Sputtering/Bucking, now melted wire....

This may be kinda long, but I want to give as many details as possible.....

87 Laredo 4.0L AW4 NP242

Anyways, few weeks back the jeep began sputtering very badly after it seemed to warm up. I figured it was a fuel filter/distributor cap issue so I replaced both one night. Started up fine the next morning, idled fine, everything seemed ok.

Started driving to work only to find 5 miles away from home it began the same problem, sputtering with a complete loss of power. It was as if the engine completely turned off and back on again as I could completely floor the car and it would randomly go, but lose all power again. This leads me to believe its not a spark/fuel issue as it didn't have the typical symptoms. Once I limped it home, I pulled into the driveway where it promptly died.

I tried restarting the car (where it would previously restart, but idle somewhat rough) and noticed it cranked a little slower than normal, but never actually started up. I cranked for a little bit (less than 8sec) and all the sudden a big cloud of smoke came from the engine bay. I popped the hood, poured water all over the passenger side area to find a single wire completely burned up.

The wire comes from the starter relay and goes to the ballast resistor. I'm dumbfounded as to how this happened, but I have a feeling it is not directly related to my previous issue.

The CPS has never been replaced (to my knowledge) and it is a high altitude version.

Can anyone shed any light on these issues and perhaps give me their take on the situation?

All help is appreciated!

The wire to the DS fenderwell ballast resistor?

Well, you won't have any fuel pump without power in that circuit.

First, you should charge your battery and have it load tested--doesn't matter what brand it is or if you only put it in a month ago. While it is charging (like overnight, better for 24 hours), good time to clean all cable ends and renew all grounds--dipstick tube, head to firewall, starter relay to passenger fenderwell, battery to block.

Once your battery is confirmed good you can try cranking the engine over, but that burnt wire from the starter solenoid makes me suspicious and I would probably pull the starter and have it tested, as it is most likely the source of the short, however the ballast resistor can also short on you. You can bypass the ballast resistor, it really is just a problem waiting to happen.

Now you are going to have to trace that burnt wire and replace it.

Sounds very similar to what myself and a couple of others are experiencing in the thread titled "renix issue". Hope you get it worked out and maybe share the wealth of knowledge. I found that I had loose exhaust and intake manifold bolts. I thought maybe the vacuum leak was nominal until it heated up. Alas, doesn't seem to be the case, I'm still working on it. If I get it figured out, I'll let you know what I find.

Well the wire goes from the starter relay on the passenger side to the ballast resistor on the driver side. I'll have to hunt around this weekend and see what I can find.

Quick and dirty pull that wire off the ballast resistor and run a wire from the battery positive post to the wire attached to the out side of the ballast resistor and see if it will run the pump.