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engine issues???

1

1989laredoxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Massachusetts
Hey my jeep ran great when i first bought it back in september of last year. this year having not used the jeep much I went out to get it started and it did to my amazement. I took it for a quick drive, all the fluids have been checked and oil change and greasing was done. I get onto the highway and gave it some gas and noticed I wasnt going anywhere. My car wouldnt go over 2500 for the first 2 mins then it got up to 3000 and stayed their now im doing about 75mph and my car will go fasted but at that low of an rpm. What do I check. I have done the tune up, replaced all the fluids, cleaned the throttle body, and still have a problem. I used fuel injection cleaner which made it run rich for a little while but didnt help the speed. It feels almost like it boggs down a little bit when i punch it. Should I have a passing gear??? cause I dont and their is a cable by the throttle that isnt working It does across the fire wall to a black cylinder right next to my coolant overflow. This car absolutly chugs gas i get around 200 - 250 miles a tank. So I assume something is wrong but don't know how to diagnos it. HELP!?!?!
 
Really bad mileage and lousy engine performance could be a faulty MAP sensor- it gives this combination of clues. It could also be a plugged cat (if it has been run long as over-rich as you say, then probabaly the cat and for sure the oxygen sensor are dead), or low fuel pump output (not just pressure at idle, but volume at higher flow rates). You have some work to do sorting this out. You mention no kick-down- possibly just a symptom of the lousy engine performance, but could also be the result of a faulty Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). To get to the bottom of this, try a search here for TPS and MAP. This will find the test procedures, which have been posted. Or, take it in and pay for the time to have the jeep put on the diagnostic computer to find the faullts, then you fix them yourself. Also, you have an Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve (EGR). These were used up to 1990. If these quit then you get lousy low RPM performance and stalling at idle, but that doesn't sound quite like yours. It is easy to check- include EGR in your search and you will find the how-to.
 
My emiss light is on so im gonna get it re-cycled then im gonna check for other issues. Is the oxygen sensor the problem? and thats why my emiss light is on, cat back all new so its not a plugged cat.
 
How did you clean the throttle body, did you perhaps just go wild with the spray cleaner ?? If so you probably damaged the map sensor, those plastic sensors do not like carb/FI cleaners, most of the spray cleaners are plastic hostile...
 
I would go back to basics. First thing I would do is make sure none of the spark plug wires are crossed or incorreclty connected. I can't count the amount of times that happens, even professionals do it and if it was incorrectly done before you touched it you just carried it on. I would also go back to the stock champions, just my personal preference. I would also get those plugs from the dealer as there is a difference between OEM champions and ones sold in bargain auto stores, found that out by accident one day when the dealer only had 4 and I stopped for the extra 2 at AA, same model champion but different.
I would also do the sensor tests as suggested above and check the fuel pressure.
 
there are a few area's that may casue but the one that i would check is by the int/exh i think its the egr valve you may want to take a look at this area first before switching the engine it would be cheaper.. that what it took for me 238k and still going strong
 
If I get my jeep run on a diagnosis computer. Would they beable to tell me excatly why it is going slow. Or is their anyway that the jeep dealership could tell em exactly what is wrong with it just from the symtoms
 
there is a number of possibilities that could be wrong by your symptoms. if you are not sure it may be time to take it to someone who can properly diagnose it. wether you have them fix it or not is up to you, but if you let them do it at least the diognostic is guaranteed. they shouldnt call you back in a few hours with another diagnosis.
 
The emissions light on your dash is not connected to any sensor. It comes on as a result of a switch that is in a box under the dash connected to your iginition power. It automatically comes on after about 85K miles. You can ignore it, replace the box or look for a thread on this forum to find out how to reset it.

If you have not already done so, I would start replacing sensors. An 89 is bound to start gving them up. Again, a search will help you find a list of priorites in making changes. I would start with the TPS (search on this one, you will find an amazing number of threads). I recently helped solve a similar problem on an 88, no power, then high idle. First it was the TPS then the TB gasket was leaking an then the O2 sensor. It runs pretty good now. If none of this makes sense, you aren't going to solve the problem with a replacement engine because you need to understand exacly why you should go through the pain.
 
Could my car have no acceleration under a load because of a bad torque converter? I out it in first gear and gave it gas to see if my car just couldnt get over 2500-3000 rpm in drive it worked fine I manually shifted an auto matic I know that you probobly shouldnt do this but I needed to check. Should I check the CPS sensor. OR is their anything else I can try and replace or clean that could effect my jeeps performance??
 
It didn't sit for a year I ran it dry then I filled the tank when I was gonna use it. It ran great never was a problem. Now it just seems like I give it gas and the car can't keep up with it...
 
1989laredoxj said:
Could my car have no acceleration under a load because of a bad torque converter? I out it in first gear and gave it gas to see if my car just couldnt get over 2500-3000 rpm in drive it worked fine I manually shifted an auto matic I know that you probobly shouldnt do this but I needed to check. Should I check the CPS sensor. OR is their anything else I can try and replace or clean that could effect my jeeps performance??
Click to expand...
???????

Several people have posted very pertinent suggestions of things you should check. have you checked them? If so, please tell us what the results were so we can join you in knowing what DIDN'T work. If you haven't followed any of the suggestions already provided, why are you repeating an open-ended question (i.e. "What's wrong with my XJ?")?
 
1989laredoxj said:
It didn't sit for a year I ran it dry then I filled the tank when I was gonna use it. It ran great never was a problem. Now it just seems like I give it gas and the car can't keep up with it...
Click to expand...


maybe all the crap in the tank plugged up your fuel filter. What eagle said... tell us what you did and we'll go from there... It's not like we DONT want to help.

You need to subtract more of the possible problems. From reading you've gotten good advise so far. All the guys who have posted helping you, have helped me out IMMENSLY. You can learn from them, ( and all our mistakes ) or you can pony up for the 50 gal. drum of tylenol. :banghead:
 
Last edited:
Alright I'm sorry. I put in a new o2 sensor, new map sensor. replaces the ccv system??? the thing going from the valve cover to the air intake box.... I had the tranny fluid flushed, the t-case fluid flushed, and differential fluid replaced.
 
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