so i bought my 2001 jeep a few months ago. started to realize this problem about 2 weeks ago.... whenever i run my jeep for over 15 minutes and then turn it off and try to start it again i get an intense rumbling noise and vibration. I recently got a check engine light that is reading cylinder 3 misfire. Today after driving around the neighborhood i attempted to start my jeep again. It idled for a few seconds extremely rough and then stalled. did this 3 times. i then let it cool down for 20 minutes with the hood open and it started normally. I know there was a problem with this on these cars and it seems whoever owned the car previously put some heat shield around the injectors. what should be my next course of action? the heat shield looks weathered and beat up. what should i do?

 

Not sure if the newer style have the same issue, but my 95 used to do something similar and it was the crank position sensor. It's a sensor on the top of the bell housing that detects top dead center. You can get the part online, I changed mine with two sets of ratchet knuckles and a lot of cursing.

 

Had a very similar issue with my 97 xj. Mine was also the crank position sensor ( CPS). On mine the plugs are attached to the fuel rail brackets towards the very back of the intake manifold. The wires will lead down the back of the engine. The sensor is located on the top driver side of the bell housing. Its kind of a s.o.b. to change. I used a 1/4inch ratchet and a deep socket. Oriellys.. around $70 if i remember right.