So I changed my oil pan gasket and oil pan along with my RMS today. In doing so I loosened my starter to get some more room to get the pan out. I unplugged the negative cable on the battery while I was working mainly because I was going to remove the starter but loosening it was enough. So I just left it unhooked for the approx 10 hours it took to get this done along with a couple other things I was fixing on it unrelated to the oil pan. Here's where I'm baffled. First off, everything seems fine now but after I had everything back together and was getting ready to start it up, it gave me trouble starting. Had to turn it over a few times to get it going. Oil pressure seemed fine and no leaks that I saw. Let it idle for a couple minutes and gave it a little gas and then it died. Odd...so I tried starting it again and nothing. Gave it some gas while starting and it fired up. Went through the process of trying to give it gas and it during a couple times before I just let it idle for about 10 minutes. Took it for a drive down the driveway which is about a quarter mile and it died again at the end of the driveway. Started it again and went to the end of the road which was about a half mile and whatdoyaknow? It stayed running and ran all the way back to my house which is about a half hour away. So what in the world would have cause that? Once I got home I shut it off and started it again and revved it a little and everything was fine. So I guess something needed to get reacquainted after having the battery unhooked for that amount of time? Or is something else going on?

**Edit** Also I switched to Rotella T5 10W-30 after changing the oil pan. Never ran it in it until now. Before I have been running Pennzoil High Mileage synthetic blend in 10W-30.

 

Sounds like the PCM went brain dead and needed to get back on its feet. What you experienced is a little odd though in that it kept crapping out on you. It usually will just need to relearn the IAC setting, which doesn't take that long.


When's the last time you cleaned your IAC?

 

Never. I'll take it out and have a look see. No codes were thrown so far.

 

A filthy IAC pintle and bore in the TB won't throw a code, as long as the IAC motor is responding to the PCM signals.


Recommend removing the TB from the intake, remove all sensors, then clean out the TB. Be careful when cleaning the IAC pintle. Use a tooth brush and TB cleaner to clean it, making sure you don't jack the pintle around. Be careful removing the MAP sensor rubber vacuum elbow.


Install a new TB gasket. Felpro, from most auto parts stores.

 

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/tb...eaning-179079/

 

Excellent.


Even has a few pics of the devil dog (LOL).

 

Sweet thanks. I'll add this to my list of pre-winter services to get done. Steadily knocking them out before winter gets here.