starts, runs for two seconds, dies

Hope someone can tell me what this is so I can drive to work tomorrow. I have had a bad startng condition for the last few days. My 89 XJ 4.0 auto starts fine time after time but shuts down within a few seconds. Crank it again, fires right up, shuts down. Occasionally, it will continue running and runs like a champ until I arrive at the next destination. Then the process repeats all over.

I have a friend who worked at Jeep and he said to replace the IAC which I did, it ran great for two days, started right upand continued to run but now the problem has come back. I have swapped out the fuel pump relay, checked the ballast resistor, I have purged the fuel from the fuel rail but the problem still persists. I remember hearing my fuel pump buzzing for a few seconds, then shutting off with the key in the on position. I no longer hear that buzz, can I still have fuel pressure without the pump buzzing?? I thought the buzzing pump indicated that the pump was indeed working.

Any help would be appreciated

My guess is that it's a bad fuel pump.

A properly operating fuel system will turn on the pump for about 2-4 seconds after the key is turned on. You can hear it running during this time, and if the engine isn't started, the fuel pump will then cut off after a few seconds.

was this confirmed to fix the problem? I had a similar issue. I was driving down the freeway and the engine just shut off. Started right up and runs for as long as I hold the key in the start position. As soon as I let go of the key it will run for a second then shut right off.

Strictly.Offroad said:

was this confirmed to fix the problem? I had a similar issue. I was driving down the freeway and the engine just shut off. Started right up and runs for as long as I hold the key in the start position. As soon as I let go of the key it will run for a second then shut right off.

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your problem sounds more like a bad ballast resistor..

I have found and fixed the problem with mine. Turns out it was a bad fuel pump relay. I swapped the relays without looking at the number of blades on the relay. Three of the relays have a five bladed connector, one of the relays only has four blades. I swapped out, by mistake, a five bladed relay for a four bladed relay. Once I figured out the mistake I bought a new five bladed relay and everything has been fine since. That is after replacing the IAC, fuel pump, fuel filter, pressure regulator.

Is this the Ballast Resistor? If it is then I eliminated the resistor with shown cable. Still has the same problem.



If that should have fixed the problem, which it didn't, what's next? I have a fuel pump on order, should be here by the 17th.

Where is the fuel pump relay? Any pictures, My jeep is an 88, 4.0l

try your computer. I'm having similar problems with mine. It'll run for 1-2 minutes then die every time. After it shuts down all of my relays start going crazy. I'm replacing my computer this week.