1990 jeep wrangler starting problems

hello...i've got a 1990 jeep wrangler with 2.5l engine that my girlfriend drives. for the past 4 months or so, and every now and then, the engine will keep turning over and over and over, but not fire for her...so i end up driving across town, and see what i can do...i screw with it for like 5 minutes (look the engine over, open the throttle body, shoot some starting fluid in there), and then i turn it over and it makes the sound like it's ready to fire for about a second but it doesnt fire and just keeps turning over. i give it a few minutes after that, then try again, and boom, it fires up...i have found that sometimes too, that changing gears helps it, trying to start in nuetral, 1st and 4th usually helps it, why i do not know? can anyone help out with this problem? i've already done the fuel filter, i've read other posts that changing the fuel pump doesnt usually help (and i dont wanna chance changing the fuel pump not helping the problem as it is in the tank and sounds like a pain)....i heard people changing the relay, the computer, and the CPS... well before going down the list and potentially end up wasting money, does anyone have any insight on what i might try? any help is greatly appreciated. thank you! :)

If it starts up as soon as you spray the starter fluid in, it sounds like a fuel problem, possibly a loose connection at the relay, or your fuel pump is starting to go. To test the theory of fuel, when she calls you again, the first thing you do is open the hood, find the fuel rail then the " bike tire" looking valve. remove its cover and press the valve plunger down, if you get a spray of fuel, then your pump, or what controls it maybe bad. Next listen for the fuel pump to come on when you turn the key to "ON" position ( when the dash lights up). It should come on then shortly turn off. If you don't hear it. Turn off ignition, disconnect the wiring harness to the pump, have your girlfriend turn the key to on, as you check for power with a meter or test light, if you have power then your probably looking at a pump. If not, check the relay. Hope this helps some.

Hi
I have the exact same problem. Tell me you figured it out. I have spent a few bucks already.
mike in Cornwall Ontario.

I changed the relay and it fixed it and has been working no problem ever since....

I changed the relays around but didn't actually buy new ones. Do you think it may help? Thanks for the reply.

it may work....but to be safe i'd just go to autozone and buy new ones if you can afford it

the mechanic took the jeep home for the last few days and finally, it wouldn't start for him this morn. He has determined that there is no spark. I have been telling them for two weeks that it could be the crank sensor but they kept telling me my jeep didn't have one because there was a distributor. Anyway, today they now agree with me that there is one and are going to change it. Fingers crossed that I'll have it back for the Easter weekend.

So they replaced the cps and it stalled while I was driving it today. Wanted to cut out but I pulled into a parking lot and it kept running. Now what? It's got a new distributor and CPS. Where do I go next?

Your're not going to believe this. I had some recall work done after I bought the jeep and one of the recalls was the emergency brake assy. The bastards (Dodge) didn't put the ignition ground back on. It was bumping around under the dash above the emerg brake. I found it by accident when I saw some sparks underneath. *&^^%$%$#@ How much money did I spend???

Here is a new one that is annoying the crap out of me. My yj was running when I parked it, I rebuilt the head gasket and all the gaskets up. Got everything back together and and it wont fire. I have replaced the spark plugs and correctly gaped them. I have replaced the wires, distributor cap and rotor, ignition coil and ignition relay and still it wont fire. It will turn over but thats it. Any body have any ideas what the problems is?:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghe ad::banghead: