Random rough running... What is going on?

[ABN146]

Once in a while when I drive my 97 XJ I'll stop at the store or something and then come back to start it up it will run like crap like it is about to die. I hit the gas thinking this will get it going but it does nothing as if the gas system is not working. I then turn it off and start it up again and it acts as if nothing ever happened and runs fine.

Anyone know why this would happen?

 

[Beached Bones]

Sounds similar to problem I had on my older jeep, check wireing to the fuel pump ballast resistor in the engine compartment, and also ground wire in the panel behind the stock tire carrier location.

 

[Fish'nCarz]

Does it sound like this?

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74132&highlight=3+misfire

 

[Gnat5680]

i have the same problem. how much does it cost to replace the cap and wires and all that good stuff??

 

[HeightsHoustonXJ]

Does it blow black smoke when it happens? Might be a bit of a long shot, but my 97 XJ was doing the exact same thing last winter. At about the same time I noticed the temp guage was acting funny and would somtimes sit below 100 which I knew wasn't possible, but since it was winter and it showed no signs of overheating issues I chalked it up to usual XJ gauges issues. After about a week of this I correlated the two; when it ran like crap after starting it when it was warm, the temp gauge also wasn't working.

I replaced the temp sensor that sits on the thermo and the issue went away. The sensor must have also been telling the computer that the engine wasn't warmed up which was causing it to run like crap for the first few minutes.

 

[POSXJGuy]

have you cleaned out your fuel system at all? maybe replace fuel filter and check the intake air filter for crud?