97 XJ I am at my wits end

I have a 97 Cherokee 4x4, about 5 months ago, my return line BUNG on my tranny cracked, I searched for weeks for a AW4, tranny, with no luck. So i pulled the tranny cleaned it and JB Welded her back together. With some luck, I some great off road trips, until today when she started leaking again. Now i am out of a desert toy for the season. To top it off, the engine has been was acting up, it would sputter and die at full throttle until she warmed up. So I changed the TPS sensor, spark plugs, SP wires, cap and rotor, computer, Crankshaft positioning sensor. Damn near everything. I have been searching for a vacuum leak but no luck. This morning I got to work and as soon as I put her in park she died. When I got home and turned the corner still in DRIVE, i let off the throttle and she died. This is devastating, literally my pride and joy and I am not ready to give up on her. So I come to the Loyal XJ family in hopes of some advice. I am on the verge of deciding to do a motor/tranny swap. But was hoping for some advice from family, A mechanic shop is not advice, its only as easy way out, and i do not have the EXTRA funds to pay someone else to do my work. I have access to just about everything a mechanic would have to access the situation through co-workers and family. So I would really appreciate, any info some of you may have, if you have encountered any such like issues. Thanks for reading and have a great evening. COOP4X4

Look at:
https://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi
for a trans. I saw about a dozen in CA for a '97.

Try and replace the temp sensor. I would wonder if the timing chain is stretched. I'd replace as a set and not just the chain. Possibly the IAC valve and MAF sensor.

With the dying at low idle, fully warmed up, what does the oil pressure read?

Just wondering if the ASD relay isn't being triggered by a low oil pressure input.

This is definitely the wrong time of the year to be without a 4x4 in SoCal.

Anak said:

With the dying at low idle, fully warmed up, what does the oil pressure read?

Just wondering if the ASD relay isn't being triggered by a low oil pressure input.

This is definitely the wrong time of the year to be without a 4x4 in SoCal.

Click to expand...

I will let you know when I look at it again, thanks for the advice


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The right stuff silicone will seal almost anything, I would clean up the crack and try that on the trans. The running issues really sound like a chafing wire making intermittent contact.

Do you think the crack could be welded?

Probably a lot more than you want to spend but I noticed this about a week ago.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/pts/d/poway-jeep-cherokee-aisin-30-43le/7563491838.html