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My first breakdown in the Jeep

MrSimon

MrSimon

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Downingtown, PA
I was headed down to Maryland this morning to pick up some 33s and skid plates, when 20 minutes down the highway the truck just kind of quit. The engine was still running and it would rev up nicely in neutral, but when in gear it would bog down like crazy and just barely go ... even if I gave it a lot of gas.

I got off the highway and started limping home. It was so bad that on some of the hills, I had to put it in 4Low and idle up the hill. It was also suging a lot.

I pulled over and thought about it for a while. The engine was fine and the fuel was fine, so I figured maybe the tranny was taking a dump. After it cooled a bit, it ran a bit better and I was able to get to the Autozone.

Joey came out and looked it over for me. He is pretty sure its just low on tranny fluid. I changed the radiator last weekend and maybe I lost some fluid during the change.

I'm gonna do a filter and fluid change tonight, but any ideas what else this could be?
 
Strange symptoms, due for a tune up at least? Maybe bad gas?

unless it was something electronic within the trans, it doesn't seem like something that would happen on low fluid or anything like that. Its an AW4 according to the sig, but my guess it would be slipping, and you would feel that if it was the trans...
 
Let me know how you do tomorrow. Sounds like the trans may be light in fluid..but u never know..Could be something with spark, fuel delivery..but when you cranked it over, sounded totally fine. I have an AW4 so u let me know..trade a case of Sam Adams Octoberfest for it..haha
 
Did you do the trans fluid change? Any difference? Did you put a new window sticker on too?
 
When it starts doin it pull it over and turn it off then prime the fuel system a couple of times to check for fuel pump just in case. ;)
 
If it revs fine in N, and only has issues when in gear, Ide suspect tranny issues too. Im not sure that fluid would do it. I would think that would cause slipping and surging. But a faulty torque converter or messed up "lock up" could do that. I guess low fluid could keep it from shifting back down into the lower gears...

Interested to hear what you find with the test drive...

J.
 
I am interested to know if you need a new trans..you know...S.A. Octoberfest...hahahaha :greensmok
 
MrSimon said:
Window sticker?
Click to expand...

You know...everything runs better with a new window sticker!! Just slap a Quadratec sticker on the window...Should solve the problem in a flash..
 
Joev said:
You know...everything runs better with a new window sticker!! Just slap a Quadratec sticker on the window...Should solve the problem in a flash..
Click to expand...

LoL! I do like stickers ... but I already have a Q-tec sticker. Maybe that was my problem ..... I guess I need more NAXJA stickers!

I was lazy last night and played on-line video games instead of taking a test drive. Maybe tonight!

If I can't get it in ship shape before October .... I'll just have to buy Justin's XJ and take that.
 
Good plan Jordan. Let us know how it goes..

JEG, you are in for Rocktober right? WORD
 
Not sure if this will help but on my old chevy malibu (wifes old car) i was driving it and same thing seemes to have happened.. i thought it was the tranny and i limped it home with next to no power. My buddy came over with his computer and we found out the cat converter was clogged. We unhooked the vent for it and it drove fine to the muffler shop (aside from being noisy). Got it replaced and problem was fixed. I am not sure if the XJ would have same issue as this car but thought I would throw it out there in case the other suggestions didnt turn out anything and its easy and fast to check.
 
"My First breakdown in the jeep"

My first thought was.... haha he hasnt owned it long then!
 
XJ4Christ said:
Not sure if this will help but on my old chevy malibu (wifes old car) i was driving it and same thing seemes to have happened.. i thought it was the tranny and i limped it home with next to no power. My buddy came over with his computer and we found out the cat converter was clogged. We unhooked the vent for it and it drove fine to the muffler shop (aside from being noisy). Got it replaced and problem was fixed. I am not sure if the XJ would have same issue as this car but thought I would throw it out there in case the other suggestions didnt turn out anything and its easy and fast to check.
Click to expand...

I thought about that too, but I wouldn't think it would rev up nicely in neutral if there was an exhaust issue. But, if the tranny fluid/filter change doesn't do the trick, I'll look into this. Thanks.
 
MrSimon said:
I thought about that too, but I wouldn't think it would rev up nicely in neutral if there was an exhaust issue. But, if the tranny fluid/filter change doesn't do the trick, I'll look into this. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I don't know - wouldn't it rev easier in neutral due to less load on it (meaning less throttle required, and thus less exhaust trying to flow through)?

Just for the sake of thoroughness, how old are the cat and O2 sensor, and how's the gas mileage been of late?
 
Rob Mayercik said:
I don't know - wouldn't it rev easier in neutral due to less load on it (meaning less throttle required, and thus less exhaust trying to flow through)?

Just for the sake of thoroughness, how old are the cat and O2 sensor, and how's the gas mileage been of late?
Click to expand...

Gas mileage sucks ... maybe 14 at best, buts its been that way since I got it - which wasn't all that long ago.

I don't know about the cat and the O2 sensor. I do know that the cage on the bottom of the Cat is all but gone .... is that a sign that its pretty old?

Oh, and this is weird. When I shut it off the other day in the garage, I heard some noise coming out of what sounded like the Cat or the muffler. I didn't think anything of it cause the truck was off .... but odd nonetheless.

All good insights. Thanks.

Oh, and I didn't get to it last night ... I spent the evening changing diapers, cleaning up spit-up, and watching a video about Elmo learning to use the potty.

Maybe tonight .... after I take the kids to the park, eat dinner, mow the grass, take out the trash, blahblahblahblah ..... I should have gotten into Jeeps back in high school or college when I had lots of time and no responsibilites.
 
MrSimon said:
Oh, and I didn't get to it last night ... I spent the evening changing diapers, cleaning up spit-up, and watching a video about Elmo learning to use the potty.
Click to expand...

So are you potty trained now? :D

As far as your cat...is there anything rattling around inside? Does it get visibly hot?
 
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