Friday something happened with the jeep that I have never felt before. Starting our 60 mile trip, driving around town something felt "off." The engine was shuttering VERY mildly and was lacking some power, but nothing too serious. Upon merging onto the interstate and reaching 55mph, the jeep began to intermittently "lurch" backward, like the engine was cutting out, yet there was no significant rpm change. This left me to believe it was a transmission problem. Took the next exit and pulled into a pep boys to buy some transmission fluid, assuming it was the cause of the jolting, but upon checking the fluid level, it was just below max. Drove the rest of the trip and decided to take a look at it the next day. Go to driveway to bring it to the garage and it won't start. Will crank but won't turn over. Father insists it is the ignition coil, but that doesn't seem right to me. But I buy the part and make the swap, and the damn thing fires right up nice and strong. Drive it up to 60mph, no problems. Bring it home and shut it off. Next day, drive home, few "lurches" at first but then no problems. Today, the damn thing wouldnt start unless I put it on accessory several times before cranking it, started once but ran with no power as if constantly bogged down and wouldn't rev, switched to auxiliary several more times then started it, drove it home and it is lurching like crazy.

Long story short, lots of lurching at all speeds and wont start without being switched on and off several times.

Please, what the **** is going on?....

 

Decent mechanic with a good diagnostics computer,TPS, IAC, o2 sensor.. In that order.

 

Ok that's the plan for today. Get my codes checked out and everything

 

Are you getting codes?

I had lurching in mine, it was popping a p0107 and some other one. Turned out where the fuel rail and engine wiring harness "meet", the fuel rail rubbed a hole through one of the wires in the harness and was grounding out while running. I patched up the exposed wire, strapped the harness out of the way, and all is well. Mines a 98 too.... 97's and 98's had issues with this. Let me search for the thread with pictures that helped me out...

It's a free fix, and sounds a lot like the issue I had.

My original thread:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/p0107-cel-code-131132/


Check the link in the last post also. Hope that helps.

 

This is the picture you want to look at to know what I'm talking about:




If you look at the bottom right corner of the picture, follow that wire harness coming from that corner (The thick one that runs all the way to the injector rail, NOT the thickest one running along the firewall). You'll notice at the fuel rail (Big round steel pipe) the fuel rail almost looks pressed in to the wiring harness. This is where you need to check if things are worn through. If they are, repair the wire and zip tie the harness out of the way so it doesn't rest on the fuel rail anymore. If your jeep is close, just go check it out real quick... but I'll put money on this being the problem.

 

Mines fine. Pay me my money *****!

 

I actually decided to change the camshaft positioning sensor after inspecting all my sensor harnesses (the only sensor I actually touched and played with was the cam sensor). I will have to check what you are talking about later, but after changing the cam positioning sensor, which was a ***** to find in auto parts stores since I guess they call it an ignition pick up coil (part #ME658), the damn thing works fine again. I'm still suspicious because it seems too easy, but as of right now it seems to be fixed. I will update you with more on this issue if anything else happens

 

*part number ME658

****ing emoticons