Stalling

My girlfriend just called me on her way to school and her 95 XJ is stalling everytime she stops. Once she gets up to any speed past idle it drives fine. Its a 95 with the 4.0 and automatic transmission. Its got a lot of miles on it but it has ran great since she got it. The exhaust is shot on it. Is it possible that a clogged catalytic converter could be causing her car to stall? Or is there something else I should check. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I do not know where to start troubleshooting.

Is there a check engine light? When was the last time the fuel pump, fuel filter, and pressure regulator replaced. Are you sure it's not the tranny slipping? Check the tranny fluid. Any type of service done on it lately? It MAY be the CPS.
Just a few things to rule out. Intermittant problems just plain suck.

Good luck
chris

Have her shift to neutral and see if it still stalls. It could be the torque converter is staying locked. Most of the suggestion so far are more likely to cause problem when driving not stopping.

Dont know when the fuel filter, pump, or pressure regulator were changed. The tranny was just put in it. It was a 60K mile transmission out of a newer XJ. Ill have to go check on seeing if it stalls in neutral. I just got done driving it and it drove fine until the engine heated up a bit. It stalled on me twice. I had to keep gas on it when I stopped. When I got back home there was smoke or steam coming from the valve cover area. Any more ideas?

I would investigate the smoke or steam before it gets driven anymore. I'm not sure how much smoke/steam but you might want to check the oil for a possible head gasket problem.

chris

I just went back outside and looked at it again and now there is a small puddle of coolant under the car towards the front of the engine. It seems as though it would be from the radiator somewhere but I put a radiator in it two weeks ago. I cant see where it is coming from though. I hope its not a head gasket. How hard is it to fix a head gasket? Or how much would it cost to get it fixed? Does this seem like a head gasket to anyone else?

Could a leaky valve cover be the cause of the smoke? I read that a valve cover leak will leak onto the exhaust manifold and cause the smoking. I hope this isnt gonna be too expensive to repair...

Valve covers are next to nothing to replace. Just make sure you do NOT get the cork one. I've had more trouble out of those.

Check the oil and spark plugs. If the oil is milky chances are you have a blown head gasket. Also, check your spark plugs. If they look like they have been washed (green tint I think, someone may correct me if I am wrong), you are getting coolant into the combustion chamber.

IF it is the head gasket and you decide to do it yourself, it's not too bad. I did one in an afternoon. But I had a spare head that already had some work done it (curse/blessing of having too many spares). Get a FSM or a Haynes/Chilton manual. When you disconnect everything make sure you label it, especially if you haven't one one yourself. Basic hand tools are needed with the exception of a good torque wrench. If you have friend that can help all the better. These 4.0 heads aren't very light and are cumbersome to deal with alone.

If you decide to have a shop do it, make sure it is a shop you trust!! There are little things that add up when a shop does a head gasket on a 4.0. Labor, sending the head out to be checked, assorted gaskets, fuel injector O-rings, etc, etc.

Right now you are still looking for the cause of your problems. If you can, check everything over real good.

Good luck (again)
chris

Thanks man. I worked at a offroad this summer (selling parts... Im no mechanic). She is probably gonna end up taking it to them. I have to leave tonight to go back to college so there is little chance of me being able to look at it in depth. They are gonna check it out and then call me and tell me whats wrong. I hope this isnt gonna cost her too much. She just got this jeep and has already had to put a radiator in it and some little odds and ends parts. Dont want to turn her away from Jeeps!

white99z said:

Thanks man. I worked at a offroad this summer (selling parts... Im no mechanic). She is probably gonna end up taking it to them. I have to leave tonight to go back to college so there is little chance of me being able to look at it in depth. They are gonna check it out and then call me and tell me whats wrong. I hope this isnt gonna cost her too much. She just got this jeep and has already had to put a radiator in it and some little odds and ends parts. Dont want to turn her away from Jeeps!

Click to expand...

If you don't know anything about it, would it make sence to stay out of it?
Direct her to this board, theres not much you can do to help at this point.

I have some mechanical knowledge. And my eagerness to learn more is what is making me want to diagnose it myself. Before working at the jeep place this summer i couldnt do anything on cars really except electrical and stereo stuff. I built my whole jeep this summer, learning along the way. And every time I need to replace something I use that as a learning experience. That is why I am trying to get into it.