NewbJeep

Delete

dave1123

If you're looking for opinions, mine would be a 97 or 98 4.0 with the 242 t/case and tow package because of the lower gearing. The 4.0 is about as reliable as jeep gets, has plenty of torque for slogging thru the hard stuff, and has plenty of aftermarket support. BUT that's my opinion. The 231 t/case is admittedly stronger than the 242, but it wasn't a normal option in a ZJ, but came stock in the XJ.

greenislandxj

I have looked through the forums and cant seem to find anyone else with this problem and cant seem to find a tranny specific thread either so Im posting it here so I dont start a new one as I know people frown on that.
There are people who have had bits and parts of issues like this but none that really match my issue.
XJ details
99 XJ, 134k miles, 5.5" LA lift w/radius arm, 33" BFG AT, SYE and tom woods driveshaft, ford 8.8 rear LS axle, both front and rear re-geared to 4.56, 1 ton steering, stock 30 up front, cant remember the exact tranny or transfer case name but its stock, automatic tranny. Dash that says "Part time" when in 4wd. 4.0 engine.
OK, so the jeep for the last maybe 50k miles has popped into drive and reverse from park..kinda jerks.. no real issues with that but recently it has started jerking more than usual and its also jerking pretty violently into every gear. This is particularly evident in the lower gears. This happens both while accelerating and when slowing down however its more obvious when accelerating of course because Im on the gas. The only way I can describe it is its almost doing the opposite of "slipping" its not over revving and its shifting at the rpm its supposed to its just not a smooth shift.. it feels like it just slams it into gear.
Now here is the really confusing part.. this doesnt always happen.. some mornings I will get in the jeep and it doesnt jerk out of gear and shifts through all the gears buttery smooth, and then I park, wake up the next day and its back to shifting super hard into all the gears.
I have already replaced the filter and all the fluid in tranny and it didnt help.
Please help! I have no idea what it could be. I want to say its a sensor or solenoid of some sort because some days its perfect and then other days its shifting super hard like described. My assumption is if it was mechanical problem it would always have the problem but it doesnt. Its almost as if a switch for hard shifting is on one day and then turned off the next. And it never has any issue going into gear it just shifts in like 2 milliseconds and jerks the whole jeep. No grinding, sound or anything other than the "jerking" it makes.

salad

Sounds like your engine & transmission mounts may be going. Also what fluid did you fill it with and are you checking the level with the engine running?

BTW this thread is for Grand Cherokee family, not XJs

rbeard2

Hi all, '96 ZJ, 4.0 Laredo with guages. Oil pressure gauge craps out the other morning (twitchy for about 15 miles then dead as a door nail, on 0 pressure). I check the oil cap with it running - pressure is good, plenty of juice to the top of the motor so it's the sending unit right? Replaced it. Still not working but I notice alot of oil in the electric connector. Must be shot too, huh? Order one, replace it, still no love. All of the other gauges are fine and the fuses are good too. So . . . any suggestions? (I tested the pressure sending unit with a multi-meter and it seems like its working) If it's broke I can usually fix it but this one has me stumped!

JSJJ388

OK yall, I swapped doors on my 94 zj. Used a door off a 96 and swapped the harness out. Now my power locks and windows don't work. Power locks are blowing the fuse. Thoughts?

rbeard2

So the aftermarket replacement electrical connector had the wire colors reversed! After switching to white/black and black/white - it works just fine!! Goes to show you, never underestimate the poor quality control of a Chinese parts plant!

TazmanIII

Occasionally not always. Seconds after starting my Jeep the dash goes crazy. All the lights on the dash flash...go off and on. Headlights go off and on and a blinker like clicking is heard during the 15 - 20 second event. this has happened several times now and was told it might be a computer issue. Any suggestions. It is a 2006 Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi, Automatic transmission with 3.73 gears front and back. I appreciate any input you have. Thanks

featheringham

I have 1997 jeep Cherokee 4.0 6 cylinder. I can't get any spark,also I have no voltage to any sensors.it does turn over but no spark,I've changed ignition coil and relays and fuses,any suggestions?how can I trouble shoot pcm?

salad

Is there voltage to the ignition coil while cranking? Are the fuel injectors getting power?

featheringham

No voltage to coil or fuel injectors,also rear 02sensor wires were melted frayed and exposed but I did cut back to eliminate short

JSJJ388

So I was driving last night and noticed that about every 30-45 secs. something in the dash clicks and all the lights dim and come right back. they dont go out, just dim. ANy idea on where to start with this? Alternator? One of the relays? 94 zj

greenislandxj

Does it do this when your AC is on or is the jeep running warmer than normal? Because it sounds like the Auxilary fan is kicking on..and for the dash lights to dim a bit and your voltage to drop is normal in that situation. The older the fan is the less efficient it is and the more voltage it will draw. Also those aux fan switches go out regularly.. sometimes getting stuck on (like mine did) or not turning on at all. Before I had it fixed I had some crazy weird dash light things going on too...not sure if it was related but its not happening anymore since I fixed the switch.

JSJJ388

I dont have an auxilery fan. Just the mechanical one. It makes no diffferance whether the climate control is on or off, or whether my lights are on or off. Even with the lights off it will still click every 30 or so seconds.

rcguymike

The aux fan shouldn't dim your lights too much. You might want to look at alternator and/or wiring if that's the case. Bad grounding or loose connections can really make an electrical system go haywire. Even my 2013 has had an episode of seizures due to loose(stupid shop cranked down on the terminal clamp so hard it tore the battery clamp) connections.