I have a 89 Jeep Cherokee with the 4.0 Inline 6, the other day I was leaving a parking lot after driving the jeep all day with no issues it randomly dies in the middle of the street when I hit the gas to leave the parking lot. The Jeep restarted and would idle i put it back into drive and hit the gas again it would just died right out. It would restart right back up and idle you could rev it up as well and wouldn't die, I tried putting it in reverse to see what would happen and it didn't die out when you hit the gas but as soon as you put it in drive and hit the gas it would just cut right out. Any ideas on why it's doing this?

 

Has there been any work done on the vehicle lately (within the last year)? Particularly anything that would have required the engine and transmission to have been separated?

With a helper at the controls, have them keep a foot on the brake and shift into drive. While you observe (from the engine compartment) if there appears to be any movement where the motor is mated/connected to the transmission bell housing (there should be no movement between the 2 - as they are tightly connected). Do the same in reverse.

 

I got the xj like 2 months ago, I don't know what the other guy did, the work I have done to it since I have owned it, here's the list of what I have done, water pump, alternator, thermostat, tune up, rear end yoke and seal. I will check it out and see if there's movement.