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URGENT.. stuck in Moab, car doesn't run

lxrubin

NAXJA Forum User
Location
MICHIGAN
1997 XJ sport 4.0 4 dr. Need help to get car running and out of this dessert. Need advice on what might be the problem.

On the way into Moab, the car overheated, I think due to running the AC and electrical fan starting to go. I let it cool, checked oil+coolant for contamination, added water and I was off again. I did a Moab excursion without a problem, and on the way out of town, it started acting up. Would hesitate off idle, and start racketing. The racketing I think is lifters as it's on/off depending on load and doesn't get louder, just faster with rpm.
I started to hear a really bad noise I thought was one of the pulleys but after completely removing the serpentine belt, it ended up being the electric fan. I turned around and made it to a shop and they changed the fuel pump. Apparently, they go when hot. The fuel pressure was checked before and after and went from 25psi to 52psi. I stayed in a motel and have since changed the plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, and crank sensor. The plugs were really bad, wires suspect. I checked the compression cold and all were 100-125psi. When warm #6 jumped from 115 to 135psi. It was too hot to verify the rest tho. I changed the oil & filter and there wasn't any coolant or other contaminants obvious. The oil pressure is low when the engine is struggling but appears to be normal once revving.

It hesitates a lot off idle, and I need to feather the clutch hard. Once moving it appears to have reasonable (maybe even normal) power.

I'm contemplating waiting until it's cooler and start driving it out of town since most of the issues are heat related.
 
There is no mention of the fuel filter being replaced. Can you confirm good fuel pressure under load?

Air filter clean?

Any way to disconnect exhaust and make sure a partially blocked cat isn't playing games with you?

Can you roll the vehicle back and forth fairly easily? (No bound up brakes?)

All of the above are just shots in the dark, not based on having BTDT.

Good luck
 
There is no mention of the fuel filter being replaced. Can you confirm good fuel pressure under load?
Fuel filet is part of fuel pump asm for 97's apparently. Fuel pressure was checked in shop I think, not under load.

Air filter clean?
Yes, appears to be clean

Any way to disconnect exhaust and make sure a partially blocked cat isn't playing games with you?
Would be difficult, but maybe I'll try that when it's cooler.

Can you roll the vehicle back and forth fairly easily? (No bound up brakes?)
Yes vehicle rolls easily.

All of the above are just shots in the dark, not based on having BTDT.

Good luck

Also I want to add that when it's cool, it hesitates. When engine is warmed up to ~230 it dies.
 
Sounds like it still runs, I'd drive it out of there early. Like 4am.

No mention of check engine light or codes. I carry a scan tool when I go out of state, last time I needed it I found a split vacuum line at the purge solenoid was causing it to die intermittently going down the road. Wouldn't have made it back home for sure, but all I had to do was cut the last half inch off the hose and plug it back on. Two days later and five hours straight going home was completely without issue.

Any smoke? What did your old plugs look like?
 
I second checking the cat. My 96 dodge had those exact symptoms. Knocked the cat out and runs better than ever now. Since it was heated more than normal operating temperatures, whatever may have been partially plugged melted and completely plugged it off. Good luck!
 
Easy way to check cat is pull the upstream O2 sensor and if it runs better it is probably a plugged cat. It will throw a code but it's an easy way to check.
 
Turns out it was the radiator was cracked. The overflow was full so I didn't think to check the level in the rad directly. Fixed the rad and now shes running smooth. In Cali now near the Rubicon trail.
 
How on earth did a cracked radiator cause a hesitation at idle?

:huh:

Glad you got it figured out, but the solution seems more puzzling than the problem.
 
The engine didn't have any coolant in it and was just reaching overheated mode too fast. Maybe the fuel rail was getting too hot too quick??
 
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