1998 Hesitates, chugs...

rdupuis · 02-04-2010, 11:44 AM

My wife's 1998 Grand Cherokee LTD has started doing this hesitation/chug thing when you put your foot down on the accelerator. Seems to drive fine as you ease your speed up, but as soon as you put your foot down it kind of chgs and tries to catch up with itself. Make sense? Air filter looks good... maybe fuel filter? O2 sensor? Let me know what you guys think, thanks!

4Slow9erHybrid · 02-04-2010, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdupuis

My wife's 1998 Grand Cherokee LTD has started doing this hesitation/chug thing when you put your foot down on the accelerator. Seems to drive fine as you ease your speed up, but as soon as you put your foot down it kind of chgs and tries to catch up with itself. Make sense? Air filter looks good... maybe fuel filter? O2 sensor? Let me know what you guys think, thanks!

what engine? Does this happen shortly (2-3 mins) after starting the Jeep? Then after a few more mins, problem goes away?

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/bogging-missing-957763/

xjhavens · 02-05-2010, 02:51 AM

Might be the tps. Same kinda thing last spring,replace and that fixed mine.

BLACKzj52 · 02-05-2010, 09:00 AM

sounnds like fuel pump. mine did the same thing. get your fuel pressure tested. should be 49 PSI +/- 5 if I remember correctly. Anything above or below means its bad. I remember mine was at like 10psi at idle. LOL

kmk108 · 02-05-2010, 04:24 PM

If it's a 5.2, mine did the same thing. I noticed that when I put the fuel injector cleaner in the tank, It would be fine until I needed to put more in. A few months back, I needed to change the fuel pump in the ZJ, and ever since it has been changed, It hasn't happened.

rdupuis · 02-07-2010, 09:24 PM

Okay, so I was driving it home from the hockey game today and it sputtered two big times, and then died. I had electrical still, but lost the power steering. I guided it over to the side of the road with my 4-ways and popped in neutral. I made sure it was indeed dead, and started it again. Fired right up and I drove the rest of the way home. May be coincidence, but when it happened I was turning up the heater fan to high and washing the windshield. Any ideas?

BigRed4x4 · 02-07-2010, 09:27 PM

Mine was hesistating real bad when the throttle body needed some love.

rdupuis · 02-08-2010, 12:32 AM

Hmmm... i wonder if it is the fuel pump. At the time it crapped out tonight, I was going up a pretty steep hill, and my fuel level is pretty low... like 1/8th of a tank. Thoughts?

Silvin0 · 02-08-2010, 12:52 AM

I drive a 1998 JGC Limited 4.0, have for almost 2 yrs experienced stalling, chugging, dogging out and backfiring to the point it blew up muffler and cat; symptoms = summer/winter, rain/sun, day/night, idling/running at hwy speeds. I've read dozens of posts and based on such random symptoms I replaced sensor after sensor. Nothing worked and I just about gave up. Finally at the prospect of possibly blowing big bucks on a new PCM I chose to start with easy/low/no cost fixes... this is what happened, I removed the three plugs to the PCM and sprayed the terminals with electrical contact cleaner and omg - it hasn't stalled in a week now. Inside the terminal housing was dirty, and it took several sprays and plugging in/out to clean them and make positive connection. Im not sure this is a universal fix, I mean consider the computer trouble codes on YOUR Jeep. I have kept up general maintenance so I think I narrowed it down after a period of time, but I hope that this helps everyone who is experiencing stall/chug/jerk/backfire.

Markus~

torchd · 02-08-2010, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvin0

I drive a 1998 JGC Limited 4.0, have for almost 2 yrs experienced stalling, chugging, dogging out and backfiring to the point it blew up muffler and cat; symptoms = summer/winter, rain/sun, day/night, idling/running at hwy speeds. I've read dozens of posts and based on such random symptoms I replaced sensor after sensor. Nothing worked and I just about gave up. Finally at the prospect of possibly blowing big bucks on a new PCM I chose to start with easy/low/no cost fixes... this is what happened, I removed the three plugs to the PCM and sprayed the terminals with electrical contact cleaner and omg - it hasn't stalled in a week now. Inside the terminal housing was dirty, and it took several sprays and plugging in/out to clean them and make positive connection. Im not sure this is a universal fix, I mean consider the computer trouble codes on YOUR Jeep. I have kept up general maintenance so I think I narrowed it down after a period of time, but I hope that this helps everyone who is experiencing stall/chug/jerk/backfire.

Markus~

Where is the PCM located in the 98 Jeep (ZJ)???

rdupuis · 02-08-2010, 01:16 AM

From what I can see just by researching on this site it's behind the coolant resevoir. Please correct me if I'm wrong anyone.

rdupuis · 02-08-2010, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvin0

I drive a 1998 JGC Limited 4.0, have for almost 2 yrs experienced stalling, chugging, dogging out and backfiring to the point it blew up muffler and cat; symptoms = summer/winter, rain/sun, day/night, idling/running at hwy speeds. I've read dozens of posts and based on such random symptoms I replaced sensor after sensor. Nothing worked and I just about gave up. Finally at the prospect of possibly blowing big bucks on a new PCM I chose to start with easy/low/no cost fixes... this is what happened, I removed the three plugs to the PCM and sprayed the terminals with electrical contact cleaner and omg - it hasn't stalled in a week now. Inside the terminal housing was dirty, and it took several sprays and plugging in/out to clean them and make positive connection. Im not sure this is a universal fix, I mean consider the computer trouble codes on YOUR Jeep. I have kept up general maintenance so I think I narrowed it down after a period of time, but I hope that this helps everyone who is experiencing stall/chug/jerk/backfire.

Markus~

I'm going to try this first thing in the morning. May as well start with the easier fixes for sure, and it's probably good maintenance practice anyway. Thanks.

**wfttalon** · 02-08-2010, 09:49 AM

u could also look at a map sensor possibly. they will cause it to die an run ruff. just put one on a 5.9 at work at that took care of all his problems

Meanmatty · 02-08-2010, 09:54 AM

i had problems like this in one of my cars and it was just water in the tank try some dry gas before you go replacing everything

rdupuis · 02-09-2010, 12:42 PM

I'll called a couple of places to check and see how much it is to have it scanned and check the fuel pressure... $90! Couldn't believe it. Found a place who would do it for $40 so guess I'll go there.