Tough starts--cold and hot

'92 Cherokee HO has been getting worse over the past week. It sometimes takes 5 to 7 seconds of cranking to fire. But sometimes when I let off the ignition switch and hit it a second time, it usually fires right away. It used to start right up, from first few cranks. Has new spark plug wires, cap and rotar. I'm thinking it may be the fuel delivery, or whatever keeps the fuel line pressurized (check valve?). Any thoughts out there in Jeep nation?

I have a 97' that did the same thing. I dropped the fuel tank and pulled out the fuel filter. On the bottom of the filter assembly is a screen..Needless to say it was FILTHY! a quick shot of compressed air, and a few minutes flushing out the tank cured my problem...But you may also have a bad sending unit...Depends on the year of your XJ.. Hope this helps.

Thanks, Bayou. Where is the sending unit located? Is that part of the fuel pump assembly?

Its on top of the tank ( part of the fuel pump assembly) on my 97'. Its got sort of a break-away connection that separates it from the rest of the pump. I'm not sure if it is the same on your 92...I know that the newer models (98 and later) are one piece units.( I know this because the ding-dong at the parts store gave me the wrong one the first time..)

Side note: Jerks in my neck of the woods have started putting dirt in the fill hoses at the pumps of many gas stations. Mostly a local thing. Should stop when I drag one of them up and down main street behind the Cherokee a few times. I wish anyway.

Where are you from, bad? Sheesh! What's the world coming to when you can't even trust the gas pump. First I'm paranoid that the pump itself is ripping me off by not being properly "calibrated" and then this. They did a thing on the local news around here and found many of the pumps didn't dispense as much gas as they said it did...and it always came up short, not long...imagine that, huh?