Engine sputters while driving

I have a 1998 Jeep Wrangler and sometimes while I am driving the jeep starts sputtering and it feels like it wants to stall. It hesitates just driving normally. What could this be??? It stops if I press the klutch in and out a couple of times for the most part. Do you think this is something simple to fix?? Any suggestions?

Is it the 4 cylinder or 6 ? Always start with the obvious, how long since you last changed the fuel filter and did a complete tuneup ?

Ooppss..sorry...I should have given more detail..I apologize. It's a 6 cyclinder. I just bought it and it has about 43500 miles on it. I haven't had a tune up done on it, I was just going to do it at 50000 miles but maybe I need to have it done sooner? I am taking it in next week, hopefully it is just the fuel filter. I just was hoping for some kind of idea before I bring it in becasue I seem to have bad luck with mechanics mainly because I don't really know much on cars. So I wanted to maybe have some idea what it could be before bringing it in.

Windy's right...tune up first (plugs, cap and rotor, check ignition wires) and fuel filter. Might try the cheap way first, put some fuel injector cleaner/drygas in with the next fillup.

Does it do it all the time, or just around corners? I had a 97 that would chugga chugga around right hand corners when the fuel was below 1/4 tank.

It doesn't happen all the time which is why I wonder what it could be. It doesn't happen when I am turning corners. I read something about that once so I tested it last time I filled up..to see if when the gas gauge got lower it did it more often. Of course since I was paying attention to it it didn't do it at all. :) I think I am going to try the dry gas stuff because it does tend to do it more often then not when it has rained out, but not all the time. It's very strange. I think I am going to schedule a tuneup. I think I just thought since I bought a car with only 38000 miles on it I wouldn't have problems. I already had to change the tires and replace the sway bar. Thanks for everyones input, I appreciate it.

Did you get this fixed I have a 98 wrangler doing the same thing any help would be greatly welcomed.

Oh I am trying to get it fixed..as we speak actually. I went to the dealer and they were going to charge me $500 on what they thought it was (rotor, caps, wires). I went for a second opion because I didn't want "what I think it is", I wanted "what it was". I took it in last week. They called me and told me the coil wires need to be replaced and that while he was in there he was going to just do tune up. I gave him the go ahead. I called today and he said he did all this, it drove great for a couple of drives then it did it again. He is trying to figure out what it is now and told me he would call me tomorrow. He said the check engine light was on now which may be able to help out more. Is yours one? I'll let you know tomorrow.

I had just about the same problem.

Turned out to be the gasoline. The percent of ethanol during that time of the year was not something the Jeep appreciated.
I filled up at a different gas station and was good to go.

Another incident of almost stalling turned out to be the battery. I brought it to Auto Zone and they did a test. The battery voltage was half of what it should have been. Replacing the battery fixed her up. I had 9000 miles on it at the time.

I thought it might be the gas so I have tried some different kinds and years. That didn't seem to work for me.

The battery thing is something to look into. The mechanic said after he did the tune-up that the engine light was no on so he should be able to determine what it is now.

I should know today.

Thanks to everyone that is giving me suggestions..something is bound to work.

I failed to mention that my wrangler wouldn't start up yesterday after some problems this weekend with the battery... again.

This morning I called chrysler roadside service to come and tow it to the dealer. Late this afternoon they told me I wouldn't have the wrangler back today. They had to order 1 of 2 electrical harnesses in all of US because the battery had been leaking and melted through all the wiring.
I find it hard to beleive that there is only 2 of something that can potentially be damaged by battery problems though. I think they just forgot to work on it.

So that's that.

There has to be a reason that every year I have had to replace the battery in the 2002 wrnagler. I bought the jeep 11/2002, dealer replaced battery 8/2003 and now 9/2004 another. There is only 13000 iles on it. Hopefully the will look a little deeper into why it's killing batteries and basically exploding acid all over my wiring. I don't buy the "In Arizona the batteries only last a year and a half or so" excuse.

Funny side note. The check engine light was on for about 3 weeks and went off about a week ago. *I wonder... hmmm haha*

That's my story!

I can't beleive you have to replace the battery again, that seems a bit ridiculous.

I actually got to pick up the jeep yesterday. What seems to have been the problem is the O2 censor. He did a complete tuneup, it ran better but still had the problem. He checked the O2 censor and that seemed to be what it was. He replaced it, I picked it up last night drove it then and drove it to work today, no problems at all, drives great.

I am hoping that is it. All in all it cost me $400. When I brought it to the dealer they were going to charge me $500 for the tuneup and the diagnonis fee, oh and cleaning the fuel system I think. All that and more money and it was not going to be fixed? I am so glad I didn't get it done there and I went to this person! Saved me a bunch of money!!

i replaced the o2 censor in my 95 jeep wrangler and it didn't change anything. it still lunges when i am stopped at red lights. i will noteably add the emission light went out. total fix= 43 bucks, still lunging...... i will write back after i change a few more sensors. the vehicle does have 104,000 miles and has had an oil change every 2000 miles. someone told me of a similar problem and it turned out to be an non ventilating gas cap, of all things.