engine dies

its an 89 xj 4.0 rebuilt engine all new sensors new cooling... everything but the wiring harness. the problem its having is the p.o.s. will be running or driving and just shut off for a second and then kick back on. it will do it when its idling or driving doesnt matter. the motor didn't do this on cam break-in and stared doing it after driving about 50 miles. it will idle then start to die run for a minute then die. Or when your driving it will jump like it died for a second then turn back. its my DD and it takes forever to get to work like this any suggestions????

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check the crank sensor , i have seen the crank sensor intermitten cause it to do that.

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check the crank sensor ,or replace it , I have seen crank sensor cause it to do simular problem

Check your ballast resistor's connections. It's the ceramic looking thing on the driver side fender wall.

did you put the stock cam into the engine or did you upgrade to a higher cam?

What happens when it dies? i.e. does it show any change on the tach or the cluster? does the radio die? have u tried throwing it into neutral as soon as it happens so that the engine cant start back up due to the vechile speed?
First check the ground web and the battery cables. Good luck

It could be a sensor going bad as stated, but sounds to me like you might need to check your C101 connector since its the original harness. I have had a number of intermittent open connections from that tar pit.

First thing I look for is consistent fuel pressure. My fuel pressure gauge has a long enough hose to slip it through the boot/harness area going through the fire wall. I can watch it while driving. It could have good fuel pressure and the injectors could quit. I havent done it on a jeep but you may be able to use a test light on the injector harness to see if they quit getting a signal to open. I think they called it a noid light? Little round bulb plastic button looking thing. Some one else on here will know more about it than I do, Im new to cherokees. The next thing I would want to see is spark. Connect a timing light and see if it quits when its screwing up. You want to try to isolate the problem and not waste too much on parts. Do a good visual inspection also. At 17 years old I wouldnt be surprised to see corroded connections. Be sure all the grounds are good. Allways a problem here in Mi. (salt/rust) Here are a couple photos of my 2000 fuelpump/strainer. 95,000 miles Here

I would add that my 2000 was running OK. I built a tank skid and before I went to the trouble of putting it on I figured I shold check the pump/strainer. Glad I did.

crank sensor is new not the two wire conversion just the regular stock one. cam is upgraded dont know which one but its not the same as in the stock motor. radio stays on and so do the other gauges just the tach drops like you turn the key off. fuel injectors just cleaned. I cant figure it out and it really rediculous it didnt do it on break in just after about fifty miles. I was messing with the wires earlier and my car died and something started to tick and just go crazy but it stopped before i could find it. coil ticks occationally but I dont know why that might be it but i am not sure? possibly???

Check your plug and coil to cap cables. Sounds like you may have an open coil to cap cable or a cable that is letting the high voltage leak to ground. Pull the coil to cap cable and make sure the cable end didn't slip in the boot when you were installing it and slid up out of the well. I ohm check my cables at least once a year. Distributor caps are known trouble spots, they seem to corrode, wear and act up a lot. My plugs seem to last forever, the cap about two years or less.
Run it in the dark, you can often see a high voltage leak. It will miss and you can see the high voltage finding it's ownground path. Shake the cables around a some and see what happens.
While your moving the cables around it is a good idea not to be touching the body anyplace, like your crotch on the fender.

went to the local autozone and I had to show them how to use their testing equipment and I tested the coil. instead of reading at 6-7 ohms on the secondary part of the coil it was at 4.9ohms which i didn't think was that bad but I switched the coil with a new one reading about 6.9 ohms at the secondary and the problem stopped for now so we will see if it happens tomorrow when my buddy drives it around and it has a chance to run longer.

ITS FIXED!!! coil was the problem it was reading way too low on the secondary new coil and no problems since then.