Hey all, wondering if the motor minds on here can help me figure out the source of a odd issue I have occasionally with the XJ. If I run her hard for 20-30 minutes especially up some of the long hill sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway around here, sometimes when I go back to start her up after a stop at a trail section or something the engine starts "hard."

The only way I could explain it is that there's heavy vibration from the engine and it's almost sputtering, but the car is running. When I push the gas there is little to no response.

If I keep pumping the gas the car will typically come back to full power and the engine will stop vibrating and I'm on my merry way. If I just let it idle in this state, it stalls out.

This has happened to me every once in a while, I've never truly been stranded (except when the starter actually blew last summer) but I'd like to know what I'm dealing with so I can address it and rule it out. Thanks!

 

After quite a bit of research sounds like I may be having a TPS sensor failure or the early onset of one. Figure a stop,to Advnace tomorrow is going to be in order along with possibly also changing out spark plugs and rotor cap.

 

When you do change the tps make sure to adjust it correctly
Get an ohmmeter and check the ohms

 

884, I don't think "they" adjust their TPS's. Just we Renix. (and it's set with the voltage) ADK, I think you can check your TPS. I'm not sure if it's the same values found in my signature, but I think maybe yes.

Always good to gap your plugs to .035 and clean your cap and rotor. (or toss them in a trash can and go buy new ones)

If an injector or two were leaking, it might flood a cylinder or two parked hot. Then fire and run rough for a second, (maybe with some dark exhaust), then clear up. There is a test...you check how the fuel pressure falls after you turn it off. I forget the specs..20 Lbs in 30 minutes is OK? Just tossen out ideas. I'm not sure your 2000 is immune to "heat soak". Fuel boiling in hot injectors. Higher pressure raises the boiling point. A faulty check valve in the fuel pump might let the pressure drop so it can then biol. Does it start pretty quick, or crank a bit?

 

I'm having the very exact problem you just described. It's only happened to me twice. Both times after I had piulled a trailer with a lawnmower for about 45 minutes. But i've pulled the trailer dozens of times with no problems. So I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence. But you wrote basically exactly what I was about to write. I'll be watching this one close because I have no idea where to start.

 

Cool, got some good input here overnight - I guess when at first your post gets no attention, be sure to respond to yourself with a diagnosis.

To the couple of guys who have mentioned TPS adjustments, my understanding was that it's a little piece of equipment that you simply replace. Not familiar with renix Jeeps but always open to learning new things.

I'm going to try to cast a wide net and just do a general tune-up of several systems that could be contributing to the problem: spark plugs, TPS, clean the fuel injectors, etc and also do an early oil and filter change.

To the guy who just commented he's having the same issue, yes, that's exactly the irritating thing is that it's not at all consistent or easy to replicate. It seems to happen almost at complete random and sometimes after only very light driving.

Anyway, cool to get some discussion going here, thanks to everyone who threw in their 2 cents.

 

If this symptom ONLY happens when you try to start a hot engine, you could be experiencing "heat soak". It is quite common on the 00-01.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, I suggest you SEARCH and you will find quite a few threads on this issue.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

I wasn't quite sure how to search for that exact combination of symptoms, hence the new thread...

Thanks for the suggestion, will look around.

 

Yea probably heat soak.