alright. I've had this problem since I got my 1998 xj se. (4.0l, auto np231 blah blah)

so the problem is when I start the rig, she'll run for about one second then die. then not start unless I give it some gass. if I let off the gas she dies.

if I keep it running till it warms up it'll stay running.

here's the weird part. it only does it when cold. and it's intermitent at best. most of the time. no problem. but about once or twice a week, she'll give me trouble.

the issue sounds similar to ballast resistor problems, but as I understand the 1990 + don't have em.

no CEL.

so WTF

Any suggestions??

 

Definitely no ballast resistor on yours.

Load test your battery. Not as strange as you might think. A marginal battery can create stalling. And as the engine runs, it charges up the battery enough so that it keeps the engine management system happy and the stalling symptom goes away.

Any parts store will load test your battery for you for no charge.

If battery checks out, I think you may have a marginal engine management sensor. And the one I would suspect most is the "throttle position sensor".

Having to tip in the throttle to keep it running is one symptom of a flaky TPS.

 

had the batery load tested, it checks out. alternators a-ok. thanks for the input. I'll look into the tps.

 

I had this happen to me once when I was away from home, scared me alot. I figured it had to be the battery, as when it ran, the turn signals wouldn't work and the radio wouldn't work. It was all better after I cleaned the battery terminals.

 

batery terms are good. I was begining to spaz out thinking it was the CPS, but after some research I determined that was not the problem. hopefully replacing the TPS will do the trick.