Calling Jeep Guys S.O.S. (Electrical)

smoothbronco

New Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2005
Location
Holly Springs
Okay, so new to the board but not to off-roading and in desperate need of help (which, in my experience, there isn't any other kind of help needed when it comes to electrical).

My girlfriend drives a 98 Jeep Cherokee that has started a nasty habit of stalling on her in stop and go traffic. Here's what we've got:

98, with inline 6 (I do love these engines) that had it's alternator replaced about a month or so ago by a friend (I was out of town) and I'm not terribly confident of his skills.

The syptoms are:

Seems to die in stop and go traffic, when things are flowing, no problem. Before dying the ABS light blinks a few times and the digital milage dims and brightens a few times as well. The engine (according to her) gives no sign of a problem (i.e. hesitation, etc) but simply dies, the rest of the electrical stays going (dash lights and whatnot) but acts as if the key was just put in the 'on position' right before starting (meaning all the warning lights come on and it beeps). She said it will start right back up as soon as it cuts off.

The only other thing that seems to be happening is the oil pressure gauge is reading low at idle. I pray this is associated with the (hopefully) electrical stalling and not a secondary problem that needs to be address (I've seen one of these where the seal on the oil pump failed, not pretty).

Now, I'm a ford guy (don't hate) and had this been a ford, I would assume that darn module that bolts to the distributor as I've replaced a few of those for doing something similar. As best as I can assume, this sounds like something electrical that is overheating and tripping to a fault, but as soon as it has a second to cool down, will work again. My only other thought would be if the oil pressure gauge (or, god for bid, the actual oil pressure) was dropping to a point where the computer automatically shut the engine off to protect it.

Anyways, I really need help bad, she has to drive around 440 in rush hour to get to work and I would rather not have her stalling out there if it can be helped. And I can't give her my car to drive as she has yet to learn how to drive stick.

So any help would be appreciated and returned if you were to have a ford problem.

Moseley
 
Possible, though she said it wasn't a bump or turn or anything when it shuts down. I did check the connections on the back of the new alternator incase my buddy didn't tighten them down, but they seem good. The connections on the batteries seem firm as well. I will probably remove the battery and tray to get a better look of that area incase something becomes visable, but I was hoping it was a common problem like that distributor module thingy with fords.
 
It restarts fine?

If it were a bad alternator, it would run off the battery untill fully drained and then not have the juice to crank the engine upon restart.

What is the mileage on the jeep? How about the typical tune up items; Plugs wires, cap and rotor, fuel filter?

Is the AC on when this happens?? Seems like if the idle wasn't increasing (the computer bumps the idle up with a/c on when properly functioning)when the compressor cycled on that would cause your dimming lights and then bogg the engine down causing it to cut off.
 
I did the plugsm wires, cap and rotor recently. I would imagine the AC is on (the woman is cold natured) but in her discription, it didn't like it bogged down then died, she described a sudden shut off. As for milage, I can't remember, I want to say close to, if not over 100k. I hadn't thought of fuel pump I'll see if I can track that down, that would be a good culprit for it to die, but (I don't think) it explains the ABS light, diming milage, or oil pressure.

I HATE ELECTRICAL!

Moseley
 
Buy one of those jeep manuals and read the warning codes section. I'm not sure if they still have this but my dads 95 does. If you read the instructions it will tell you how to turn the key a certain amount of times and dash lights will blink telling you what the problems are if there are any. I have a straight gear jeep wrangler 98 that would shutoff and do the same but It also had problems starting as well.
 
Frye,

Thanks, ya I got the Haynes, but it looks like 97 and older was when you could do the ignition diagnostic trick, 98 and newer takes a scanner. Also, it said the engine light would be on if it was reading a problem in the engine, but it's a computer, and I have limited faith in it being the catch-all at problem finding. Anyways, I'm going to try replacing the ignition module as that is the best guess I have and it's old, so if it isn't it, it still should be replaced. I'm also going to change the oil in hopes that perhaps the filter is clogged and therefor impeding the oil pressure to build at idle, but I guess that depends on where the sending unit is for the gauge.

Anyways, thanks to everyone's thoughts, if anyone thinks they have an idea or this sounds similar let me know, we'll see if it is fixed with the iginition module.

Moseley
 
the same problem happens on my 93 inline 6. ill be cruising down the road fine and everything is dandy. when i push in the clutch, SOMETIMES it will stall. im pretty sure it doesn't have anything to do with electrical. i think either the pump is going or the fuel injectors are cloged.it just happens when she lets of the gas so not enough gas is getting through and starves the motor. also, i don't think that year jeeps shut off if you have low oil pressure. as for the lights coming on or blinking, could be low on brake fluid or when the jeep dies they come on. just an idea though

tyler
good luck. let us know what you found out
 
Okay, Update:

Change the oil, filter, and oil pressure sending unit last night. I talked to the guys at advanced and autozone, and I got a plethora of ideas, none of which had me convinced. Anyways, I just got off the phone with her and it stalled on her again. She said the oil pressure is still dropping down to one line above zero when she comes off the accelerator and the car idles. Same symptoms as yesterday and the day before, ABS light blinks when she comes off of the gas and goes to the brake (which would fall in line with low break fluid, I need to check that) she said the digital milage "flickers" under acceleration and when it stalled it starts right back up just like any other time. Lastly, she said after it stalled, it ran fine the rest of the way, except for the oil pressure still dropping off.

We know something is stalling the engine out, it's either a lack of gas or fire. One guy at Advanced said it could be the Cat, but that didn't make a lot of sense to me considering all the problems, but then again, I know little about cats. I did inquire into the Iginition Module as that's what it would sound like it to me, but both Advance and Auto zone had nothing in the computers showing this engine has one. I looked around the dizzy and coil and nothing stood out so I'm not sure if that would be a culprit (or if there is one) or not. I may see if I can get my hands on a mechanical oil pressure gauge and determine if the engine really is reading that low, because that would be my biggest concern. I'm still at a loss on the stalling though, she said she isn't paying attention to the RPM's when it stalls so I'm not sure if it's a sudden shut down, or if it peters down and dies and she just doesn't notice it.

I'm still up for ideas and thoughts if anyone has any. I'll be traveling this weekend but will definately be on this when I get back.

Thanks to everyone,

Moseley
 
maybe a battery trying to dead cell?? disconnect the battery and have it tested at your local auto parts store, it may be starting to come apart inside.

as far as the cat goes, this is a common problem on jeeps but if it is plugged bad enough to stall the truck it would almost certainly limit your top speed depending how bad its blockage is. usually about 40 mph or so.
 
The battery is only a few month old and it's not a cheap one either. I have been doing research on autogeek.com (this has some good info) and I did find someone that is having the exact same problem in regards to the ABS and stalling, so I'm hoping he'll reply to my e-mail if he's figured it out. Something else I read that interested me that I thought I would throw past ya'll to get your take was; someone mentioned a failed fuel pressure regulator causing the stalling and also thinning out the oil, which would cause the drop off of pressure. I can't remember if I smelled gas when changing the oil, but I could have sworn I was smelling it at some point when working on it. Anyone have any thoughts in regards to this?

Moseley
 
OBX Fisherman said:
Check the ground wire and make sure it's making a good connection to the block and the body.

Gary
Click to expand...


And the connection at the battery - I have the negative cable end form a hard thin layer of corrosion. This can create similar symptons.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. I have reset the computer, and thus far, there have not been any more stalls. I found someone online who had the same, exact problem, and he told me he replaced the battery. Since her's is only a few months old, I decided that perhaps reseting the computer was the solution. Of course, since I disconnected and reconnected the negative battery, it could have been a loose connection there as well.

Anyways, thanks again, now I just need to figure out the low oil pressure, anyone else with an inline 6 with 100K+ milage having this problem. Drops off at idle, and I really don't want to drop the oil pan, and replace the pump.

Moseley
 
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