Category: Car repair

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Tracking Down Jeep Engine Stumble

For the past four months my Jeep Cherokee has been plagued by random stumbling/bucking issues. I’ve lost count as to how many times the fuel pressure has been checked at this point. I’d even added a can of Sea Foam to at least say I tried that. Every time though it reads normal. So the next step was to do a tune up, stumbling and bucking was still lingering. The next step was to change the throttle position sensor, which we did twice (one was a spare and the latter one is new). Still the stumbling lingered. We cleaned the throttle body, connection to the crankshaft position sensor and the stumbling/bucking lingered. It had even gotten to the point that at random times it would also just die on me. So Mike and I changed out the distributor, which showed some wear. We drove the Jeep over 100 miles in one day and it did perfectly fine. The next day the stumbling returned Sigh…

 

I ended up buying a crankshaft position sensor since my Jeep friends suggested that I replace it. My best friend drove it to work the following day and it ran smoothly—for the day. I go to take it home and halfway home the stumbling returns. This time though I caught the tachometer fluctuating.

 

After enjoying a trip to Atlanta to the 4 Wheel Drive Truck & Jeep Fest and to Summit Racing in McDonough, Georgia, I was in the mood to pop open the hood and inspect as many wires as I could and clean the idle air control valve and the ECM connection. It’s day three and so far the Jeep is doing well. In fact, she seems perkier now.

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1G DSM AWD Fuel pump replacement

1G DSM AWD Fuel pump replacement

The fuel pump in my 1991 Eagle Talon AWD failed recently. I got a new Walboro from VR-speed.com. The new unit came with a handy installation kit that contained the correct wiring harness, O ring, cap and strainer. I had to reuse the spacer from my old pump.

I began by disconnecting the battery cable. I did not want any sparks while opening the fuel tank inside the car. I removed the spare tire and then the paper cover on the left side. This uncovered a panel held in place by two Phillips screws. The screws came out easy enough but the glue that held the cover had a tenacious grip. I ended up bending the cover from all the prying needing to separate the glue. With he cover off, I slipped the wire through the hole and set it aside for re straightening.

Next I attempted to disconnect the fuel line from the fitting. I used the proper 14mm and 19mm line breaking wrenches but I was not able to get the line loose. I only succeeded in rounding off part of the hex on the metal line.

I found a handy guide on VFAQ.com and learned that I could take the line loose under the car. This connection came loose easily.

I was now worried about the six little 8mm nuts that hold the plate on top of the tank. However these came loose easily with some soaking in PB Blaster. I worked the nuts back and forth whenever I hit resistance and did not break any studs.

The gasket was stuck pretty good and I had to be very careful to work it over the studs as I separated the plate from the tank. Once the gasket was separated, I was able to twist and turn the pump holder to get it out of the hole with the hose still attached. My compliments to the de-signer of the access hole. It was just big enough to get the pump holder out.

With the holder out, I took the whole assembly to the shop. The Philips screw that holds the bottom pump clip refused to budge at first. I resorted to using vise grips to break it loose before I damaged the Phillips part. The negative wire had a Phillips screw that came out easily. The positive wire was held in place by a 7mm nut. I was surprised to learn I actually do own a 7mm wrench and took the nut off to free the wire.

I had to tug some to get the pump out of the tube but with some twisting, it came free. I then clamped the assembly in the vise to try to free the rubber line. I succeeded in rounding off the fitting more but not in getting it loose. I even tried heating it but it did not come loose.

The pump from VR Speed came with a very nice installation kit. The wiring harness was terminated with the proper ring connectors and the wires were the right length. I simply reused the spacer from my old pump and the new O ring and cap from the kit. I slipped the foam sleeve over the pump. I had a little trouble getting the filter to snap in place. I eventually used two small screwdrivers to press the tiny metal ring on the pin.

Once the pump was assembled on the holder, I replaced the bottom bracket. I then connected the two wires to the terminals on the holder. I did not use the included zip tie because it looked like it would put a side load on the pump and not add any benefit.

Later when I installed the pump in the tank however, I managed to hang the red wire on one of the studs and pinch it. I later used the zip tie to hold the wire out of the way during installation.

After a few tries, I eventually got the pump holder back in the tank with the gasket in the proper place. I snugged down the six little nuts and then crawled under the car and reconnected the line.
I used my bypass switch to test the pump. It made a loud whir the quieted down once the line filled with fuel. I was getting ready to button it all up when I noticed that the hose was leaking near the fitting. I had obviously damaged it when I heated it trying to get it off.

I crawled under the car and disconnected the line. I then removed the pump holder once again being extra careful with the gasket. I took the assembly back to the shop and tried again to re-move the hose. Now it had to come off. No amount of torque would free the fitting.

I finally resorted to heating the fitting until the hose melted and then had to continue until it was cherry red before it would separate. Even then, I had to reheat it once to get it all the way off.

I then used a triangle file to clean up the threads on the fitting and was able to get the fitting to screw on and off easily. I then began searching for another hose.

One of my friends was in the pull a part yard but he was not able to find an AWD. We were not sure if a FWD hose was the same but he could not find one easily accessible to measure.

Another friend stopped by O’reilies and brought over some fuel hose. However the hose she brought did not have a pressure rating so I was not comfortable using it for the high pressure of the EFI system. When we went to return the hose, I noticed they made hydraulic lines. I asked them if they could make me up a new hose. They said “Sure” and I waited for a new hose to be made. I was really surprised they had the right fittings in stock. Well, that turned out to be too good to be true.

When I got home, I found that the fittings he had used were English; not the 14mm x 1.5 needed for the Talon. Oh and no refunds for the custom made part.

My last ditch effort was to try to reuse the old hose. I cut off as little of the burned end as possible to keep the hose near the original length. I then cut the ferrule off the original fitting. I slid the hose over the fitting and used a worm drive clamp to secure it. I then mounted the holder in the tank again and then attached the shortened fuel line. The shorter hose was just long enough to work.

When I tested the pump this time, there were no leaks. I then put all the panels and spare tire back in place.

When I stared the car, it stumbled for a few minutes before settling down to a smooth idle. There was a severe stumble just of idle but that went away as it warmed up. I seem to remember that the engine always runs a bit rough when ever the battery cable is disconnected and the ECU resets.

I took it for a short drive and was very happy with the engine’s return to perkiness. It had felt rather week on the dying pump. Later, I took it for a longer drive and as the computer relearned things, it got smoother and more powerful. It handled 12 psi of boost easily.

I am very happy to have my Talon running again.

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Jeep Cherokee Stumbles

In January of this year I started having stumbling issues with my Jeep Cherokee. The throttle body was cleaned, fuel pressure checked, the spark plugs, wires and distributor button were replaced yet the stumbling continued. As I drove my Jeep more, the worse the stumbling got. There were times I would hit bumps and it felt as if it were cutting off on me. Then one day as I was heading to my mom’s work to meet her, the check engine light came on so I turned onto a side street, pulled over and checked the code.  It came back as #24, Throttle Position Sensor.

Since I had a spare TPS from a donor Jeep, I just switched it out which cured the stumbling issue, for a few months. Recently the stumbling came back again. I cleaned the throttle body, checked spark plug wires, put in some seafoam in the gas tank and once again checked the fuel pressure. All were in check. As I continued to drive it, the stumbling was getting worse very quickly. Hitting bumps resulted in it cutting out numerous times. A couple of times it even died on me when I stopped at traffic lights and even parking at home. I also noticed my gas mileage was terrible which is one of the signs the TPS could be bad.

Before letting it get worse to the point the check engine light would come on, I went ahead and purchased a new TPS from Autozone for $38. It is a very simple 5 minute replacement and all you need is the T20 hexhead for the two screws holding the TPS at the throttle body assembly. So far no stumbling and the gas mileage has greatly improved.

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How to Save Money buying Skid Plates and other Modifications for Your Jeep

If you have ever heard the saying Jeep: Just Empty Every Pocket you know most likely it is coming from a Jeep owner. As a Jeep owner on a tight budget I have had to make a list of things I would like to do to my Jeep Cherokee with out breaking the bank. Once the list has been made of the modifications I would like to do, I spend a lot of time doing research to find the best prices.

If you have a Facebook account, there are plenty of 4×4 & off road shops that advertise their specials and a lot of them have specials just for their Facebook fans. Also, check out Ebay as there are sometimes people who have dismantled their rig either because they are desperate for money or it has been damaged beyond fixing.

On Facebook, I have every so often come across a friend who had an XJ they decided to dismantle. One for example, his XJ was stolen and wrecked. At the time he was in a tight situation so he posted what parts he had for sale. I lucked out purchasing JKS sway bar disconnects for over half the price they would be brand new. A business called Blue Torch Fab Works often posts what specials they have going on their website. I managed to pick up two DIY diff covers for half price. Luckily for me I had someone who could weld them together.

On Ebay I found a T-Case skid plate for $76 shipping and all, brand new. A guy on there decided to start making some after he made his own and this one is just as good as one I could have bought from name brand companies. I also purchased a custom made drive shaft for my XJ late last year through Addams Off Road and Driveshaft from Nevada. They are on Ebay and have auctions that you can make an offer on. Since they make drive shafts day in and day out there is no need to send measurements to them. All you have to do is tell them what make, model, year and modifications you have on your rig. They did have a special running with free shipping, a T-Shirt and sticker. Shipping was very quick and they are great with communication. As much as I would like to have had a Tom Wood’s Drive Shaft, my budget wouldn’t allow it. I am very pleased with the driveshafts performance thus far. I also hope in the future to purchase one for the front as well.

Another save from Ebay is that when I decided to go from 3:55 gears to 4:10 I was able to purchase the front and back gears, master install kit and the carrier off Ebay saving me at least $150. But I also had someone willing to install them for me. Again some people are dismantling their rigs and you may luck out. If you have time to research keep searching Ebay at least every few days because you just never know what you will come across. I do want to note a very important tip: Make sure you know if your rig has the reverse or standard gear!

My biggest wish was to have a gas tank skid plate on my XJ. If you have looked online and in catalogs you know most of them run around $300. I lucked out because my best friend and my dad both have scrap steel laying around. So for Christmas my best friend fabricated me a gas tank skid plate just as good as one bought out of the catalog and very little $$ was spent building it. The next skid plate he fabricated was one not a lot of people consider doing although they are for sale out there in catalogs.  He fabricated a rear yoke skid plate, particularly since I have sheared the straps off of mine twice :/ This skid plate will hopefully give more protection when out on the trails

If you have scrap steel laying around and know of someone who does welding on the side consider fabricating your own skid plates.

Also, to strengthen my tie rod my best friend had scrap metal piping laying around that we were able to slide over the tie rod. Tiny holes were drilled and the pipe was welded in place. A very simple procedure that has helped save a lot of time and money.

When I first purchased my 3″ lift I didn’t have an SYE. Instead of purchasing the t-case drop blocks, my best friend fabricated blocks from square tubing he had laying around. We purchased the bolts at our local Fastenal. Once I purchased the SYE and purchased Shims from Summit Racing the blocks were then eliminated. So, if anyone needs blocks I have them sitting around!

While you may not be the person who has handy junk laying around consider friends and family that do. They may be willing to give some to you for free or a minimal price. It is even handier to have someone who knows how to weld. The biggest advantage for me though is having someone (ahem) who has a hydraulic lift, my best friend 🙂

Want to save money for modifications? Do your research! Be open to finding parts in places other than catalogs because you never know how amazing it can be the treasures you will find along the way.

 

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1999 Jeep Cherokee Alternator Replacement

1999 Jeep Cherokee Alternator Replacement

Our 1999 Jeep Cherokee has over 270000 miles on it and has recently been having some odd problems with voltage. On occasion, the volt meter would drop to 9 and the check gauges light would come on. Stopping the Jeep and restarting would normally clear it right up. I assumed it was a gauge issues and not really a voltage problem. Testing the battery with a VOM always showed it to be fully charged.

However, a couple of days ago while Janice was driving, the voltage dropped and stayed down. When she stopped, the Jeep would not restart. The battery was dead. Jennifer had to jump start her from her Jeep.

Later, while I was driving it, it died in traffic and I had to push it to the side of the road. I retrieved it on the trailer and took it to the shop. Testing showed the battery completely drained.

I put the charger on the battery and began pulling the alternator. Removing he alternator from the 99 was similar to the earlier models but with a couple of differences.

First, the field wiring connector is a plug in rather than bolt on. It took some force to release the clip but it pulled right out. The min lead connects just like the others with a 10mm nut on a stud. Be sure to disconnect the battery before messing with this nut.

Next, I collected my 15 mm socket and 9/16 socket knowing I would need both. Working from below, I removed the bottom bolt that passes through the alternator boss. I then loosened the 15mm bolt next to it. I then loosened the 9/16 nuts that bolt the bracket to the block. They only need to be loosed a turn or two not removed.

Then, I removed the long bolt that passed through the upper alternator mount. Both ends of this bolt require a 15mm. I found it easier to hold the bolt and turn the nut due to the fan being in the way. I found one position of the fan that allowed the bolt to come all the way out.

With the two bolts out and the bracket loose, I slid the alternator up to loosen the belt and then to the side to separate it from the brackets. Mine was stuck to the brackets with some corrosion so I had to use a pry bar to break it free. Once the alternator was free of the bracket, I twisted it to find just the right angle to bring it down past the frame rail and oil pan.

With the alternator out, I noticed some corrosion on the field wiring terminals. This may have been the cause of my intermittent troubles. However, I elected to replace the alternator anyway. It tested “good” on the AutoZone tester, but with its age, I decided to replace it anyway.

Installing the new alternator involved finding the right angle to slip it up past the bracket and lowering it back into place. It is possible to reinstall without adjusting the belt tension, but I chose to install a new belt at the same time as well.

I began by slipping the lower bolt in place. I then rotated the alternator to line up the upper bolt. Then, I found the right place to put the fan and slipped the upper bolt in. I tightened the upper and lower muting bolts then snugged up the reaming nuts and bolts that I had loosened but not removed.

I put the main wire back on and then plugged in the field wiring. I then put the battery cable back. I then threaded in the new belt and adjusted the tension.

The Jeep started right up and the voltage read correctly on the gauge. I test drive indicated everything was back to normal. We had experienced some belt squeal when the AC was first turned on but with the new belt, that was gone as well. After the test drive I checked the battery and it was at 13.7 just like it should be.