So new stuff.
I re-did the compression test with the throttle wide open, and got nearly the same results. I lurched around in the car a while to let it warm up so the test should have worked fine? highest compression was like 160, lowest was like 145. Makes sense to me because the engine is new.

ol"blue said that it could be the EGR valve. I fiddled with that and it seemed like its not in very good condition. I guess replacing that would be a logical next step. I'm still wondering if it has something to do with the carburetor though.

 

I don't really know what good condition is though? I could push it in and out, but it wasn't easy to do. If it was stuck open, would the diaphragm thing be pushed in or out? Because If I pushed hard It would go in and then come back out.

 

That is true. They do.

 

Good news!!
So I suspected that it was my EGR valve that was causing the problems, so I used a bit of wire to clamp off the vacuum hose that goes into it.
After the engine warmed up a bit, the problem seems cured! The "dead spot" in the gas pedal is gone; it doesn't sputter and die when I give it gas. It doesn't lurch when I accelerate, and has enough power to get up to 65 on the highway now.
It still seems to be missing some power though, it's not as peppy as it was before all this. I going to try and make sure I have that hose clamped off all the way, and then at some point I'll replace that EGR valve.

Are there any bad side affects to what I did? Other than not being able to pass smog? Could there still be another problem that I am masking?

Thanks for all the help guys
Kyle

 

Noproblems except not passing smog, the jeep will run fine without the egr, Just curious , in your earlier post you said the wires were arcing everywhere, is it possible you need a new set of wires??

 

Oh, when I said they were arcing everywhere, I was talking about when I was trying to figure if I had a bad cylinder. The jeep was running, and I was pulling the plug wires one by one listening for the effect on the engine. The wire were sparking / arcing to the block as I pulled them out. The wires are new, as are the plugs, distributor cap, and rotor.

 

One other thing you might do here is to let it idle at night or a really dark shop and look to see if you have any arcing. If you do, take the new wires back.

 

I will to see if I have any problems, but I don't think I do. The wires were arcing to the block when I pulled them off the plugs, I figure thats normal, the distributor was sending spark to them so they were trying to send the charge to whatever ground was nearby. This did not seem to be happening while the wires were attached.