Jeep 2.7 CRD won't start

[Tims_Jeep]

Let me preface this with I'm painfully aware I bought a lemon.

Last week we had a fair amount of rain overnight, I went to start the Jeep in the morning and... Nothing... Most of the dash lights illuminate and the chimes work but it won't crank and the glow plug light doesn't come on. I winched it out of the way and took the XJ to work, by the time I got home in the evening the CRD was back to playing nice.

Last night it rained overnight again, I didn't think anything of it and changed the fuel filter, hoses, and return valve, primed it and... Yep, nothing... Same symptoms except it has a high pitch sound coming from the back of the engine bay whenever the battery is connected, if I remove the "Fuel Control" fuse from the fuse box the noise stops, but the Jeep still won't crank.

Battery voltage is good, 12.6V but to be sure I put it on charge, came back and it's the same. Ran through the fuses I thought might be related and they all look OK, swapped the relay for the starter. I'd be pointing at the starter motor except that the glow plugs light doesn't come on and the noise. The Jeep won't display error codes using the key.

Next step is to post here and have a look at the FSM. Any thoughts? Seems like water is getting somewhere it shouldn't.

[fester]

Have you had the battery properly load tested at an auto levy !!!

[Tims_Jeep]

I haven't had it tested, I'll look at either a temporary swap for my dads (also a WJ CRD) or putting a new one in.

Whenever the battery is connected to the car the ASD relay clicks on, is that normal? I thought with the ASD it would at least crank.

[drover]

Cold battery in morning, no go, warmer in arvo and it starts, I'd say battery, when you get it to run turn lights on and try to start it, it should start if the battery is good but sounds like it's stuffed, they demand a battery that is 98% or they pack it in the damn things.

[Tims_Jeep]

I had some time to tinker with the CRD this morning, the goal was to replace the +ve battery connection and charge the battery. While I was in there I figured I'd check the connections on the PCM. Turns out the starter wire is bigger than 00 gauge, so after cutting it off I need to source a 000 gauge lug.

Unbolted the PCM and disconnected it and found... It sloshes... Not impressed, turned it upside down and emptied a fair amount of water onto the driveway, unscrewed it and found another couple of CM water still in there! Fairly confident that I've sourced the problem with starting it after rain, just hope the PCM isn't fried. It's drying in the oven at 40 degrees, I'll report back once it's all back together and I've put the +ve lug back on.

So CRD owners, if your grand won't start after rain it might be worth checking the PCM.

[bodgie]

Originally Posted by Tims_Jeep

Unbolted the PCM and disconnected it and found... It sloshes... Not impressed, turned it upside down and emptied a fair amount of water onto the driveway, unscrewed it and found another couple of CM water still in there! Fairly confident that I've sourced the problem with starting it after rain, just hope the PCM isn't fried. It's drying in the oven at 40 degrees, I'll report back once it's all back together and I've put the +ve lug back on.

So CRD owners, if your grand won't start after rain it might be worth checking the PCM.

That would explain a lot. I wonder where it is entering the box, an obvious signs of where it may be leaking?

Jason

[Tims_Jeep]

It has a hole in it at the opposite end to the electrical plug that is supposed to be plugged with a rubber grommet, my guess is through there because the rest of it was pretty tightly sealed. Looks like one of the ICs has a pin corroded through, not good but maybe that pin is optional...