Help! '92 XJ Jerking at low rpms..
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
Hey hows it going everyone. New to the site and figured I'd give it a try. The old lady's '92 stock XJ is jerking at low rpms in 3rd, 4th and 5th gear. Its a 4.0 4x4 manual. I just replaced the TPS and it wasn't that. Next on my list is to unplug the O2 sensor and see if that helps. It hasnt thrown a code or anything yet. Any ideas?
Herp Derp Jerp

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 18,251
Likes: 17
From: Parham, ON
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L OBD-II
Hey, welcome to the forum! Especially welcome to more stick-shifters!
Can you be a little more specific with the jerking? Is it anything like a bucking? I've got something happening in any lower RPMs, though if I pop my foot off the throttle really fast it usually gives a good heave or two. If I let it idle along in 1st or 2nd then it tends to buck. For example, if I'm rolling through a parking lot at maybe 1500 RPM and just let my foot off the gas suddenly, I can guarantee you it will start bucking... sometimes amplified if the backlash is strong enough to make my foot hit the pedal again
I think its a combination of whatever is causing my poor idle and dead suspension, I don't know enough to suspect engine/transmission mounts or not.
With that said, how's it run? Anything like what I mentioned sound familiar?
Can you be a little more specific with the jerking? Is it anything like a bucking? I've got something happening in any lower RPMs, though if I pop my foot off the throttle really fast it usually gives a good heave or two. If I let it idle along in 1st or 2nd then it tends to buck. For example, if I'm rolling through a parking lot at maybe 1500 RPM and just let my foot off the gas suddenly, I can guarantee you it will start bucking... sometimes amplified if the backlash is strong enough to make my foot hit the pedal again
I think its a combination of whatever is causing my poor idle and dead suspension, I don't know enough to suspect engine/transmission mounts or not.With that said, how's it run? Anything like what I mentioned sound familiar?
Last edited by salad; Mar 12, 2012 at 11:11 PM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
Ya pretty much, I replaced the tps, then iac. After the iac replacement, my idle is going crazy up rpm, down rpm and sometimes stalling. I
Anyone have ideas on what the heck is going on?
Anyone have ideas on what the heck is going on?
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 504
Likes: 1
From: Tucson, AZ
Year: 2002
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
R u sure your cat isn't clogged? Happened with a car I had, but it was an automatic, eventually I had a loss of power then discovered the Cat was clogged.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
Changed out the crankshaft position sensor yesterday, and now she runs pretty well. No more jerking or anything of that sorts, but the idle is lower now and she needs a little help getting started from cold.


