Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here XJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.

98 Cherokee Sport power loss

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-04-2016, 11:19 PM
  #1  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
brandonc94's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l Inline-6
Default 98 Cherokee Sport power loss

Hey guys, finally got around to creating an account here and it looks like my lurking days are over! Been using this site for a while and you guys have offered more help and ideas than i could've ever imagined. So now its my turn to be the one to ask......wtf is going on with the jeep now! 98 Cherokee Sport w/ inline 6 4.0L and 4x4.... 242,000km, or 150,000 for you 'muricans....had it since 179,000km. Been a good year, put a lot of miles on it, been reliable every step of the way. But for the past month or two, its been giving me problems. Bit the bullet yesterday, bought a new distributor, cap, wires and plugs as well as a new fuel pump for er. Installed- and they've made a huge difference, fixed a lot of the uh.....imperfections....runs way better. Put 100km on it today. Only remaining issue is that occasionally when rolling on the throttle after a stop sign or red light, the jeep will pull away smoothly, rev up to about 2000rpm and then surge. Loss of power. Maybe 2-3 seconds will pass of the engine feeling suffocated and after keeping my foot steady on the throttle, it'll buck like it can breathe again and accelerate pretty quickly. Any ideas?
Old 02-04-2016, 11:25 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
cliffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: A.A. Co. Maryland
Posts: 738
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Inline
Default

I had some similar issues, mine wound up needing a new catalytic converter. The suffocating thing was most of my issue. Good luck.
Old 02-04-2016, 11:36 PM
  #3  
Newbie
 
Ooblar7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southern California
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6
Default

Did you check air filter, throttle body, O2 sensors...?
Old 02-05-2016, 12:04 AM
  #4  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
brandonc94's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l Inline-6
Default

Air filter is good as new, ill spend some time tomorrow on the throttle body. I installed a flow master 40 series muffler, and new pipe. lets say i *relocated* the cat.... my downstream o2 sensor is zip tied up out of the way. need to find time to buy a plug and tap it back into the exhaust. the power loss issue is not consistent either, which is making it all that more difficult to diagnose. thanks for the quick responses everyone
Old 02-05-2016, 12:17 PM
  #5  
IJM
CF Veteran
 
IJM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: District of Columbia
Posts: 1,287
Received 274 Likes on 205 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Default

Does the bogging go away if you mash the go pedal to WOT?
Old 02-05-2016, 12:26 PM
  #6  
Member
 
neverenuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: fountain hills az
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0l 310,000 miles
Default

Why don't you properly install the 02 sensor then let us know if you have issues. When you stomp the pedal after a red light change your just dumping fuel into the engine as it thinks your excessively lean... the 02 sensor stuck out in free air and is not surrounded by spent gasses to give constant reading back to the ECU about fuel conditions (lean or rich).
Old 02-05-2016, 02:39 PM
  #7  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
brandonc94's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l Inline-6
Default

Haven't had the opportunity to give it WOT when the problem appears as it always catches me off guard. Ill try and get a hold of someone with a small MIG welder and tap that o2 sensor back into the exhaust. Should update in a few days. Thanks everyone.
Old 02-05-2016, 02:57 PM
  #8  
IJM
CF Veteran
 
IJM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: District of Columbia
Posts: 1,287
Received 274 Likes on 205 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by neverenuff
Why don't you properly install the 02 sensor then let us know if you have issues. When you stomp the pedal after a red light change your just dumping fuel into the engine as it thinks your excessively lean... the 02 sensor stuck out in free air and is not surrounded by spent gasses to give constant reading back to the ECU about fuel conditions (lean or rich).
The downstream O2 sensor only monitors cat efficiency, it does nothing for fuel metering or ignition timing.
Old 02-05-2016, 06:36 PM
  #9  
Member
 
neverenuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: fountain hills az
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0l 310,000 miles
Default

IJM, thank you for the correction. For my education what does the ECU do with the Cat efficiency information ?
Old 02-05-2016, 07:45 PM
  #10  
IJM
CF Veteran
 
IJM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: District of Columbia
Posts: 1,287
Received 274 Likes on 205 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by neverenuff
IJM, thank you for the correction. For my education what does the ECU do with the Cat efficiency information ?
Nothing other than throw a CEL if it the reading between the upstream and downstream sensors is too close. In other words, the cat isn't doing its job. It's the upstream sensor that provides feedback to the ECU.
Old 02-08-2016, 11:14 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
cliffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: A.A. Co. Maryland
Posts: 738
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Inline
Default

In the O.P.'s 2nd post he said he "relocated" the cat whatever that means, so wouldn't putting the downstream O2 sensor be useless ?
Old 02-09-2016, 06:04 AM
  #12  
CF Veteran
 
CCKen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Canton, MI
Posts: 8,357
Likes: 0
Received 82 Likes on 67 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

O.P., read this:


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/o2-...failed-222095/
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bdecker9
MJ Comanche Tech. Stock & Modified.
15
02-27-2016 11:41 PM
DREAMJEEP98
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
16
01-23-2016 08:03 PM
norway_xj
Cherokee Chat
14
01-17-2016 07:56 AM
camohunter01
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
24
01-15-2016 09:33 AM
ctdale
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
0
01-10-2016 06:58 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 


Quick Reply: 98 Cherokee Sport power loss



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:46 AM.