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starts good/runs horrible/trouble accelerating

boatz73

NAXJA Forum User
Location
virgin island
Hello, and thank you for any help. I have a 97 cherokee that use to run really strong. I bought some sensor cleaner and disconnected every sensor I could find sprayed it then reconnected them. Just after that I received a check engine light and within 5 miles truck runs like crap. It starts fine but idles a bit rough, it accelerates ok if i'm on a flat road and barely press gas, if I give it alot of gas it sputters bad, if i'm going up a hill it struggles to get pass 35 mph. I made sure everything was connected back again properly and even resprayed one more time. I don't know if maybe the 02 sensor got fryed somehow or if I got something in the injectors. I'm having issues finding a reader right now as I'm located in the Virgin Islands and there isn't an autozone. Wondering if people think I should start with trying to test the 02 sensor. Thanks
 
Interesting.

The only sensor I can think of that would benefit from "sensor cleaner" would be the MAT--Manifold Air Temperature sensor.

If you hosed out the MAP--Manifold Air Pressure sensor you may have damaged it.

The CTS--Coolant Temperature Sensor--can stand to have the end stuck in the coolant cleaned with some crocus cloth or steel wool sometimes.

Did you remove and hose out the o2 sensor?

My bet is you have "sensor cleaner" in the MAP or have damaged the MAP.
 
Drown the Throttle Position Sensor? Most 'electronic parts' spray cleaners are too harsh to use on plastic components. Hell, CRC Lectra-Clean will soften the high-impact plastic handles of screwdrivers. Possibly something got a shot of a solvent that it shouldn't have?
 
. Hell, CRC Lectra-Clean will soften the high-impact plastic handles of screwdrivers.

it's called "Lectra-Motive" and it is for hosing out the insides of electric motors like starters and the like, you are very correct it will dissolve ABS plastic and soften just about any plastic it touches.

The confusing part is CRC also makes a "QD Electrical cleaner" that is made for cleaning out crusty and corroded electrical connectors, and they're often stocked on the same shelf next to eachother. IMO the similar names and stocking them together makes it too easy for the average person to grab the wrong one.

OP - I would test the TPS for starters, a bad o2 sensor generally wouldn't make it run that bad it would just default to running rich and use a lot of gas. find out what your check engine light code is and let us know, we'll be able to help more once we know why the light is on. Maybe you could order a cheap scanner over the internet, or pay a shop a small diagnosis fee to scan it for you.
 
I have a can of CRC 'Lectra Clean Heavy Duty Degreaser' in the garage. Admittedly it's about ten years old, and may have been replaced by something stronger. This stuff will quickly soften even stout plastic. I agree that contact cleaner would be a safer choice. I'd like to see the OP get back to us, and let us know what it is that he used to do the cleaning.

I'll stick with my original guess of TPS, as the symptoms sound familiar, although if other things under the hood were sprayed, it could be anything. On '96 and up OBDII systems, the Coolant Temp Sensor at the T-stat housing may make it run this way if not properly connected. On the older models, that sensor is part of the electric fan circuit. On later models, it reports directly to the ECU, as part of the 'closed loop' system. I unplugged the CTS on my '96, and it acted the same as the OP's problem, barely idling, and it threw a code. On my '92, unplugging it just runs the electric fan. MAP sensor is a good place to look, too.
 
Follow up, believe it or not it was the O2 sensor. I can't believe how crazy it made it run. I unplugged the sensor and the jeep started running so much better. Bought a new sensor installed and CE light is gone and jeep is running great. Blows my mind how bad it ran cuz of that sensor it must have been sending some crzy electric signals to computer.
 
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