinks you have some gremins. Battery good (hasn't been run dead lately right? takes a while for most jeeps to idle right after doing that). No new electrical installs?

 

[86cj]

Does the transfer case use vacuum lines for anything? The rough idle can be a vacuum leak, very common......

 

[PhulesAU]

look on the rubi owners forum... could be a compressor issue.

 

[alosix]

Does the transfer case use vacuum lines for anything? The rough idle can be a vacuum leak, very common......

Vac lines went the way of the dodoo (or is that YJ ) right about the time HP front axles stopped coming in Jeeps, so they won't be on the rubi.


Have any luck getting it happy yet?

Speaking of gremlins. Any chance you killed a ground strap or something? The coil on plug hemi we have in the 725 is very picky about being grounded to run right. I spent a day trying to figure out why it wouldn't start when originally wiring it after it did once because I had a ground strap loosely lying around that would contact once and a while

 

[JohnnyS]

Thanks for the input guys.
I replaced both compressors last year and it didn't fix it.
The motor lunched (4.0) at 17500, and ever since then it had been constantly breaking stuff.
Me thinks it may be a lemon.
What a pain, it really sucks because I've spent a lot of time and money setting the thing up.
I just bought a chunk of aluminum to have a friend machine into custom mounts for my Safari Awning to retrofit it to the Wilderness rack, I was really stoked to have a new improved awning.
When the Jeep is working it rocks, to bad that doesn't happen often these days.
Take it easy.

 

[alosix]

The motor lunched (4.0) at 17500, and ever since then it had been constantly breaking stuff.

lunched. So.. its been out and another put in?

Grab an FSM and go over all of the grounds. They tend to be very easy to miss when swapping a whole motor.

 

[wacker12]

look online, you can test the TPS sensor which when failing can cause low idle situations. Now you say your light is going in and out on the dash? I highly doubt the x-fer case is going in and out. Check fuses, Check relays (correct me if I'm wrong but there is one for each locker in the under hood panel) Check any and all electrical connections for the X-fer case. Pulling them apart and putting dielectric in the connection is also cheap insurance. Think about how often all those underbody electrical components are exposed to water when offroad.

I second ROF as it is a good resourcer for Rubi specific info.

Any Check engine light btw? Do you know how to self check the codes with the odometer?

I hope some of that helps.

good luck

 

[JohnnyS]

Thanks for the advice!
I've been through one TPS already and we're back to the low idle situation again, using low range is what set it off? Kind of strange.
The 4wd light is turning off after being in 4 for a few seconds, when toggling off the lockers the check engine light will come on briefly and the jeep will almost stall, the front locker will disengage once the jeep is moving as well.
I'll start checking grounds/connections.
Thanks again.

 

[lamontagne]

Its definitely an electrical problem. I seem to remember reading about a similar problem from a Jeeper on the virtualjeepclub forums. You could try searching there or try the rubiconowners forum too!

http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/showthread.php?t=42945&highlight=Rubicon+lockers+disengaging

http://www.fixya.com/cars/t839131-2003_jeep_rubicon_both_air

Here is a way to bypass the lockers..
http://www.wanderingtrail.com/Mods/TJLJmods/Locker_Defeat.htm