is this normal? why do my RPM's never go above 3000?

 

Under what conditions?
We need more info than what you have "provided".

 

what other info do you want? does this help? when i go up a steep hill going about 80km/h in maybe 4th gear th rpms sit at about 2800. I thought they should go higher when the engine works hard like that. And i've seen videos where people rev their jeeps (XJ's) and the rpms go up to 5k.

 

Did someone tie a block of wood under the accelerator?

 

I would say it is not normal.

You say "never"

On flat ground, with WOT, your Jeep should change gears at the redline (in an auto, but you dont say whether you have auto or manual)

I must assume you have manual, as you say " a steep hill in 4th". An auto would change down gears

..but you dont say how "steep" your gradient is...a very steep gradient may hold any engine to 2800rpm

What happens when you free rev it in neutral ?

 

its a 99 XJ with the auto transmission. idk if it shifts up or down all i know is if i rev it in park, go up a hill, floor it at a light, drive casually, off road I never see the rpm gauge go over 3000rpms. so if it should be shifting at redline then I obviously have an issue. do you know what it might be?

 

First thing I would do is make sure the tach is working properly. Check it against your scan tool.

 

sorry, whats the tach?

 

the tachometer, the gauge that shows your RPM. Try keeping it in park and mash the gas pedal. It should allow you to rev the engine then.
Keeping your RPM's under 3k is normal. if you aren't losing speed, or mashing the gas pedal, then you are fine. The 4.0L engine is not a high performance engine. In stock form it's just not going to handle high RPM's well. I run my jeep hard and 3k feels hard on it. I've had mine at 4k only a few times, and that's hard pushing it. The automatic transmission is going to shift to keep it in the lower RPM range unless you are driving it really hard, and even then you are going to be at the mercy of the automatic. Also, 4th is your cruising gear (and final gear). you can try to get it to shift down on a hill by flooring it

 

ok thanks. this helps alot.

 

The 4.0 runs to 4800 RPM easily and regularly. That's where the vehicle shifts up in a wide open throttle situation. Factory set that way.

 

Unless the throttle position sensor is bad...

 

true.

 

Not trying to be a dick, but 3k RPM is hardly pushing it. It does perfectly fine at WOT right up to 4,800. Would I run it there all day? No, of course not.

 

ok so if my rpms should be shifting close to redline but instead are around 2500-3000rpm then something must be off. what can I change? does the throttle position sensor have anything to do with the rpms?