PLEASE HELP!!! I'm dead in the water (so to speak)

Hope this is correct place to post.

I'm heading out for some remote camping this weekend in the Guadelupe Mtns with buds

In prepping the XJ for the road trip I decided to stop the Valve cover seeping oit.

Leaving this afternoon (I hope) so I replaced the gasket just now. I had put some degreaser on last night and hosed right off. I covered the carb and distributor.

The replacement seemed to go fine. Please note I have an 87 2.5 L 4 cyl with carb.

Now when I try and start it tries / kinda idles VERY VERY rough and then cuts out. Vapor gas is coming out of the carb... Hopefully just flooded??? but I waited like 15 min and tried again same result.

I have looked and checked the vacume hoses and such... not sure what changing the Valve cover gasket could have done. Oh yea I was carefule around open valves and covered carefully with new shop rags while cleaning the cover.

I would REALLY APPRECIATE any quick ideas on what to check.

Thanks in Advance,
Roger

IIRC there is a dash pot (idle motor) that is attached to the carb...
Never owned one with a 4 cylinder, but one of our local group members owned one years ago and I had to work on it on the trail when he had a problem trying to go up a steep hill.

Check all wiring connections that might have been affected during the repair.... and look for any cracked vacuum lines....

Seems almost certain to be a vacuum problem, particularly if you still have the original mess of vacuum lines in there. I didn't know '87 still had a 2.5 carb. Sorry, not much help.

OK it starts now and runs fine for about 5 minutes???

I just bought a new fuel filter and will replace but I'm guessing it is still something in / on the carb?

Since it runs fine for a bit I guess vacuum is OK?

Acts like maybe out of gas or even flooding because if I wait a long time then it starts agian and I can drive around for a bit...

Just so we understand, the jeep was running fine, you worked on the valve cover without intentionally doing anything to any other component and when you got it back together, it immediately started running rough, etc?

Definitely change the fuel filter. I had somewhat similar symptoms with my '85 2.5 that I assume resulted from dirty gas. Problem went on intermittently for a long time and I went through three filters (along with a fuel pump and a carburetor that I was going to change anyway) before it magically cleared up. I will go into a bit more detail if it appears to be pertinent after you confirm the above.

Yep, was planning ona camping trip this weekend. Busy at work so had shop drain and fill transmission and change front and rear diff fluids. He pointed out the seep in the valve cover. I cleaned the engine Thur night with engine degreaser and hosed off. Covered carb and distributor with plastic. Let sit overnight.

Replaced valve cover gasket yesterday morning no apparent issues. Tried starting and was choking and bucking no start. Checked vacuum lines and found one was MacGuyverised with a rubber hose over an apparent broken plastic tube. Went and got parts and fixed lines. It started rough at first then ran fine. Let idle for probably 15 min. Was already packed so we left home. Got about 3 miles form home and it just cut out like out of gas. Guess maybe it was not the vacuum line?

Tried and tried no start. Called AAA and had it towed home. Immediately after off tow truck started right up??? Drove around block a few times and ran well. Let idle in drive and went in to get wife. It cut out again and would not start. Pushed into garage where it is. Went and bought a fuel filter and carb cleaner. Will go out now and change filter.

Really would like to go camping Friggin turned my other truck in for routine maintenace / warranty check at dealer. Told them I did not need until Wednesday

I sure hope someone can help... internet searches seem to point to camshaft sensor but it runs fine when running.

Note: I bought this Jeep from the AirForce 3 months ago... only has 69000 miles on it. But I am not real familiar with it yet. First 2.5 I've had and it's been a LONG time since I've had a carb

OK just went out to replace fuel filter...

Wanted on ramps to make it easier

Started right up... got it on ramps so now I'm going to change filter...

Just wanted you to know Keep the ideas coming... PLEASE>

Where is your fuel filter located? Mine is located under hood just in front of the carb. Don't mean to insult you but are you sure you don't have throttle body fuel injection?

Sorry for the late posts... I fixed it and headed straight to the mountains. Just returned form some great remote camping.

It was a clogged fuel filter... started up and I ran to NM and back

The 2.5 is a carburator I am pretty sure?? It is located just behind the gas tank pretty easy location. But not sure what throttle body fuel injection is. My 4.0 was fuel injected but not sure what you refer too? Having a throttle body??? Could possibly :confused1

The truck runs good but now I still have oil seeping from both tubes atop the cover. I cleaned both hoses real well before leaving.:dunce:

!984/85 2.5's were carbed. '86 to '89 came with TBI (throttle body fuel injection). Carburetor models have a mechanical fuel pump on the right side of the engine and a fuel filter just forward of the carb. If you have an '87 with a carburetor, someone converted it.

Throttle body injection refers to having a single injector spray fuel into a "throttle body" that functions in a similar manner to a carb, at least in the general sense of how it gets the air/fuel mixture into the cylinders. This is as opposed to multi-point fuel injection with an injector for each cylinder. Not a particularly cogent explanation but hopefully gets the basic principle across. Perhaps someone will expand on this.

In any event I am glad you got it fixed and made your trip -- got to be great in the mountains. My '85 has been on more camping trips than I could possibly remember.