Engine idles, but backfires

Tiny
MHOBBY
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 JEEP CHEROKEE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 112,000 MILES
1997 Grand Cherokee with fuel problem. After warming up and on the road the engine will start to cut out. Sounds kinda like it's backfiring under the hood. I have changed the complete fuel pump module (twice), replaced the coil, rotor, regapped the plugs removed the fuel rail and drained and blown air through the fuel line. Nothing has helped. The only fault codes are for the secondary oxygen sensor. When the symptom occurs you can put the gas to the floor and it will shift down, take off and run good until I let off and then it starts to cut out. It does not start until operating temperature is reached. Also, when symptom starts it will not idle. Sometimes after a few minutes at idle it will clear up. I have inspected the fuel lines and there are no kinks or leaks. I also swapped the main fuel pump relay with the horn relay and nothing changed. Please help. Thanks!
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Hi mhobby,

I would suggest checking for vacumn leakages at intake hoses and manifold area. The idling system needs to be checked for fault.

The faulty O2 sensor can contribute to the problem.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MHOBBY
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  • 2 POSTS
Unplugged O2 sensor and problem went away. Knew sensor could effect mpg but did not know it could make a vehicle undriveable. Thanks!
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+1
Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STLHD2
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 137,000 MILES
Once in a while my Jeep will lag when I take off and backfire. I have good plugs, clean ir filter, just had an injector service a while ago. What do you think it is?
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Could be the following below

Dirty fuel injectors (cleaning the injectors often fixes this).
Bad MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor
Bad TPS (throttle position) sensor
Bad or dirty MAF (mass airflow) sensor
Low fuel pressure (leaky fuel pressure regulator or weak fuel pump)
Vacuum leaks (intake manifold, vacuum hoses, throttle body, EGR valve)
Bad gasoline (fuel contaminated with water or too much alcohol)

Sometimes, what feels like a hesitation is actually ignition misfire rather than lean misfire. The causes of ignition misfire may include:

Dirty or worn spark plugs
Bad plug wires
Weak ignition coil
Wet plug wires
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RICKUS1
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 187,000 MILES
My 96 jeep will backfire and sputter with no exceleration on pedal untill floored, or I can turn ignition off then back on and it runs normal for a little while, ive changed coil, pvc elbow, wires and plugs, distributer, and gas filter there is no cat converter
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Do you have a check engine light?

Check the fuel pressure with a gauge if its within specs-if okay

Could be caused by one of the following below

Oxygen sensor.
Catalytic converter.
Fuel injectors dirty/sticking.
Mass airflow sensor/Airflow meter.
Throttle position sensor.
Crankshaft position sensor
Knock sensor
Manifold absolute pressure sensor.
EGR Valve
Fuel pressure regulator leaking or defective fuel pump.
Fuel contamination.
Foul/defective spark plugs.
Open spark plug wires.
Ignition coil/Coil packs defective.
Incorrect ignition timing.
Cap and rotor.

Note:If it doesn't apply disregard it and keep testing.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RICKUS1
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thanks for helping no the check engine light only comes on when starting no cat converter or oxygn sensor, I took it to orilys and computer said oxygen sensor and had another person test it and his said throttle position sensor, new cap aand rotor I drove it from toledo to indy and no problems, new fuel filter, coil plugs and wires, pvc valve its bad now but befor I could turn it off and on while driving and it would work right, or when it starts acting up I can floor it and it runs, it was ideling fine but now it stalls sometime and backfires
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-2
Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JENOBANDITO
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 46,600 MILES
My RHD Jeep was imported from Japan. It had a rusty fuel tank, but still put new fuel pump/filter in. Had problems, so put on new fuel tank but used same fuel pump. Had difficult starting without cycling the key, but that problem worked out and vehicle starts fine. Now after several hours of running, it has started stalling and backfiring. Acts like fuel starvation. Mechanic said it sounds like vapor locking, but was not doing it the next day when it had not run for hours. The temperature was 70 degrees and I do not use ethanol. I cannot deal with this as a rural mail carrier and need some trouble shooting ideas for mechanic to try. Does it have to act up before he can diagnose?
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
Well in order to prove it to a repair shop, it has to act up. When they inspect it. But. I suspect a clogged catalytic converter. Also it could have something to do with fuel pressure, I have some directions for you to check fuel pressure, it pretty cut and dry. It should also determine if your fuel pressure regulator is faulty.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
https://www.2carpros.com/how_to/how_to_check_fuel_pressure.htm
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MONKLEE
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • JEEP CHEROKEE
I have a 1997 jeep grand cherokee. It is hard to start sometimes and when I get it started it will die on me even going down the road. Than sometimes it will backfire which then will blow my muffler open. I have had the downstream o2 sensor changed the ingnition coil, and computer changed in it and the check engine light still comes on the second day after I get it back from the shop. What else could be the problem?
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
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We need to have that check engine light code/s before we start diagnosis it sounds like a fuel related problem.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MONKLEE
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
When I took it to the auto store to have a check ran on it he said that it was the 02-1 senors 2 but I already had one of the o2 sensors changed, would a code show up saying fuel pump or something of that sort. How would I know?
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Lets slap a fuel pressure gauge on it and take the reading with and without the pressure regulator and report back with them readings.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LOTHIAS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 210,000 MILES
Replaced the cam sensor crank sensor TPS Map sensor fule pressure regulator and did a complete tuneup it sits at an idle perfectly but upon acceleration it sputters and backfires. Im out of ideas
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Could be a worn camshaft, low fuel pressure, check fuel pressure first. Have you read the codes yet?
Turn the key on. Off, on, off, on and read the flashes of the check engine light. Cod 23 would flash as 22 blinks, a very short pause and three blinks, if other codes are stord, the pause will be a bit longer between blinks, the last code will be 55 and is normal.
Post your findings.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LOTHIAS
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Got code 12
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-1
Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CHEROKEESPORT93
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1993 JEEP CHEROKEE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 180,000 MILES
Engine start and idles fine for a few minute idle drops and backfires out of the exhaust. Sometime stalls or clears out like nothing happen. Also happens as driving.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Have the fuel pressure, idle air control valve and throttle position sensor to include the oxygen sensor whether its switching.
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 1:12 PM (Merged)

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