I've searched and searched for similar problems, but everyone I find that has a similar issue, has something other than a WJ.


I just picked up an unbelievably clean 02 limited with 4.7 HO quadra drive w/ tow package. Which has an odd problem, one which unfortunately didn't show itself until after I bought it... of course..


So anyways, what I'm experiencing is an odd stutter/shuttering/jerking when my jeep shifts (up or down) around the 40-60ish range(I don't think I have noticed it at other speeds, but I wouldn't say it's not possible.).

It happens most often when going up a hill, typically a harder jerk with steeper grades, but it depends.

It seems it can happen if it needs to kick down a gear to get up a hill, but also half way up a small hill when it downshifts for overdrive.

I can make it happen on flat ground sometimes if I let it coast and have the engine at idle from about 50 and then blip the throttle.

It feels like it's coming from the transmission area, but hard to tell. Sometimes it is more like a hard single jerk/clunk, sometimes it is a few softer shutters in succession.

Sometimes it's a few hard ones in succession.. Depends on the grade and how I use the throttle.


I've read possibilities may be


1. TV cable - This sounds more like an issue with ZJ's for this to cause these kind of things. Is this also a WJ thing that could cause this? I read it controls how hard or soft the shifts are... shifts seem good besides this jerk, but maybe it's set too soft??


2. Slip yoke spline needs grease - I pulled it off and greased it up really good - to no avail, didn't seem to do anything for this issue.


3. Transmission mount - Typically when I've had a bad tranny mount it always shakes and is very noticeable. I can see maybe though the transmission gets just the right torque at that shift and it bangs against somethings else since the mount isn't stopping it?


4. Misfire - I really don't think the engine is misfiring, and it really feels like more of a transmission thing.

It doesn't seem to do it ever outside of that range of speeds.


5. ???


I also have an issue with groaning turning sharp left at low speeds... I changed TC fluid to Mopar, seemed to help a little, but still does it from time to time. Also the tires squeal a little when making this sharp turns, almost like it's sending power to the front when it doesn't need it. Will be changing diff fluid and adding Mopar additive next week. Could TC or diffs cause something like this if improper fluid in them?


Sorry if that was a little wordy, I just wanted to try to give the fullest description possible since most of these posts about similar problems are not very detailed.


Thanks in advance for the help!

 

I am having the same exact issue with my XJ, it started the other day, and seems to becoming more frequent. Mine is shifting perfectly thru the gears to get to highway speeds, but seems to happen during the exact same scenarios as you described.

I've done some research, and some people are saying it's the Throttle Position Sensor, but i'm a little weary about dropping $80 for one until I test it. It also seems for most that the TPS will be more of a culprit for long-shifting or high-revs to get the jeep moving and/or into the next gear, but who knows, maybe the sensor is malfunctioning at the position where I keep the throttle at most, which is roughly at 2-3k rpms at highway speeds (I do mostly highway driving). Another thing i'm going to check is the Throttle Valve cable, or TV valve for short. Bleepin Jeep has a video on it and it seems super easy to re-calibrate it, so i'm going to start cheap and try these things first.

If it is the sensor, get mopar. they cost way more than the cheap aftermarket sensors ($15 vs $80 for TPS), but apparently the PCM in these jeeps only really like OEM sensors. I do wonder if this is why i'm having this issue, since the TPS was changed out on mine for a cheap auto-zone one about 3 years ago. I also noticed that before the bucking, when I would cold-start the jeep it seemed like the RPMs were fluctuating at idle, so it could be, and I hope (instead of transmission failure) the TPS, or even better, just calibrating the TV cable.

here's the TV cable adjustment video:

 

So I resolved the issue after digging thru some older threads. A handful of people mentioned to check the wiring harness by the injector rail, and sure enough, my harness was sagging, and a small portion of the factory protection tubing spread open and exposed some wires, causing the signal wire to the MAP sensor to rub on the block or manifold, which in turn wore it down to the bare wire and was shorting to ground, causing the bucking issue. I would 100% check this first before dropping $$ on a new sensor. I bench tested mine and it was fine, you should do the same, and if tests OK, then you have a short to ground on your harness.