99 XJ Issues

Macdaddy4738

Macdaddy4738

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
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Looking for some suggestions for this. 99 XJ with around 143k on it, 4.0. Every so often the transmission jerks, almost like it's switching gears without any change in RPM prompting it. Doesn't matter if I'm accelerating or slowing down, it does it randomly. Occasionally it'll move completely to neutral. I have to press the gas pedal completely to the floor and then it'll come back to normal.

Sometimes it'll just shut off completely. Generally when I'm idling or driving at very low speeds (commonly in a drive thru or my driveway). I replaced the TPS earlier this year but it didn't change anything. I'm leaning towards a CPS right now, but I'm just not sure. I don't believe it is mechanical in nature. Maybe an issue with the shift solenoids? I should mention there's no CEL or any code being thrown right now.

Thanks
 
How good is the condition of the grounds and electrical in general?
I had a XJ once that would throw all sorts of strange fits. Nearly put my head in the windshield cutting out and acting a fool.......was a bad ground and low battery.
 
Check to see if any cable looms or wires around the intake manifold a rubbing on anything. My family has a 97 XJ that stumped me for a while and things got a lot better once I kept them from wiggling/rubbing on adjacent stuff.

I never had a CEL pop on either for my weird stuttering/shut off condition.


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Not sure in the grounds. Is there anywhere you can point me to show a location for them all?

I will add that the problem seemingly got worse after having the rear brakes entirely replaced. Not sure they're linked though.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
Not sure in the grounds. Is there anywhere you can point me to show a location for them all?

I will add that the problem seemingly got worse after having the rear brakes entirely replaced. Not sure they're linked though.
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Main battery ground, chassis ground firewall cab.....a few others. XJ are notorious for bad ground issues.
Link to good picture and brief article.
Jeep Cherokee Electrical - Diagnosing Erratic Behavior of Engine / Guage / Accessories - Replace Ground Cables
 
Interestingly the main ground (the large mesh cable from the engine block to the firewall) was contacting the brake line behind it. Must have been that way for some time too, as there's noticeable wear on the brake line. Could this be the issue?
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
Interestingly the main ground (the large mesh cable from the engine block to the firewall) was contacting the brake line behind it. Must have been that way for some time too, as there's noticeable wear on the brake line. Could this be the issue?
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I'd definately correct it. One less possibility.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
What would the replacement be for this cable? Could I just use a short battery cable as a replacement? It's fairly corroded in spots and it seems kind of dumb to me that it's not somehow sheathed in something.
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All XJ's have that main engine ground. There is one by the battery too and one on the front of the block near the alternator. The 97 up xj's have an issue with dirty grounds doing all kinds of weird things. My son's 98 died. We cleaned the grounds and she ran fine for a while.
 
When you changed the TPS, was it a parts store sensor or OEM Dealer quality? More times than not I've seen junk TPS come from parts stores.
 
What @ghost said! In my XJ days I learned that if it wasn’t OEM it wasn’t worth the time.
As far as the ground strap I just don’t see it causing an issue considering the brake line as its also in contact with body ground at numerous points so what does it affect??
Not saying don’t fix the rubbing cause something rubbing on a brake line is probably not good in the long run. But for braking not grounding.
 
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Its your CPS or the TPS.
 
Has the jeep ever been muddin? I ask for a reason. The shift solenoids in the transmission don't like anything other than atf.... Ask me how I know....
 
ghost said:
Has the jeep ever been muddin? I ask for a reason. The shift solenoids in the transmission don't like anything other than atf.... Ask me how I know....
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Not since I've owned it (10 years or so). Could have been before I bought it, but if that caused an issue I figured it'd have popped up by now. TPS is an AutoZone special, made of quality Chineseium. I'll have the CPS replaced. I looked at doing it myself but frankly it looks like an enormous pain in the ass and it isn't super expensive to have a shop do it. If it fixes it I won't worry. If not, I'll get a better TPS.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
Not since I've owned it (10 years or so). Could have been before I bought it, but if that caused an issue I figured it'd have popped up by now. TPS is an AutoZone special, made of quality Chineseium. I'll have the CPS replaced. I looked at doing it myself but frankly it looks like an enormous pain in the ass and it isn't super expensive to have a shop do it. If it fixes it I won't worry. If not, I'll get a better TPS.
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A skinny arm can get down to the two bolts from the engine bay pretty easily. Or take the driveshaft off of the front and reach up. Just don’t drop anything in the hole in the bellhousing :D


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