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New 97 XJ,making me miss my 94!!

pipes94xj

pipes94xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
I purchased a 97 4.0 231 AW4 w/ 80,000 miles on her about 3 months ago. It was "as is" at a local chevy dealership, getting ready to go to auction. I drove it, knew it needed rear brakes and 4 tires but for the price I got it for, decided to get it anyways. So far I've done complete rebuild of rear brakes, (should have done discs) and 4 new all-terrains, just like I knew I would. What I didn't expect was 2 things:
#1. Everytime I start the car, i have to crank it to on/ac, back to off, on/ac, back to off, on/ac, back to off...after 3 times she will fire right up. I was searching on this and was reading about the BMW fix for keeping fuel line pressure up and as cheap as it is, was going to try that. However, when I park the car and get out, I can hear this tapping in the fuel tank. It sounds like a bobber floating ontop of the fuel and its hitting against the tank shell. What the hell? So I'm thinking new fuel pump?
#2. I have been pulled over 3 times in the last month for driving with no lights on. I swear the cops were crack-heads, because how elese would I be able to see. Finally, the 3rd cop told me I had no rear tailights. Bulbs are good, sockets getting juice, fuses are good. So I took it to Midas, because my "buddy" works there. After what he called 2 hours of diagnostics, he had them running. He said its a quick fix but I need a new junction box. I said how much and he couldn't find a price for me until Monday. He also charged me $72 for looking at it, which they didn't tell me they were going to charge, but he said he would credit that back to me if I had them install the junction box. So anybody know how much a junction box is? And how long should it take to install one?

And as a side note...my 94 always fired right up and would smoke this 97'. Maybe the 2.5 catback and flowmaster 40, k&n 6x9, and throttle body spacer actually made a difference?? Or maybe because it was that awesome TEAL everyones jealous of. Ya, that's it!

Thanks for any and all help gentleman....enjoy football today if your watching. My Steelers are out, but if you don't like them, still help me!!
 
pipes94xj said:
I purchased a 97 4.0 231 AW4 w/ 80,000 miles on her about 3 months ago. It was "as is" at a local chevy dealership, getting ready to go to auction. I drove it, knew it needed rear brakes and 4 tires but for the price I got it for, decided to get it anyways. So far I've done complete rebuild of rear brakes, (should have done discs) and 4 new all-terrains, just like I knew I would. What I didn't expect was 2 things:
#1. Everytime I start the car, i have to crank it to on/ac, back to off, on/ac, back to off, on/ac, back to off...after 3 times she will fire right up. I was searching on this and was reading about the BMW fix for keeping fuel line pressure up and as cheap as it is, was going to try that. However, when I park the car and get out, I can hear this tapping in the fuel tank. It sounds like a bobber floating ontop of the fuel and its hitting against the tank shell. What the hell? So I'm thinking new fuel pump?
#2. I have been pulled over 3 times in the last month for driving with no lights on. I swear the cops were crack-heads, because how elese would I be able to see. Finally, the 3rd cop told me I had no rear tailights. Bulbs are good, sockets getting juice, fuses are good. So I took it to Midas, because my "buddy" works there. After what he called 2 hours of diagnostics, he had them running. He said its a quick fix but I need a new junction box. I said how much and he couldn't find a price for me until Monday. He also charged me $72 for looking at it, which they didn't tell me they were going to charge, but he said he would credit that back to me if I had them install the junction box. So anybody know how much a junction box is? And how long should it take to install one?

And as a side note...my 94 always fired right up and would smoke this 97'. Maybe the 2.5 catback and flowmaster 40, k&n 6x9, and throttle body spacer actually made a difference?? Or maybe because it was that awesome TEAL everyones jealous of. Ya, that's it!

Thanks for any and all help gentleman....enjoy football today if your watching. My Steelers are out, but if you don't like them, still help me!!
Click to expand...

if your 2.5 was really more powerful than the ho 4.0 rig you've got now, something is very wrong. My '97 4.0 pushes 33s on stock gears and I've still got more pickup than the 4-cyl.

The tapping you hear is just fuel draining back into the tank after shutoff. Perfectly normal.

Sounds like you're having pump or filter problems with the rough startup, and a fuel problem could also lead to lack of power. Get ready to like your new jeep even more, the filter is in the tank. Can't change it like you used to AND there's no access panel above the tank in the cab, so you've got to drop the tank.
 
he meant 2.5" catback exhaust....at least i think he did.

I'd do a full tune up....for the starting thing, if you just turn the key on, and dont crank it for a few seconds...let the pressure build up in the fuel line, it should start right away.

I'd definitely do a tune up though - that will help your starting.
 
Archdukeferdinand said:
if your 2.5 was really more powerful than the ho 4.0 rig you've got now, something is very wrong. My '97 4.0 pushes 33s on stock gears and I've still got more pickup than the 4-cyl.
Click to expand...

I think he meant the exhaust was 2.5"....i.e. the Rusty's catback system.

In regards to the tapping, I would probably drop the tank and examine the fuel pump and filter and see what's going on in there. Could be something has broken off.
 
99XJSPORT06 said:
I think he meant the exhaust was 2.5"....i.e. the Rusty's catback system.

In regards to the tapping, I would probably drop the tank and examine the fuel pump and filter and see what's going on in there. Could be something has broken off.
Click to expand...
97+ fuel pumps have a problem with a check valve and they bleed back the fuel to the tank which means you gotta wait for the rail to build up pressure. If I was you, I'd verify if the recall was done on the vehicle: might be that the dealer will take care of it for you.

Junkction box?? what junction box??? If sockets are getting juice, what about ground????? Cause if you got 12V in then you gotta have lights as long as the ground is good. If you got ground and 12V and no lights, you're missing something.
 
Kejtar said:
97+ fuel pumps have a problem with a check valve and they bleed back the fuel to the tank which means you gotta wait for the rail to build up pressure. If I was you, I'd verify if the recall was done on the vehicle: might be that the dealer will take care of it for you.
Click to expand...

Thats true, I forgot the 97's were recalled for that. It's a shame the 98-01's werent as well, as they suffer from the same problem.
 
99XJSPORT06 said:
Thats true, I forgot the 97's were recalled for that. It's a shame the 98-01's werent as well, as they suffer from the same problem.
Click to expand...
They were: I had my 98 serviced under that recall and I believe the 99 I got had the same recall but it was done before I bought it (not 100% sure on the 99 though)
 
Sorry for the confusion and my lack of details, but yes I meant 2.5 inches, on a 4.0L. I definitely will check on recall information, anybody know who to ask? And I thought there was a time frame involved with that? I.E. if recall was in 2000, you had to have it to them within a year for a no-charge correction. But then again I am an idiot. Or maybe it was a # of owners thing? Again, idiot here.
And I'll be honest, I hate electric stuff. I can put on a lift, weld, but hate electrical crap. Installing a cd player, amplifier, and sub box for a friend made me want to die.
I will definitely do a tune-up, should have done that already, just been lazy and working saturdays to help pay for my wedding (please talk me out of it.)
Thanks for the help guys, I will take the tailight box apart and check the ground. About the Junction Box, that's coming from the mouth of a guy who's suppose to be my buddy at Midas. The tailights are on now though, but he said its a quick fix and to correct it completely...new junction box. But my thoughts are tailights are on now, fuses are good and apparently the ground must be okay and i'll check voltage, but why would I need a new junction box?
To Kejtar's point...would a faulty junction box create me having no tailights but headlights are fine? Or is there a junction box involved at all?!
I'm sorry, I think I drank way too much coffee, just used my new coffee maker. Anybody know a site that lists recall info for vehicles and a way to check if your car has had them completed?
Thanks a bunch!
 
pipes94xj said:
Sorry for the confusion and my lack of details, but yes I meant 2.5 inches, on a 4.0L. I definitely will check on recall information, anybody know who to ask?
Click to expand...
You pull up to a dealership, go to the service dept. and have them run your vin.
And I thought there was a time frame involved with that? I.E. if recall was in 2000, you had to have it to them within a year for a no-charge correction.
Click to expand...
From what I know it varies.

About the Junction Box, that's coming from the mouth of a guy who's suppose to be my buddy at Midas. The tailights are on now though, but he said its a quick fix and to correct it completely...new junction box. But my thoughts are tailights are on now, fuses are good and apparently the ground must be okay and i'll check voltage, but why would I need a new junction box?
Click to expand...
Wait: tail lights are on now?? ok, might be as simple as a loose wire or connector. Which junction box is he talking about? Is it the big C101 underneath the dash?? If so you'd have other electrical issues. Anyways if they narrowed it down to a failing or failed compoment for $75 he should tell you which one specifically. Keep in mind that shops like to replace things before fixing little things cause the replacement makes them more $
To Kejtar's point...would a faulty junction box create me having no tailights but headlights are fine? Or is there a junction box involved at all?!
Click to expand...
Junction box is being a bit vague. It depends where is it at. The headlight wiring is all in the engine bay with the exception of the headlight switch wirign which comes from the inside. Your taillights go through the cab and there is more wire there so there is more points of failure. ALso in your drivers side rear upper quarter there are some connectors (take the panel out from inside the cargo area and you can see them). It's possible something is loose or frayed there and it works intermitently.

Anybody know a site that lists recall info for vehicles and a way to check if your car has had them completed?
Thanks a bunch!
Click to expand...
Yeah, call Jeep (number is in your manual) and give them your vin or drive to the service department @ a dealership.
 
I have done a ton of wiring over the years so this should be simple. I agree with Kejtar, what junction box? As far as I have ever seen, I have never found any of the XJ's to have a Junction Box for the Tailights. With this the case Kejtar is correct that there are several connectors between the headlight switch, and the rear lights. On my '94, I followed the lights in reverse working back to the front, and found that the passenger side tailight wires run from a junction that is under the front of the rear seat carpet or mat, whichever you have. I was installing a Traffic Backer tailight and reverse light flasher, and I needed to find both where they were near each other. Following the engineers, well they probably ran all the XJ's rear light wires in the same way. All the rear wires run along the drivers' side door sills. Where the shelf is for the rear seat is where the passenger side wires begin the split going towards the passenger side. It was near this junction which happens to run along the seam of the shelf and the floorpan, where I tapped into the passenger and driver's side taillights and reverse lights. I would figger if you had some problems it would be out at the light, where the wires go to the sockets, vs anywhere else. HTH
 
Blaine B. said:
I believe some of the newer jeeps also had a problem with the pump screen falling off and floating around in the tank. That's the noise you might be hearing.
Click to expand...
you can't hear the screen floating in the tank....
 
pipes94xj said:
I purchased a 97 4.0 231 AW4 w/ 80,000 miles on her about 3 months ago. It was "as is" at a local chevy dealership, getting ready to go to auction. I drove it, knew it needed rear brakes and 4 tires but for the price I got it for, decided to get it anyways. So far I've done complete rebuild of rear brakes, (should have done discs) and 4 new all-terrains, just like I knew I would. What I didn't expect was 2 things:
#1. Everytime I start the car, i have to crank it to on/ac, back to off, on/ac, back to off, on/ac, back to off...after 3 times she will fire right up. I was searching on this and was reading about the BMW fix for keeping fuel line pressure up and as cheap as it is, was going to try that. However, when I park the car and get out, I can hear this tapping in the fuel tank. It sounds like a bobber floating ontop of the fuel and its hitting against the tank shell. What the hell? So I'm thinking new fuel pump?
#2. I have been pulled over 3 times in the last month for driving with no lights on. I swear the cops were crack-heads, because how elese would I be able to see. Finally, the 3rd cop told me I had no rear tailights. Bulbs are good, sockets getting juice, fuses are good. So I took it to Midas, because my "buddy" works there. After what he called 2 hours of diagnostics, he had them running. He said its a quick fix but I need a new junction box. I said how much and he couldn't find a price for me until Monday. He also charged me $72 for looking at it, which they didn't tell me they were going to charge, but he said he would credit that back to me if I had them install the junction box. So anybody know how much a junction box is? And how long should it take to install one?

And as a side note...my 94 always fired right up and would smoke this 97'. Maybe the 2.5 catback and flowmaster 40, k&n 6x9, and throttle body spacer actually made a difference?? Or maybe because it was that awesome TEAL everyones jealous of. Ya, that's it!

Thanks for any and all help gentleman....enjoy football today if your watching. My Steelers are out, but if you don't like them, still help me!!
Click to expand...
On my 97 there IS a ball in the filler neck vent assembly that shuts off the filling station hose when the tank is full so it does not over fill. You will only hear the bobber rattle sound when the tank is full. Then it goes away. Don't tear the tank apart just for a little rattle.
 
99XJSPORT06 said:
I think he meant the exhaust was 2.5"....i.e. the Rusty's catback system.

In regards to the tapping, I would probably drop the tank and examine the fuel pump and filter and see what's going on in there. Could be something has broken off.
Click to expand...

Haha, yeah... EEh, good old reading comprehension.

I've had the tapping for 5 years now, was current on recalls as of '05 or so. I can tell you on mine that the tapping is completely normal and does not lead to low fuel pressure at startup. YMMV

Tapping aside, he's got a fuel issue and looking at the pump/filter is the only sensible thing. Sucks that they're in the tank.
 
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