My Cherokee is having a weird problem. Whenever I go offloading, after about 30 mins or so of bouncing around the engine starts to sputter and run really rough. It gets to the point where it has no power to move forward on its own power. Then the engine will die. I'm pretty sure it's a fuel delivery problem. Then after I wait for 5-10 minutes it starts right up and runs fine until it starts sputtering again. It's a 96 with the 4.0L.
So far I have cleaned the throttle body and the sensors in there and replaced the fuel filter because I thought all of the nasty stuff in the fuel filter would get jostled around and would block the line, then settle down after a few minutes. My next guess of what's causing this is the fuel pump. Do you guys think I'm on the right track or do you have any other suggestions?

 

When my 96 used to sputter and cut out, it would happen on-road, driving on an inclined road. I changed the spark plug wires and problem solved! So I'd start with a tune up

 

I think I'll start with that since its not a bad idea to do that anyways and it is going to be cheaper than the pump.

 

My 96 was the same way did a tune up and it was fine but yesterday it did it out of be blue again, seems it mostly happens on the 96's

 

1st thing you should check for codes. How's the temp when this is happening? Is the header heating your gas line up & boiling your gas?

 

Recently it hasn't thrown any codes. It did a month or so ago. I don't remember the code exactly, but I looked it up and said it was running lean. I cleaned the TB and checked for vacuum leaks, reset the code and it hasn't come back on since.

The temperature when it happens is a little bit warmer than usual, but the gauge reads it at 210, right on the middle line. Usually it is a little below that line (it has an after market aluminum radiator). If the header is boiling the gas, how can that be prevented from happening?

 

I was able to fix the problem. I first changed out the fuel pump relay. But that didn't do the trick. Then i decided to replace the fuel pump and that did the trick. I went and tested it and it ran great. It even likes to be in the higher rpms without feeling like it is struggling to get there.

 

You can always shoot for ghetto hood props for assisted heat dispersion