Hi there!

I'm Ted from California, I have a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 147,000 miles, inline 6, I have a few concerns about the vehicle. Truck runs well, acceleration is excellent EXCEPT for when she stalls!!!

1) The truck stalls out while driving on streets, at stop signs, out of the blue, after running excellent. it will stall out, I have to usually wait a minute or two, and starts right up. I have to wait out that minute because if I attempt to restart it just keeps choking and nothing happens.

2) I use premium gas, don't drive it hard, get regular maintenance (oil change, tune up, etc)

3) A few neighbors have told me it might be the fuel pump?

Any suggestions are of great help to me and my wife, as we want to target the problem before being gouged at an auto repair shop just to diagnose. This is my first Jeep, and I love it, also my first truck. Its a great truck and we want to target these problems.

- Ted

Hi Ted, and welcome.
There is a lot of info on this subject available in different threads, so it might be helpful to do a search.
But there are a few common culprits causing random stalling with 4.0's. IIMO, one that is on top of the list is the CPS. If its not been replaced (I dont know if you are the first owner of the vehicle or not), now would be a good time.
When was last tune up done? If unknown, get it done and off the to-do-list
Like I said, there are a few common causes and step by step we'll get there. If you post a question like this, you will get a whoooole lot of ideas of what it can be and before you know it, you will have replaced everything, twice.
Let us know how you go.

I went through all this myself on a 96 XJ - in the last month. My bottom line - faulty electrical connections in the PCM. My diagnostics were to start it in park and wiggle the three wiring plugs on the PCM. I got a stutter and sometimes it would die. I was concerned about me cracking open the PCM and doing the soldering, but it was no big deal. I resorted to this after I replaced the crankshaft sensor, throttle position sensor, intake air controller, a cracked ignition coil and removed and cleaned the throttle body and MAP sensor. It has been a week and so far no more problems. I used a $5 solder iron, plumbing flux and thin diameter solder. I wish I had not been so concerned about my ability to break into and repair the PCM.

The biggest thing about soldering electronics is to beware of the heat. You have to use enough heat to make a good solder joint without destroying the circuit elements. Soldering the terminal strip is not a problem, but be careful when replacing capacitors.

Some of the new lead-free solders tend to crack over time or grow "tin whiskers". It seems Jeep has a problem with cracking at the plug-in terminal strips. Fixing it is a lot more economical than replacing it.

Look for a professional diagnostic specialist with an ASE certification in electrical and engine performance. That way you won't end up getting a parts changer. A parts changer will not be able to explain the following.
Long and short term fuel trims
5 volt reference
voltage drop tests
suspicious bad grounds
Misfire and rick/lean conditions