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Please Help me with my 2.5L MJ

oldmopars

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Roy Washington
I have been working on this 87 2.5L MJ for several months now and still can not get it to run right.
It will start and run, but not run correctly. It pops through the TB and the exhaust. I have replaced the plugs, wires, O2 sensor, coolant temp sensor, fuel filter and fuel pump(in tank). Nothing seemed to help. So I replaced the engine because one cylinder was a bit low, not much but it was all I could come up with as a problem. It still runs the same. I swapped out the coil and MAP sensor with one from my 89 XJ and it made no difference. I thought it might be the Cat, so I pulled the exhaust at the cat and no difference.
I tried to change the timing, but the Distributor is not moveable.
When it is running the engine smells super rich and that seems to be the case. It runs till the plugs foul and then it just slowly dies out after about 15 min of running. The truck is not driveable even after the plugs are cleaned, but it does run enough to move around the yard.
The only thing I have not replaced is the computer(s). Is there one or two?
The biggest problem now is that I am running out of money and time and my Uncle is comming to get it because he has paid me for it(all the money went into fixing it). :banghead:
I also can not find a computer. None of the yards around here have any F.I. 2.5l Jeeps.
At this point I do not know what to do, I don't have the money to fix it and I spent all the money he sent me trying so I can not just give him his money back. :banghead:
I am ready to set it on FIRE!! :explosion
Anyone have any ideas??? :cry:
 
Wild guess, but have you played with the EGR? Don't know if it might cause the symptoms you're experiencing, but I believe your year 2.5L has one.
 
When it does run are you hitting on all cylinders? My first guess would be the coolant temp sensor but you already changed it. The crank position sensor runs the ignition timing so you might try that. Any idea what your fuel pressure reading is? The egr could cause some of those symptoms but usually not until its hot and open. If you want I can look for a computer in the Pull-n-save and send it.
 
I'd look into the throttle body itself. sounds like the injector may be stuck open or the return line is plugged

since it's an 87, an 87-90 4.0L drivetrain will drop right in, bolt right up. grab a wrecked 4.0L cherokee (try to match interior color if it's better than yours, you can swap most of it) and do the swap, it's all nuts and bolts except for the rear driveshaft, and if you swap dashes + front harnesses, you can't just plug it in, but it only really needs seven wires hooked up to be drivable (everything else is speakers, interior lights, and everything to the rear hatch which an MJ just doesn't have.

the nice thing about this swap, You might end up with a 4.0L powered rig with 4.10 gears (I'm not sure if all 87 2.5L MJ's had 4.10s or not)

perfect setup for 33's considering its weight ;)
 
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I did concider the 4.0L because I have an 89 XJ that is my wheeling rig and I can afford to lose it, but I have sold the truck and don't really want to give the engine away.
However, I think I may have found the trouble. I swapped the spark plugs out for clean ones and started it up to let it run a little and see if I could come up with any thing. I let it run for about 45 seconds and shut it down. I don't know why but I pulled the radiator cap and it shot out cold coolant and was all bubbly. I am sure that the head gasket is shot. So I have one on oder.
 
45 seconds is plenty of time for the pressure to build up through the head gasket of cracked head. Good luck, sounds like you found it.
 
This stupid truck better run like a dream when I get the new head gasket installed, everything else on the truck is brand new. Now that I have found the problem all the little things it was doing now make it clear.
I will let you all know how it turns out, I have been posting about this for 2 months or more.
 
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