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Expert: - 7/7/2006


Question
i own a 1987 jeep cherokee pioneer 4x4. 6 cylinder. sometimes (not all the time) when i start my truck, it seems like its not idleing out right. its a little hard to explain. you know when you start it, it revs up, but sometimes that reving sound doesnt go back to normal, it will just stay reving up, if that makes sense. also, when im driving, and i hit a bump, sometimes the car will jump a couple times afterwards. one time it actually died. what could be causing these things to happen? any help you can give me would be wonderful. ive had a couple people look it about the ideling problem, but they dont now what it is. also, my rear windsheild wiper doesnt work. is this something cheap or easy to fix? i can here the motor turn on but the wiper doesnt actually do anything.

Answer
Tina,

The idling problem sounds like a vacuum leak.  You can look under the hood, and see if there are any loose or disconnected vacuum lines.  Another way to check for a vacuum leak, is to spray some carburetor cleaner lightly around the engine while it is running.  If you have a vacuum leak, many times this will cause the engine idle to change when you spray near the leak.  This is the most common cause of idle problems.
There are other components that can cause this, such as a throttle position sensor, idle speed motor to name a couple.

As far as the rear wiper goes, you need to go to the rear of the Jeep, with it turned on, and see if you can feel the wiper trying to turn.  If the wiper motor is running, and the blade isn't moving, there is a chance that the internal gear drive has broken.  If this is the case, the wiper motor would need to be replaced.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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