97 Wrangler loss of power
 

I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
clock.

About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like when
the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.

Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is always
running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the case or if
this is somehow related to the lack of power.

Thanks in advance for any help
Keith

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

Did you or do you have a noisy exhaust? Sometimes a problem with the
catalytic converter will result in loss of power. If the substrate in the
converter breaks up, it will sometimes be noisy before it starts to "plug
up" the exhaust.

Spdloader



"Keith Orbell" <quite98@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sImdnXUMZO5ioyTeRVn-pw@wideopenwest.com...
>I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
>clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like
> when the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is
> always running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the
> case or if this is somehow related to the lack of power.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Keith
>
>
>
>

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

Did you or do you have a noisy exhaust? Sometimes a problem with the
catalytic converter will result in loss of power. If the substrate in the
converter breaks up, it will sometimes be noisy before it starts to "plug
up" the exhaust.

Spdloader



"Keith Orbell" <quite98@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sImdnXUMZO5ioyTeRVn-pw@wideopenwest.com...
>I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
>clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like
> when the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is
> always running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the
> case or if this is somehow related to the lack of power.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Keith
>
>
>
>

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

Did you or do you have a noisy exhaust? Sometimes a problem with the
catalytic converter will result in loss of power. If the substrate in the
converter breaks up, it will sometimes be noisy before it starts to "plug
up" the exhaust.

Spdloader



"Keith Orbell" <quite98@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sImdnXUMZO5ioyTeRVn-pw@wideopenwest.com...
>I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
>clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like
> when the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is
> always running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the
> case or if this is somehow related to the lack of power.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Keith
>
>
>
>

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

Keith Orbell did pass the time by typing:
> I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
> clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like when
> the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is always
> running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the case or if
> this is somehow related to the lack of power.

Sounds like a backpressure problem, plugged cat.

If you have a vac gauge, hook it to the intake and watch
what happens when you bring up the RPMs.

Bring the engine to 2500 rpm and check the manifold vacuum
for at least 15 seconds. If system vacuum is high and steady
then the exhaust system is probably ok. If the vacuum drops
it's probably a clogged cat.

Now if you replace the cat the question is what clogged it.
Usually that answer is the O2 sensor. The O2 sensor usually fails
slowly and as it does makes the mix richer.

An aftermarket high-flow cat should set you back about $100 with install
at a good local shop.

--
DougW

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

Keith Orbell did pass the time by typing:
> I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
> clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like when
> the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is always
> running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the case or if
> this is somehow related to the lack of power.

Sounds like a backpressure problem, plugged cat.

If you have a vac gauge, hook it to the intake and watch
what happens when you bring up the RPMs.

Bring the engine to 2500 rpm and check the manifold vacuum
for at least 15 seconds. If system vacuum is high and steady
then the exhaust system is probably ok. If the vacuum drops
it's probably a clogged cat.

Now if you replace the cat the question is what clogged it.
Usually that answer is the O2 sensor. The O2 sensor usually fails
slowly and as it does makes the mix richer.

An aftermarket high-flow cat should set you back about $100 with install
at a good local shop.

--
DougW

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

Keith Orbell did pass the time by typing:
> I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
> clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like when
> the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is always
> running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the case or if
> this is somehow related to the lack of power.

Sounds like a backpressure problem, plugged cat.

If you have a vac gauge, hook it to the intake and watch
what happens when you bring up the RPMs.

Bring the engine to 2500 rpm and check the manifold vacuum
for at least 15 seconds. If system vacuum is high and steady
then the exhaust system is probably ok. If the vacuum drops
it's probably a clogged cat.

Now if you replace the cat the question is what clogged it.
Usually that answer is the O2 sensor. The O2 sensor usually fails
slowly and as it does makes the mix richer.

An aftermarket high-flow cat should set you back about $100 with install
at a good local shop.

--
DougW

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

I like to look at the cheap stuff first. Inspect the distributor cap,
rotor, plugs, etc. Did you leave the emergency brake on? Spark plug wires
can fool you too. How many miles on them?

Earle

"Keith Orbell" <quite98@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sImdnXUMZO5ioyTeRVn-pw@wideopenwest.com...
> I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
> clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like
when
> the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is
always
> running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the case or if
> this is somehow related to the lack of power.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Keith
>
>
>
>

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

I like to look at the cheap stuff first. Inspect the distributor cap,
rotor, plugs, etc. Did you leave the emergency brake on? Spark plug wires
can fool you too. How many miles on them?

Earle

"Keith Orbell" <quite98@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sImdnXUMZO5ioyTeRVn-pw@wideopenwest.com...
> I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
> clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like
when
> the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is
always
> running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the case or if
> this is somehow related to the lack of power.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Keith
>
>
>
>

Re: 97 Wrangler loss of power
 

I like to look at the cheap stuff first. Inspect the distributor cap,
rotor, plugs, etc. Did you leave the emergency brake on? Spark plug wires
can fool you too. How many miles on them?

Earle

"Keith Orbell" <quite98@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sImdnXUMZO5ioyTeRVn-pw@wideopenwest.com...
> I have a 97 Wrangler, 4cyl with auto trans, no A/C, 130,000 miles on the
> clock.
>
> About a week ago the Jeep started to suffer from a lack of power: it will
> run and idle fine, but when moving up to freeway speeds (>50mph) it feels
> like it is struggling. There is no obvious misfire or hesitation in the
> engine - it just feels weaker than normal . Actually it's a little like
when
> the A/C is turned on a vehicle with a small capacity engine.
>
> Any ideas where to start looking? I noticed that the radiator fan is
always
> running (even at cold idle). I'm not sure if that should be the case or if
> this is somehow related to the lack of power.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Keith
>
>
>
>