1998 Cherokee problems

[maltesesteeze]

I have two problems and would love some help:
first of all I have that weird gauge problem, where randomly (more frequently the less the car is driven) the spedometer and fuel gauge just die, so ill be driving at 60 with a full tank and itll say that im empty going zero mph. If i hit the mileage reset button, the gas usually comes back but not the fuel gauge, and the airbag light is on when it happens. What on earth is going on and how can i fix it?
Secondly, many of you are probably familiar with later model cherokees having the fan continually kick on and off. This has been no major issue until today when, while the fan is on there is a slight but noticeable rattle coming from somewhere in the engine area. I wish i could be more specific but i cannot pinpoint it. Any ideas? it only rattles when the fan is on, when it stops, so does the rattle. Please respond with any ideas, and thanks a ton, Ethan

[refrigerationdude]

Hello:

You mean when the electric fan cycles right? Or the clutch fan? My electric seldom comes on unless the a/c is on or the defroster. If neither of htose are on and your hearing it its probably the clutch fan. Make siure its not a belt noise thou, mine mae a strange screeching and rattling everytimte the compressor would come on...I thought the clutch was failing...turns out the problem fixed itself when I put a new belt on this past weekend. I knew the belt was getting bad, but it didn't sound like belt noise to me, makes sense tho, compressor putting extra load on it. This past week with all the dampness here in my state it was really slipping badly, to the point my lights dimmed, battery started getting weak, and it soudned bad I figured I'd better get it off there before it snapped.

Forgot to mention with my gauges its just the gas. And it doesnt usually just "shut off" like that, I get wrong readings, sometimes its E, other times its jsut up from E other times its just lower than I knnow it should be, I usually have to restart, sometimes 3 or 4 times before its right. Gotta be a loose connection I'd think somewhere, prob at teh sending unit in the tank, with my luck. Then again if others are having other gauges act up maybe its at the dash, and mine is just the fuel so far, and I'll start losing other gauges as time progresses. Either way its a job dropping the tank or tearing the dash apart, dunno which is worse really.

[maltesesteeze]

The fan that comes on is constanly, swtiching on and off on maybe 30 sec intervals while the car is running, AC or not. Ive had other jeeps that do this and it is nothing to worry about, ive even had a mechanic look at it and its just a small irreqularity in the jeep design. Assuming its the clutch fan? so i should check/change my clutch belt?

[Saudade]

Ethan, check the fan shrouds. The one surrounding my elec fan rattled a bit. Turns out bottom of the shrouds (at least on my '88) have small tabs that slip into slots on the lower support. Mine rattled at these points due to a lot of wear on the tabs themselves. I cut small strips of rubber from an old bicycle tube and hot glued them onto the tabs. I couldn't find anything in my FSM or parts manual that showed something there originally. In any case, it stopped the rattle.

[rctrex]

My 98 had the same problem with the gage cluster intermittently going out. Turned out the wiring harness from the gage cluster to the control module was oxidizing and when it would loose contact all of the gages would drop to zero and the airbag light would come on. Just clean the contact points with electrical contact cleaner and put some contact grease on them. I also had the same problem with my power windows.

[maltesesteeze]

Thanks so much, ill give that a shot this weekend, the problem is definately getting worse so its about time. Is the gauge harness hard to get to? Any tips as far as getting out and cleaning it up? Thanks a ton, Ethan

[95xjsport]

when you say the harness from the gauges to the control moduld, you mean the computer under the hood right??

[JDusen4211]

if anyone has had the dash out... check to make sure everything is snuggly plugged into the back of the gagues... those things can sometimes be hard to snap back in... especially once you get tired and are excited that you are finally putting everything back together. ive done that a few times... and let me tell you, without those connection being tight... some goofy things can happen.