I'm sure this has been asked before...

My 88' XJ has been acting up the past few days. When I start it up (engine's cold) it will run fine. (idle is a bit erratic, but no problem)
When I get to work 15 minutes later, I'll shut it off. If I try to start it back up, it will rev to 2k and then die. If I wait an hour for it to completely cool off, it will start just fine.
Now, when it does this to me, if I immediately hit the gas, I can keep it going. Only problem is, it's revving around 3500! If I let off the gas, it dies out.
I remember someone mentioning that the fuel pump resistor could be to blame... How do I find out without replacing it? I checked at NAPA and they don't list one for a Jeep. Is it a dealer item only?

HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!!!!

Anybody?

Hello..Is this mike on....hello....

The ballast resistor is often the culprit if it dies as soon as you release the key from the START position to the RUN position, but that would have no effect on idle speed. Your problem sounds more like a crudded up Idle Air Speed (IAS) sensor, which mounts on the throttle body. Some folks find that removing and cleaning is helpful, others just replace it. You should do this with the aid of a factory service manual (FSM), as there is a calibration/adjustment involved when you reinstall.

You can test the ballast resistor by simply jumpering the two terminals with a short length of 12 gauge or heavier wire. On the '88 - 90 XJs the ballast resistor is on the inside of the driver's side fender, next to the air intake box. It's a white-ish ceramic thingie about 2-1/2" long with a fairly heavy gauge wire on each end.

A couple of other things to look at are the intake mainfold bolts, if they loosen off, strange things happen to your idle and gas mileage. Any kind of vacume leak is always suspect. But vacume leaks, don´t usually make the motor die.
Just for the heck of it, disconnect the vacume line at the EGR and plug it with a 1/4" bolt, as a test. See if it affects your problem any.