1990 XJ, 4.0 4x4, got a few problems.
09-07-2011, 09:54 PM
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Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6
1990 XJ, 4.0 4x4 auto, got a few problems.
I've had it about a month, and its been giving me nothing but problems, which i hate to say, because its my first jeep, and i've always been a fan. first and foremost, it overheats, and i can't figure out why. i've put a new waterpump adn thermostat on it, and replaced the serpentine belt and idler pulley, just in case. (they needed changed anyways) but here's the kicker, it doesn't burn or leak coolant, and it only overheats when its over 70 degrees out, otherwise its fine. its originally from maryland (i'm in ohio) would that have anything to do with it, being a change in altitude and temperature? also, when it gets hot, the coolant looks kinda foamy, i heard it may be a leaky headgasket, but idk.
Secondly, it dies on me from time to time, but only when i'm going really slow. like 15-20 mph slow. it has new plugs and wires, and the plugs are gapped correctly. it seems like its flooding out to me, but its MPFI...which i also found a little unusual in a 1990 Cherokee, something that old i figured would at the most have a throttle body.
next, pretty simple, how much of a headache is it going to be to switch out the tilt column i have now with a non tilt one? i'd imagine not too hard if they're from around the same year, but you never know.
also, the front end sways side to side when i go over a bump unevenly, part of the stabilizer is unbolted, is that the problem?
And, it has a tick/knock when its under any kind of load, and sometimes the oil pressure is at 60psi, sometimes its at 20...sensor going bad? hopefully not the oil pump going bad, that would really suck.
lastly, is any of the things above connected to why i have to crank it for 4-6 seconds before it finally starts, while holding it at half throttle?
any and all help will be appreciated
Secondly, it dies on me from time to time, but only when i'm going really slow. like 15-20 mph slow. it has new plugs and wires, and the plugs are gapped correctly. it seems like its flooding out to me, but its MPFI...which i also found a little unusual in a 1990 Cherokee, something that old i figured would at the most have a throttle body.
next, pretty simple, how much of a headache is it going to be to switch out the tilt column i have now with a non tilt one? i'd imagine not too hard if they're from around the same year, but you never know.
also, the front end sways side to side when i go over a bump unevenly, part of the stabilizer is unbolted, is that the problem?
And, it has a tick/knock when its under any kind of load, and sometimes the oil pressure is at 60psi, sometimes its at 20...sensor going bad? hopefully not the oil pump going bad, that would really suck.
lastly, is any of the things above connected to why i have to crank it for 4-6 seconds before it finally starts, while holding it at half throttle?
any and all help will be appreciated
Last edited by jnslick; 09-07-2011 at 10:01 PM. Reason: adding details to title
09-07-2011, 10:33 PM
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Year: 1990
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Originally Posted by jnslick
I've had it about a month, and its been giving me nothing but problems, which i hate to say, because its my first jeep, and i've always been a fan. first and foremost, it overheats, and i can't figure out why. i've put a new waterpump adn thermostat on it, and replaced the serpentine belt and idler pulley, just in case. (they needed changed anyways) but here's the kicker, it doesn't burn or leak coolant, and it only overheats when its over 70 degrees out, otherwise its fine. its originally from maryland (i'm in ohio) would that have anything to do with it, being a change in altitude and temperature? also, when it gets hot, the coolant looks kinda foamy, i heard it may be a leaky headgasket, but idk.
Secondly, it dies on me from time to time, but only when i'm going really slow. like 15-20 mph slow. it has new plugs and wires, and the plugs are gapped correctly. it seems like its flooding out to me, but its MPFI...which i also found a little unusual in a 1990 Cherokee, something that old i figured would at the most have a throttle body.
next, pretty simple, how much of a headache is it going to be to switch out the tilt column i have now with a non tilt one? i'd imagine not too hard if they're from around the same year, but you never know.
also, the front end sways side to side when i go over a bump unevenly, part of the stabilizer is unbolted, is that the problem?
And, it has a tick/knock when its under any kind of load, and sometimes the oil pressure is at 60psi, sometimes its at 20...sensor going bad? hopefully not the oil pump going bad, that would really suck.
lastly, is any of the things above connected to why i have to crank it for 4-6 seconds before it finally starts, while holding it at half throttle?
any and all help will be appreciated
Secondly, it dies on me from time to time, but only when i'm going really slow. like 15-20 mph slow. it has new plugs and wires, and the plugs are gapped correctly. it seems like its flooding out to me, but its MPFI...which i also found a little unusual in a 1990 Cherokee, something that old i figured would at the most have a throttle body.
next, pretty simple, how much of a headache is it going to be to switch out the tilt column i have now with a non tilt one? i'd imagine not too hard if they're from around the same year, but you never know.
also, the front end sways side to side when i go over a bump unevenly, part of the stabilizer is unbolted, is that the problem?
And, it has a tick/knock when its under any kind of load, and sometimes the oil pressure is at 60psi, sometimes its at 20...sensor going bad? hopefully not the oil pump going bad, that would really suck.
lastly, is any of the things above connected to why i have to crank it for 4-6 seconds before it finally starts, while holding it at half throttle?
any and all help will be appreciated
2. The dieing I would say is possibly egr or fuel pump related... need more info on that.
3. Why would you want a non tilt column?
4. Sounds like something loose with the track bar or bushing.
5. Doubt its the pump and what kind of oil/filter also is it 20 at idle or in the rpms. A good seafoam treatment will probably help the ticking.
6. You should not need to hold the throttle to start it. This is probably related to the idle air control valve. Also may have something to do with it cutting out at low speed/rpm.
09-07-2011, 11:07 PM
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Year: 2015, 2012
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Cranking for 5-6 seconds with foot off the gas is normal. Don't hold foot on accelerator pedal.
You need 10 PSI of oil pressure per 1,000 RPM. This is with oil at operating temperature.
I wouldn't change to a non-tilt column, but that is up to you.
Also this is a used, 21 year old vehicle. Expect that you will have to fix some things. When you get everything worked out, it will make a good vehicle.
You need 10 PSI of oil pressure per 1,000 RPM. This is with oil at operating temperature.
I wouldn't change to a non-tilt column, but that is up to you.
Also this is a used, 21 year old vehicle. Expect that you will have to fix some things. When you get everything worked out, it will make a good vehicle.
09-07-2011, 11:16 PM
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Because my check valve does not hold, if I turn the ignition on once or twice for a few seconds first, it starts on a 3 count instead of 6 or so.
Does it ever overheat when you are cruzen, or just around town?
Does it ever overheat when you are cruzen, or just around town?
09-07-2011, 11:43 PM
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If your in to it, its real easy to do a switch from the closed system to an open system. Just find a donor 92 or newer and get the radiator, t-stat housing, and about 10 feet of new heater hose. It worked great for me. My coolant bottle actually blew up under the hood. So it was get a new one or do the switch.
09-08-2011, 01:44 AM
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Year: 1990
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Engine: 4.0L I6
Slick761 2, what all info would you need? i suppose the fuel pump is in good shape, it sounds strong when i hit the key. 3, i'd rather get a non tilt column and not have to worry about it getting loose again, also, i've already torn the lower sleeve off the column trying to get at the screws to tighten the tilt section, so its a matter of aesthetics now as well. 5, i'm not sure, i haven't gotten around to changing it yet, but its full, and the pressure varies on its own, it doesn't seem to be related to the RPMs at all. also, i'm sure running a higher octane would help the ticking as well.
Firestorm500 I suppose its just a habit i've gained from my experience with other vehicles that had carburetors, i almost can't help but feather and hold the throttle. i know jeeps are good vehicles, i have seen them go upwards of 500k miles and not miss a beat when they're taken care of...but this one wasn't, it had the guts run out of it many a time before i got my hands on it.
DFlintstone When its over 70 degrees outside, it only overheats when i'm cruising down the road, it will sit and idle at cool temps for at least an hour (thats as long as i've tried it so far) but it starts overheating about 20 miles down the road, almost as if something is expanding in the radiator maybe, although it has good flow into the tank.
firefighter89 I had considered doing that, but believe it or not, its hard to come by a donor jeep in my area, most are either still daily drivers, or have already been scavenged for spare parts, so i would more than likely have to go with new parts, which will cost a lot more to do, though this tank has gotten close to exploding as well.
Is it normal for this year of cherokee to have the MPFI? or did someone do an engine swap with a newer block and intake and leave everything else?
Firestorm500 I suppose its just a habit i've gained from my experience with other vehicles that had carburetors, i almost can't help but feather and hold the throttle. i know jeeps are good vehicles, i have seen them go upwards of 500k miles and not miss a beat when they're taken care of...but this one wasn't, it had the guts run out of it many a time before i got my hands on it.
DFlintstone When its over 70 degrees outside, it only overheats when i'm cruising down the road, it will sit and idle at cool temps for at least an hour (thats as long as i've tried it so far) but it starts overheating about 20 miles down the road, almost as if something is expanding in the radiator maybe, although it has good flow into the tank.
firefighter89 I had considered doing that, but believe it or not, its hard to come by a donor jeep in my area, most are either still daily drivers, or have already been scavenged for spare parts, so i would more than likely have to go with new parts, which will cost a lot more to do, though this tank has gotten close to exploding as well.
Is it normal for this year of cherokee to have the MPFI? or did someone do an engine swap with a newer block and intake and leave everything else?
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09-08-2011, 02:49 AM
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Year: 1990
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Originally Posted by jnslick
Slick761 2, what all info would you need? i suppose the fuel pump is in good shape, it sounds strong when i hit the key. 3, i'd rather get a non tilt column and not have to worry about it getting loose again, also, i've already torn the lower sleeve off the column trying to get at the screws to tighten the tilt section, so its a matter of aesthetics now as well. 5, i'm not sure, i haven't gotten around to changing it yet, but its full, and the pressure varies on its own, it doesn't seem to be related to the RPMs at all. also, i'm sure running a higher octane would help the ticking as well.
Firestorm500 I suppose its just a habit i've gained from my experience with other vehicles that had carburetors, i almost can't help but feather and hold the throttle. i know jeeps are good vehicles, i have seen them go upwards of 500k miles and not miss a beat when they're taken care of...but this one wasn't, it had the guts run out of it many a time before i got my hands on it.
DFlintstone When its over 70 degrees outside, it only overheats when i'm cruising down the road, it will sit and idle at cool temps for at least an hour (thats as long as i've tried it so far) but it starts overheating about 20 miles down the road, almost as if something is expanding in the radiator maybe, although it has good flow into the tank.
firefighter89 I had considered doing that, but believe it or not, its hard to come by a donor jeep in my area, most are either still daily drivers, or have already been scavenged for spare parts, so i would more than likely have to go with new parts, which will cost a lot more to do, though this tank has gotten close to exploding as well.
Is it normal for this year of cherokee to have the MPFI? or did someone do an engine swap with a newer block and intake and leave everything else?
Firestorm500 I suppose its just a habit i've gained from my experience with other vehicles that had carburetors, i almost can't help but feather and hold the throttle. i know jeeps are good vehicles, i have seen them go upwards of 500k miles and not miss a beat when they're taken care of...but this one wasn't, it had the guts run out of it many a time before i got my hands on it.
DFlintstone When its over 70 degrees outside, it only overheats when i'm cruising down the road, it will sit and idle at cool temps for at least an hour (thats as long as i've tried it so far) but it starts overheating about 20 miles down the road, almost as if something is expanding in the radiator maybe, although it has good flow into the tank.
firefighter89 I had considered doing that, but believe it or not, its hard to come by a donor jeep in my area, most are either still daily drivers, or have already been scavenged for spare parts, so i would more than likely have to go with new parts, which will cost a lot more to do, though this tank has gotten close to exploding as well.
Is it normal for this year of cherokee to have the MPFI? or did someone do an engine swap with a newer block and intake and leave everything else?
09-08-2011, 04:36 AM
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Year: 1995
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a common problem ive heard about and i believe has happened to my jeep a few years back before i got it was the radiator gets clogged with a sludgy silt or something. idk what did that. but it weve had alot of radiator problems so maybe isolated incident. just a possibility i suppose especially since its 21 years old.
side note. : theyre not probems, it's personality. =)
side note. : theyre not probems, it's personality. =)
09-08-2011, 05:10 AM
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The overheating is either because of a bad coolant reservoir/cap (unlikely, because it is a closed cooling system, and that would cause a leak), or because you have an air pocket in the head.
To rectify this, park the vehicle on a hill, with the nose facing down hill, and wait until the vehicle has cooled down.
Remove the coolant sensor, which is located at the driver's rear corner of the head, right next to the valve cover. be prepared to put it right back in, and be sure your coolant reservoir is full. doing this will cause the air pocket to bleed out.
The occasional dying sounds to me like a sensor issue. Clean the IAC (Idle Air Control), which is a tube shaped sensor located on the throttle body.
Also try adjusting the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor), which is also located on the throttle body.
Lastly, check the CPS connector (Crankshaft Position Sensor, located directly behind the intake manifold), also check the CPS wire that runs down to the actual sensor, which is located on the bell housing on the drivers side. make sure it's not burnt or melted.
The CPS is also a known issue to cause slow starts and intermittent dying when it gets old and doesn't have proper resistance (continuity) in the wires and sensor itself anymore.
I don't know why you would want to switch a tilt column for a non-tilt, seeing as you can position it in the same spot a non-tilt would be in. If it's because it wobbles, they're fairly simple to repair, and it only costs around $30 in tools and a bit of loc-tite to fix. Look around here using the search feature to find out how to rebuild the column, or google "gm saginaw tilt column".
The ticking sounds to me like loose torque converter bolts. Easy fix
1. Remove inspection cover (2x18mm bolts with nuts, 2x13mm bolts)
2. Have someone use a breaker bar with a short well 19mm to turn the harmonic balancer (big pulley on front of motor that's mounted directly to the crankshaft) back and forth, while you look up into the bell housing at the bolts that are on the flex plate.
3. If loose, remove the torque converter bolts one at a time, immediately reinstalling after applying loc-tite to each one. There are 4 of them, and they are 15mm. you will need a second hand for this, to have someone turn the harmonic balancer thus turning the flex plate so that you can get to each of the torque converter bolts.
The front end sway sounds like a bad track bar, accompanied by the steering stabilizer not being bolted in properly, and (if my assumption about your loose column is correct) a loose steering column.
Good luck, pm me if you need more help...I can walk you through some of this via phone if you need since I'm off work with injury at the moment.
-Pat
To rectify this, park the vehicle on a hill, with the nose facing down hill, and wait until the vehicle has cooled down.
Remove the coolant sensor, which is located at the driver's rear corner of the head, right next to the valve cover. be prepared to put it right back in, and be sure your coolant reservoir is full. doing this will cause the air pocket to bleed out.
The occasional dying sounds to me like a sensor issue. Clean the IAC (Idle Air Control), which is a tube shaped sensor located on the throttle body.
Also try adjusting the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor), which is also located on the throttle body.
Lastly, check the CPS connector (Crankshaft Position Sensor, located directly behind the intake manifold), also check the CPS wire that runs down to the actual sensor, which is located on the bell housing on the drivers side. make sure it's not burnt or melted.
The CPS is also a known issue to cause slow starts and intermittent dying when it gets old and doesn't have proper resistance (continuity) in the wires and sensor itself anymore.
I don't know why you would want to switch a tilt column for a non-tilt, seeing as you can position it in the same spot a non-tilt would be in. If it's because it wobbles, they're fairly simple to repair, and it only costs around $30 in tools and a bit of loc-tite to fix. Look around here using the search feature to find out how to rebuild the column, or google "gm saginaw tilt column".
The ticking sounds to me like loose torque converter bolts. Easy fix
1. Remove inspection cover (2x18mm bolts with nuts, 2x13mm bolts)
2. Have someone use a breaker bar with a short well 19mm to turn the harmonic balancer (big pulley on front of motor that's mounted directly to the crankshaft) back and forth, while you look up into the bell housing at the bolts that are on the flex plate.
3. If loose, remove the torque converter bolts one at a time, immediately reinstalling after applying loc-tite to each one. There are 4 of them, and they are 15mm. you will need a second hand for this, to have someone turn the harmonic balancer thus turning the flex plate so that you can get to each of the torque converter bolts.
The front end sway sounds like a bad track bar, accompanied by the steering stabilizer not being bolted in properly, and (if my assumption about your loose column is correct) a loose steering column.
Good luck, pm me if you need more help...I can walk you through some of this via phone if you need since I'm off work with injury at the moment.
-Pat
09-08-2011, 12:27 PM
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Year: 1990
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here's a couple pictures, just an idea of what i'm dealing with, the picture of the suspension is what i'm wondering about, whether its causing the sway, and the picture of the engine, well thats just to see if everything looks normal under there. also, here's a video,http://youtu.be/WEs8Gtxi4LA i just started it when i took this video, it sat all night so i know its cool, and you can hear another one of the ticks i just noticed, but i think its just an exhaust leak...? i don't really have the time to get into anything else right now, but i'll get a driving video on my way to work this afternoon so i can better explain the ticking/knocking under load.
09-09-2011, 01:10 AM
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Year: 1990
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Engine: 4.0l inline 6cyl
i don't know much but, the second pic, thats suppose to be connected aint it? i mean, i have the exzact same year and model as that one, and mines connected. not very well, feels as if its gonna roll if i drive over a gnat.
alot cleaner than mine is under the body and hood.
alot cleaner than mine is under the body and hood.
09-09-2011, 01:14 AM
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Year: 1990
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Originally Posted by tornprince
i don't know much but, the second pic, thats suppose to be connected aint it? i mean, i have the exzact same year and model as that one, and mines connected. not very well, feels as if its gonna roll if i drive over a gnat.
alot cleaner than mine is under the body and hood.
alot cleaner than mine is under the body and hood.
09-09-2011, 01:40 AM
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09-09-2011, 01:42 AM
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Year: 1990
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i don't know much but, the second pic, thats suppose to be connected aint it? i mean, i have the exzact same year and model as that one, and mines connected. not very well, feels as if its gonna roll if i drive over a gnat.
alot cleaner than mine is under the body and hood.
alot cleaner than mine is under the body and hood.