Check engine light flicker, engine stalls for split second and cluster dies

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Aug 6, 2018 | 06:36 AM

Will hartmann

Thread Starter

Newbie

Joined: Aug 2018

Posts: 2

Likes: 0

Model: Cherokee (XJ)

Check engine light flicker, engine stalls for split second and cluster dies

Recently after hitting a pothole down i-95 on my way home, my jeep xj started to stall (and then start its self back up if moving) at any given moment including at speeds of up to 65mph. Now if the car hits a bump or turns too hard, the engine will cut out, the tac and spedo will fall, the fule gauge will occasionally stop working completely and the check engine light will flick on, then everything will come back to life (except for the fuel gauge) and the check engine light disapears, as long as the car was moving fast enough to not completely stall. The car also has a tendincies to vibrate and feel like it is pulling harder than it should at redlights. The fuel gauge will fix its self if the car is turned off and back on again and the check engine light is never on for more than the split second that the car dies for. I have been through threads about the crank sensor and fule pumps but the descriptions given in those threads feel like they dont match the issues im having completely. any and all help is apreciated. Thanks

Aug 6, 2018 | 06:47 AM

texastaz38

Seasoned Member

Joined: Feb 2017

Posts: 352

Likes: 6

From: Pampa, Texas

Year: 1986

Model: Cherokee

Engine: 2.5 liter

Probably need to know what year xj your dealing with, but it may well be a simple grounding issue. check all your grounding points for a good clean connection. The jolt from the pothole might just have been enough to aggravate a previously unknown problem. Just a guess at this point, but xj problems that seem to move around in different areas tend to always be a grounding issue.

Happy Jeepin'
texastaz38

Aug 6, 2018 | 08:47 AM

investinwaffles

CF Veteran

Joined: Oct 2013

Posts: 2,097

Likes: 12

From: Tarpon Springs, FL / Denver, CO

Year: '98

Engine: 4.0 I6

Also remove and clean your battery terminals, sometimes they look clean but might not be conducting properly.
Good idea to check and clean all major grounds in the engine bay. Takes less than 30 minutes start to finish, I use Emory cloth or steel wool to get everything shiny again.

Aug 6, 2018 | 10:35 AM