stanleyxj

hi i got a 97 cherokee xj with manual transmission, have an issue when accelerating in second, third, fourth gears it kinda chokes there for a moment and then takes off normal and then will do it again while i keep accelerating, and again sometimes it won't do it but its doing this most of the times, does anyone had this issue before, please help thanks. not sure if i need to replace the distributor maybe?? once i start the engine it will idle normally, replaced new plugs and wires and air filter, not sure where is the fuel filter located because i looked it up underneath behind the rear drivers wheel and its not there??? maybe its on the fuel pump??

PatHenry

Does it feel like it's not getting gas or does it feel like the engine and drive-line are out of sync?

Edit - I doubt you need to replace the distributor. If there was something funky with that the engine would run weird regardless of gear.

stanleyxj

yes it feels more like it doesn't get enough fuel, its like when you accelerate it pulls good and then for a split second will start choking and then will pull again and so on and so on, but when i give it more rpms in each gear it will run good, i have no clue what it might be????

PatHenry

Well the reason I ask is because you could have an issue with the clutch slipping, but I would think that the engine would rev higher in that case.

I would start with testing your fuel pressure. It needs to be 49psi +- 5. That may be hard to figure since it only does it when shifting. If the pressure is good, I'd test your TPS - a lot of folks seem to be having issues with them lately.. lol

I wouldn't discount a slipping clutch or worn clutch parts, but since it's such a chore to change the clutch, I'd eliminate all the simple stuff first. How many miles/years are on the clutch?

stanleyxj

i tried testing the clutch its seems to be catching pretty good, i don't know how many miles or years on the clutch, i purchased it when it had 97k miles and i only put like 1400 miles on it so far, ok question how would i test fuel pressure and whats TPS lol I'm new to all these abbreviations

stanleyxj

ok i got it whats tps lol

PatHenry

Throttle position sensor. It's on the intake and you test with a multimeter. Do a search and you'll find lots of testing info.

Honestly, I think fuel pressure (pump or regulator - I think the regulator is at the pump on a 97) will be the culprit. I mention TPS since a lot of failures have occurred recently and it's easy to test.

97k is low... nice find! I had to drive 2h to find my 95 with the AX15 (manual) and it had nearly 300k on the body and 150k on the engine.

It's possible the clutch is original and worn (due to age more than miles). It's not a technically difficult job to replace yourself, but it's time consuming and requires lots of jack stands and a transmission jack and a helper to do. If the fuel pressure is in spec and the TPS tests perfect then you might be in for a clutch replacement.

stanleyxj

ok thanks a lot Pat i guess I'm gonna go ahead and do my homework for now lol i will keep you posted how everything goes.

PatHenry

Anytime bro. Just remember you may be getting what you pay for with my advice.

If you're new to wrenching on your Jeep or wrenching in general, do yourself a favor and get a copy of the FSM (Factory Service Manual) for your year - it's packed with everything from diagnostic instructions to full steps for any job you'd do. It's what the dealer mechanics use for reference.
See cruiser's page - he might have a link for 97 - www.cruiser54.com Lots of info there, but it's best for older Jeep owners (Renix, so 90 and older). Much will apply to later years.

You can get a fuel pressure gauge from a local parts store as a rental (free but you leave a deposit) or Harbor Freight sells one for $20 (find a 20% off coupon before going to the store.)

I bought the HF one since $20 is cheap enough to be worth saving the trips to the parts store.

gat

You could clean the throttle body. Worse case is that a little maintenance was done. The fuel filter for a 1992 & 1988 Cherokee are external around the frame on the driver's side just ahead of the tank. On my 2001 Wrangler it is a part of the pump in the tank assembly. I'm not sure how yours is. You can try your local lib. for vehicle specific information usually via a Chilton's book or a database.

Tom Jackowski Jr.

I have this exact same problem with mine that I've been chasing down for awhile now. Haven't been able to solve it yet. I've got new plugs, new wires, new distributor cap and rotor, new temp sensors, cleaned the throttle body and IAC, new fuel injectors, and still chokes on acceleration sometimes. Just like you, when it happens I can give it more gas and it revs up and goes back to normal. I haven't checked my fuel pressure yet, but the fuel pump is pretty new, so unless it's a bad unit, I don't think it's that.

gat

I bought my 1992 from a mechanic. One day I couldn't make the Jeep up a hill. I discovered that it was the rubber tube in the tank not properly fitted to the fuel pump that he replaced. Some fuel would go into the system some would just splash around in the tank. Of course I had already purchased a new pump on-line...

gat

To original poster, since you replaced the spark plugs and wires, then you can replace the cap and rotor for the distributor. They don't cost much and like plugs and wires are maintenance parts. That would be a complete maintenance update on the spark side. You have replaced the air filter on the intake side. If you ensure that you don't have a leak and the throttle body functions easily and cleanly, then that eliminates air intake. Then back end of things are compression in the block and exhaust not hampering the output of the engine. That and anything else on the front end are not normal maintenance things.