Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives poltergeist in an 87 Cherokee Pioneer....?

I have an 87 Cherokee Pioneer, 5 speed, straight six, AC -- Several times a month it won't start. Starter cranks fine, engine won't fire. I haven't checked to see if there is a spark or not yet, but plan to. If you wait a while it will usually start, but not always.

Accidentally discovered a "fix" that will usually cure the no starting gremlin. If the AC is on, turn it off and retry, or if it is off, turn it on and retry. This will get it to start frequently on the first attempt, never past the 5th attempt. If I don't play with the AC swtich, it could go a LONG time before it will start, up to 30 minutes.

It also has started stalling when coming to a stop or sometimes when slowing down or making a slow turn at an intersection.

Often you can feel the stall coming, not always. It starts running really rough like only three cylinders are firing or that it is flooding....

Is this thing carbed or injected?

My former father in law had one that was doing the same thing we found out it was do to the Cat being pluged up with crap. What would happen is it O2 sensor would read wrong and it would gain to much back pressuer. So we hollowed out the cat (no enforcement here) and the jeep ran fine ever since

It is injected.

Worth checking on the converter. Thanks for the tip.

I had an old cherokee that would do the same thing. IIRC it was a sensor, but not the O2 sensor. I think it was something to do with the timing. All I remember for sure is that because of the sensor is was not sparking. I am not a car person as you can tell my shadetree days are long behind me. tom

I had a similar problem with my 94 XJ, it turned out to be the Crank postition sensor.

Wyoxj,
That's it could not remember the correct name.
tom