When we first bought this 1988 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer, we really couldn't heard how loud the whine was because there was no exhaust on the car at all.

There was a whine, spinning type sound that I thought was the transmission, but it can't be as it makes the noise when you first turn the key (without turning over the engine) for a couple seconds and then stops.

When I turn the car over, the noise is constant - doesn't related to gears and though it seemed to be coming from the back axle, when I got under the car tonight it is coming from the gas tank.

A little logic and searching leads me to think it is a fuel filter.

Any ideas of how to check if this is the case before I go getting it replaced? Just dropped $950 in repairs on it and not ready to drop some more just yet.

Doesn't seem to affect the performance of the car for it drives just fine, no sputter, idles perfect, accelerates nicely.

Any ideas, advice, appreciated.

Morph

 

search. Its the fuel pump priming, mine does it everyday, since I owned it, 4 years ago.

 

Mine also makes a noise. It drives fine and I have no money to take care of it, so I leave it alone. It's made that noise for as long as I can remember.

 

It may be just another annoying sound, but if it isn't causing a problem, which it isn't, I think I'll just leave it until my son decided he'd like to pony up the money to get it fixed.

Appreciate the replies!

 

My 92 makes the same whine. Just figured it was a loud fuel pump. Never noticed any problems with fuel delivery yet.

 

That's your fuel pump priming and being on while the engines running. There is nothing wrong with it being noisy, some replacement pumps are louder than others. Maybe the previous owner put a new one in.

Also if you were wanting to do the fuel pump they are cheap and easy.

Jack up the rear of the body and let the Axel lower while you Jack it up, then twist the lockring in the fuel pump assembly and pull the entire unit out as one.

 

Thanks everyone! I think I'm gonna let this one just whine away for the time being - doesn't seem to be hurting anything.

I'm new here, but this is certainly an active forum!

Perhaps when we get good enough at fixing this thing up and discovering more about Cherokees, I can start answering other people's questions.

Cheers!
Morph

 

Probably wouldn't hurt to change the fuel filter tho it possibly clogged and making the pump work harder, filter should be up on the driver side frame rail close to the shock. There like 10 bucks easy cheap insurance to keep the pump going strong

 

Never a bad idea to change the fuel filter if ou have no clue when it was ever done.