Hesitation - Slow Acceleration

[xjrbw]

I've got a 95 XJ sport, automatic with 142k. The past few weeks the Jeep is VERY slow and sluggish accelerating from a stop when in "D". If I manually shift to 1-2 it will accelerate fine. Once I'm driving, it's hard to tell if it's ok, or if I'm imagining more issues - but it seems that it doesn't respond RPM wise to how much I'm pressing the pedal.


I've done some searches for related issues and read suggestions about TPS, O2, vacuum leaks, etc - but I'm hoping someone might be able to save me some time based on these specific circumstances. What do you think, is it the TPS?

Any help is MUCH appreciated! :helpme:

 

[YELLAHEEP]

1st question: Does the Check Engine light stay on? Has it come on for a period of time then gone away? If so, you can check the trouble codes.

Gawd, I can't remember if XJ's were OBDII in '95 or not...... if yours is, you can always swing by a Checker, Autozone or Advance auto parts and have them do a code scan for you for free.

The '98 I just sold had a similar problem, but coupled with a no-start / dead ignition key issue. When I could get it started, it drove like the trans was slipping, but yet, it wouldn't revv beyond 2K RPM. Manually shifting down to 1-2 it would drive fine.

Code scan revealed a bad trans control module and bad connections in the neutral safety switch. I swapped out the TCM and removed the NSS to clean the contacts and all was cured.

A bad TPS usually will give you choppy/stuttering accelleration, but not usually a loss of power. From my experience anyway.

If you're near the Littleton area and your XJ is OBDII, I can scan your codes if you want.

EDIT: Well, the '95's are definitely OBDI, not II........
http://www.obd-codes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2395&view=next

You may be able to do the key-cycle trick to get the check engine light to flash the code(s). To do this, turn your ignition key on, off, on,off, on slowly, then watch the check engine light flash. Write the number of flashes down, the 1st number will be the first flash(s), then the second number will flash to give you the first 2-digit code number, if there are other codes, the CEL will pause a bit then flash the next code.

Do a search on OEM Tech using the code numbers you get to see what they are, or post 'em up here, I have the list of codes in my Haynes manual.

 

[Yucca-Man]

Dying pump on the tranny will do a similar thing too...

I bet House o'Heeps has one (or three) available. ;-)

Jim www.yuccaman.com