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1999 Cherokee

ocjimenez

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Whittier, CA
I can't figure out why my Jeep turns off sometimes when I come to a full stop. Sometimes the car's idle speed drops and the car stops. It feels like there's a vaccum leak or something. Car gasping for fuel before it turns off. My domelight, headlights dim in and out, and my gagues needles move up and down.

I have changed the TPS, Idle Speed Stepper Motor (aka idle air controller A.I.C.), ceramic fuel pump ballast resistor, CPS (crankshaft Positioning Sensor), Camshaft Positioning Sensor (inside distributor), spark plug wires, and rotor. Should I also change my fuel pressure regulator and fuel filter or does anyone have any other ideas as to what is wrong?
 
An Autozone sales person also said the alternator/regulator is not working properly. How can I confirm if the alternator is not working properly.
 
You should have a voltage gauge in your dash. What is it reading?

Another way to verify and check against what you see in the dash is a simple meter reading. Get a multimeter. Put one lead on each of the battery terminals. If the charging system is working properly, it should read in the 13.5 to 14.0 volt range.

The alternator can be bench tested by most parts stores (although it isn't always conclusive). The regulator is inside of the computer.
 
This sounds dumb, but check your grounds and negative battery cable connection. My 2001 had a very similar issue (it'd only run while under throttle - let off the gas, and it'd stumble and die), and it turned out that my friggin negative battery cable wasn't snug.
 
Definitely check your battery connections. My '99 was doing weird things, lights getting dim and bright, wheezing out and dieing when I came to stops, then wouldn't idle correctly. I checked my voltmeter and it was pegged off the top of the guage. Wound up being a loose battery cable.
 
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