I bought a 1988 Jeep Cherokee a couple of weeks ago. It's got nearly 300,000 miles on it but the body is in really good shape and, while it does still need some work, I did manage to get it past the North Carolina Safety Inspection.

First, a short and abbreviated history. Picked the Jeep up a week ago Monday from the seller. Drove it home [50 miles]. Ran just fine. Drove it to work [7 miles each way] a couple times that week. Ran just fine. Fixed all the things I needed for the vehicle inspection. Pulled out of the driveway and the idle was really high. On the way to the inspection station it starts cutting out like it's running out of gas. My thought was that the gas gauge was wrong and I was running out of gas. Got it to a gas station and put a few gallons in the tank. Started up just fine and at the correct idle speed. Got it inspected without incident and drove on into town. I pulled into the parking lot of where I work and it cut off. Tried to restart...wouldn't start. Let it sit for a couple hours and it started up. Decided to drive it home. Went a couple of miles and it started cutting out again...but I made it home.

This is the kind of thing that will drive you bonkers: I would start it up one time and the idle was rough, really rough, with no throttle response. Turn it off and start it up again and it ran like it was new.

What to do? Take it to a shop and let them guess at it? Sorry, I'm not made of money. Fortunately, in my travels across the Internet, I found this site. And on this site I found cruiser54's:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/cr...x-tips-153657/

What an invaluable resource!

I started at step 1 on that page. Guess what I found? The nut was loose.

I took the nut off, cleaned the stud and everything connected to it, put the nut on and now my Jeep runs great again!

Here are a couple of pics:

Before:




After:



Chris

 

Congrats, and welcome to the forum.

Cruiser's tips should be required reading to register an 87-90 renix 4.0 Jeep at the dmv.

I would suggest doing a few more of his free/simple tips whenever you get time, it's great preventative maintenance.

Another simple/free tip is the kickdown cable adjustment, which I don't think he mentions in his tips. Another easy google search.

 

Thanks!I can't argue with that...Absolutely. As I have time, I intend to go through the entire list.Thanks for the tip!

Chris

 

Without this website, I would be the owner of a 3400 pound paperweight. Thanks to all the knowledgeable people here! It has saved me repeatedly already and I imagine again & again in the future as well.

 

Woohoo!!!

Makes my day reading this stuff.

Here's the link for TV cable adjustment:


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/free-quick-fix-41821/

 

Pinched the pics.

Tee Hee

 

Well I can't NOT pass up adding an additional and most sincere THANKS to the CF community as well!!
Constantly feeling helpless with my last (non Jeep) POS and always waiting for the mechanic's call with great anxiety (will it be $50 or $1500?!) was hell. Empowerment and knowledge are king!
Thanksthanksthanks!!!

 

Indeed. Knowledge is power.

 

Of course. 2 biggest pic pinchers are:.................

 

I'll check to see if they show up in your album.

 

If its on the Interweb its gotta be true....LOL... Many thanks to members here also. Evening Major.

 

LOL.

 

Evening General.