any cherokee mechanics in here? more tech than appearance :p
 

I figure since the jeep forums are pretty much dead...I'd post here in the blackhole of the internet and see if I get any help.

anyway, the truck is a beater 96 (build date 11-95) cherokee w/2.5 (4banger), stick, 2wd. thing has been through the ringer before I got it.

it runs but it runs really rich. to the point that it puts soot down on the grass if you rev it a little. it was also running rough as hell and idling somewhat high and the temp idiot light was on.

I read through the FSM for 97 models that's posted here:
http://www.greatlakesxj.com/tech.html

and the coolant temperature sensor feeds the ecu and in turn the ecu feeds this light.

today I checked the plugs before swapping the coolant sensor (to see if maybe one of the injectors was stuck open giving a different reading on one of the plugs) all the plugs were pitch black from being run rich, all looked the same.

I swapped the coolant temperature sensor and cranked it up and the idiot light was off. the truck was putting out a good bit of black smoke but idling much better and lower and then went through the closed loop conversion process according to the FSM which it never had before which included cycling the a/c compressor a couple of times. I took it around the block and its no longer hesitating in gear. once I got back it just sat and purred like a kitten but it still smelled like gas.

there has been no check engine light on ever. the temperature idiot light came back on. it still smells like gas. could this be an injector problem or possibly a fuel pressure regulator problem?

thoughts?

Re: any cherokee mechanics in here? more tech than appearance :p
 

Regulator, or weak spark