OnAll4s

M thinking fuel filter/pump.

At highway speeds with my foot barely on the throttle. The engine kicks, like a hard jerk every second or so. Started noticing it going uphill. Not it's up or down. If I throw my foot down on the gas the tranny bumps down and RPMs go up and I accelerate with what seems to be no issues. Engine has just over 2k on rebuild.

Only other problem I thought this could be was the distributor. I have a ticking coming from it and there were a few shavings in it after about 500 miles. However I just checked again and no shavings this time. There seems to be a small bit of side to side play on the dist shaft.

Could be dist not making good contact or fuel pump issue. Anyone have any ideas besides replacing both assemblies...

BRN2KL

If you are not getting hesitation through out the RPM range, my vote is fuel filter or pump. Changed the filter on my first Xj and it was like adding a turbo the thing was so stopped up. Try the filter and see what happens. Most Jarheads can have a new one installed in 20 minutes or less. LOL

OnAll4s

Not this one! Plus my filter is internal.... Should I just buy the strainer and try just changing that first?

spdyracer

hows the plugs? when i got my cherokee the plugs where completely worn and did something similar to what you describe.

OnAll4s

Just double checked. Only happens above 55mph. Only when just cruising. If I kick down a gear then it's good.

OnAll4s

Plugs, cap, wires, rotor button and coil were all replaced less than 3k ago when engine was rebuilt

The Black

Mine had some problems similar to yours. Mine was fuel filter. It was stopped up pretty good. It started acting up on me on a 1500 mile odyssey. I figured out towards to end that it would run better if I had a full tank of gas. I guess there was more pressue to push the gas through the filter. Is yours auto or standard?

OnAll4s

wandering if i should just replace the strainer since everything is inside the fuel tank.... remember i have a ZJ

The Black

How many miles on the fuel filter?

OnAll4s

Pump module was replaced by dealer in 09 so 20k miles. There is no filter, it's a strainer it's not an in-line filter.

The Black

Ok, 20k is not a lot compared to mine at 170,000 something. Mine was all in the fuel tank. So no online on mine either. Hmmm....

OnAll4s

Anyone else just replaced the strainer before?

Lutherie

I had a very similar problem in my 91, and I couldn't figure out what was the problem. Very high idling, jerking when shifting, loss of power uphill, ect. I took it to a shop and they couldn't figure it out either, so I just started pulling that shiznit apart. I checked my codes and it read my Coolant Temp. Sensor was bad. $25 and a wrench replacement, some new coolant, and it ran right as rain ever since. Check that out and see how it looks and maybe it'll be your fix too.

OnAll4s

Really? Cause I know I need to the the VIC repair. My VIC is always going off saying "coolant sensor bad" even though I have already replaced it.

I just don't see how the VIC could cause engine problems.......??