4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/Stalling

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Expert: - 5/16/2005


Question
I have a 1990 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer. I gave someone a jump start a few weeks ago and now it just cuts out when the temperature goes over 100 degrees celcius and will not restrat until i cools down to almost 0. Also the auxillary fan does not come on. I have relplaced the thermostate, the ingnition coil and the rotor.I was told that there was a computer part that may be bad that sits under the distributor, but there doesn't seem to be one. Help me if you can.

Chuck

Answer
Chuck,

There is a good chance that you burned out  an electronic component when you jumped the other vehicle.  

When you do give another vehicle a jump, you need to make sure that someone stands by the cables, and disconnects the ground cable as soon as the other vehicle starts.  In reality, it is not a good idea to jump cars.  With the newer cars, the electronics are fairly sensitive to voltage jumps, and when the dead vehicle starts, the voltage can surge high enough to affect your car.

It sounds like the problem is in one of the temperature sensors, and not in the distributer.

I would take the Jeep to a reputable automotive electrical shop, and have them check it out, and see what sensor may have burned out.

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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