Solved: A Jeep with compression issues

This 2.4L Jeep Cherokee had a crank/no-start problem, and the cranking cadence sounded like erratic compression possibly from multiple cylinders.

Brandon Steckler

Aug. 13, 2025

2 min read

The duration of the intake valve was significantly insufficient at only 51 degrees. This suggest either a significantly worn cam lobe or lifter issue. Considering all cylinders suffered the same issue, the likely fault was air-bound/collapsed lifters. The engine was cranked repeatedly to purge air from the lifters and the engine started/ran normally.

This 2016 Jeep Cherokee with a 2.4L engine suffered from a crank/no-start complaint, and the cranking cadence sounded like erratic compression — for maybe multiple cylinders.

Read more about the vehicle and the technician's initial diagnostics.

What would you recommend doing next, given the data bullet points in last month’s challenge? 

Retime the camshafts
Measure the duration of the intake valve for cylinder No. 1
Replace engine due to damage low-end
Dose each cylinder with oil to increase compression ratio

For those of you who chose answer No. 2, congratulations! The intake trace and in-cylinder trace both show a significantly late IVO event. Measuring the duration of the intake valve for cylinder No. 1 proves it’s extremely insufficient. This infers either a severely worn intake cam lobe or (more likely) collapsed lifters. The engine was simply cranked for an extended period of time (for the lifters to purge) and the engine started/ran without issue (See photo).

Answer No. 1 is incorrect. If the cam timing was the issues, all of the cylinders would have the same faulted outcome (considering the configuration of this in-line four-cylinder engine).

Answer No. 3 is incorrect as there is no indication of a low-end engine issue present.

Answer No. 4 holds merit because introducing oil to the cylinder would indeed increase the compression however, significant only if the low-end had worn to cause the compression loss.

Be sure to read the next Motor Age issue for the answer to this month’s challenge and what was discovered!

About the Author

Brandon Steckler

Technical Editor | Motor Age

Brandon began his career in Northampton County Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he was a student of GM’s Automotive Service Educational program. In 2001, he graduated top of his class and earned the GM Leadership award for his efforts. He later began working as a technician at a Saturn dealership in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he quickly attained Master Technician status. He later transitioned to working with Hondas, where he aggressively worked to attain another Master Technician status.

Always having a passion for a full understanding of system/component functionality, he rapidly earned a reputation for deciphering strange failures at an efficient pace and became known as an information specialist among the staff and peers at the dealership. In search of new challenges, he transitioned away from the dealership and to the independent world, where he specialized in diagnostics and driveability.

Today, he is an instructor with both Carquest Technical Institute and Worldpac Training Institute. Along with beta testing for Automotive Test Solutions, he develops curriculum/submits case studies for educational purposes. Through Steckler Automotive Technical Services, LLC., Brandon also provides telephone and live technical support, as well as private training, for technicians all across the world.

Brandon holds ASE certifications A1-A9 as well as C1 (Service Consultant). He is certified as an Advanced Level Specialist in L1 (Advanced Engine Performance), L2 (Advanced Diesel Engine Performance), L3 (Hybrid/EV Specialist), L4 (ADAS) and xEV-Level 2 (Technician electrical safety).

He contributes weekly to Facebook automotive chat groups, has authored several books and classes, and truly enjoys traveling across the globe to help other technicians attain a level of understanding that will serve them well throughout their careers.