Can’t Keep My Jeep Running...

Hey folks i need some help please. I have a 81 cj5, 4 cyl iron duke motor with original 2 bl carter carb. I can’t keep it running.

At first i thought i had a fuel prob. Checked the carb, new fuel filter, lines etc. All good.

When i drive it, it sputters a little and just shuts down. Ahhhhh! It takes a little to get it started again. Sometimes it has to sit for a while before it will start again.

It will idle for a good while, but the shutting down while driving is not only aggravating, but kinda scary.

i have a new mech fuel pump, new weber carb too. Got these for upgrades... fuel prob etc.

What else can i check? Ignition prob? I’m not sure what else to do. Never had a jeep do this before. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Your profile photo clearly shows why you are having trouble.

 

Fuel tank not venting? Try driving with the cap loose.

"has to sit for a while?" Carb flooding?

BTW - I strongly feel that "new" parts are no guarantee of function, and indeed are often the proximate cause of problems.

 

What was the last thing you did to the Jeep?

 

Only while driving or while sitting as well?

 

What type of ignition are you running? How old are the parts?

Could be bad points, coil or condenser if it is just randomly shutting off.

 

I'll try to answer all the questions from above....
-fuel tank not venting... haven't tried that yet.
-last thing i did? Added gas and made sure I had a full tank. Changed out the fuel filter. Checked the carb... the float was stuck. It's ok now. Fuel going to carb... checked and yes. New battery and ground cable.
-it shuts down when driving only; at higher speeds. Idle is ok; kinda rough. When it does shut down sometimes it will start right up again. Other times it has to sit.
-ignition is stock. Looked the system over and appeared to be ok. But yes they do have some age to them.

The new parts I have (tank, sending unit, weber carb) I got from a friend... good prices. The carb I esp wanted as the existing carb is original... was thinking it was prob wore out.

Thanks to everyone for helping... just kinda confused on what else to do. Don't like driving at 35+ then all of a sudden..... it dies.

 

"Your profile photo clearly shows why you are having trouble."

 

How long have you owned it? Did you ever have it running properly, and if so, when did it start running poorly?

you mentioned the last thing you did was fill the fuel tank. If it was running fine beforehand, i would drain the tank and try some new fuel from a different gas station.

 

I had long ago a problem like this.
Some experts on the forum suggest to clean the carburetor with details, and I found the dirt as explained.
That was not so obvious.
It was years ago and my Jeep turns perfectly since this time.
These Jeep are not too complex and when something works bad there is a solution. You'll find it...

 

Suggestive of restricted fuel supply, or inadequate delivery.

Check at the carb end of fuel line for BOTH (a) pressure, AND (b) volume, to factory FSM spec.

Possibly, is your carb float still tending to stick shut?

 

How old is the fuel pump? If you see what looks to be like black sand in your fuel filter that would be a sign of the diaphragm deteriorating. I had this happen to me and gave symptoms like you are experiencing.

 

He said the fuel pump is new. Not that that proves it is good.

 

What codes? It has a carburetor. Noted in 1st post.

 

Yep he did. Brain must have figured I didn't need to retain that when thinking what it could be.

 

Latest update.... replaced the distributor as I didn't have any power coming out...found this after the last time it "died". Got it running again and lost fuel to the carb... again. Next I'm gonna replace the fuel pump and put on the new weber carb. I'm just thinking the old carb still has problems.

It ran ok when I first bought it, but it kinda had a tendency to sputter and die at 35+ mph. Of course before I bought it got the "oh yeah runs and drives great". It did for the test drive, but not longer after...

I have a new tank, fuel lines and sending unit too. May go there next if this doesn't work.

 

Had the same "runs and drives" given to me. It would run and drive but would cut out sometimes while accelerating but would recover when I let up and had a rough idle.

It seemed to me to be more accelerator pump related but since the Jeep was new to me I rebuilt the carb and all new parts for ignition: points, condenser, wires, plugs, distributor cap and coil. I found the vacuum line to the distributor to be connected wrong and I put a timing light to it, which proved to be way off, probably because of the vac being full all the time and not carb regulated. I can't say that will fix your problems, but electrical can cause all kinds of gremlins with loose or corroded wiring. Condensers can be bad brand new out of the box with today's quality. Just one more thing to add to your list of possibilities. Sounds like you have to work one at a time and see if it fixes it, if not, move to the next. Keep posting your results someone will have a similar experience.