What am I in a damn rodeo? AKA my damn Jeep is bucking!

[Grizzly]

My jeep has been doing this since I bought it, just has gotten worse over time, and I'm sick of it. When driving slow in 1st or second, or any gear in 4lo, but at higher rpm's ( 2000 or higher), such as going up a hill, the jeep starts bucking as if I'm hitting then letting off the gas real fast, and usually after hitting a bump. The longer I let it do this, the worse it gets. I have to either let off the gas or give it more gas. When this is happening, it sounds like some slop in the drivetrain. Please help me!!! 2.5 L , AX-5 tranny, 2001 Jeep Wrangler.

[michdave]

Man,...I hate to say this,..but it sounds like you are doing it. I could be wrong,...but try paying attention to foot placement. Do you plant your right heal against the tub of the Jeep (the transmission hump)? If not, you may be bobbing your foot up and down giving it little spurts of gas, which gets worse when you are hitting bumps. Being it's only the 2.5l, thats may be why you're only noticing it in 1st and 2nd or 4lo.

Im not trying to insult you, it's just that I've seen this when I was teaching a friend to drive my old 6 spd Jeep. She would do it, and didn't realize that she was, until I had her plant her heal better. Hope this helps.

[ColoFreeJeeper]

^^^^^This.

[HillBillE]

I have to agree. My CJ will do the same thing if my right foot is 'loose'

I keep the side of my foot against the tranny hump, and my heel down tight to the floor board.

Takes a little getting used to, but you'll find a technique that works for you.

For me, it got really bad when I went up in tire size. Once I geared down to 4:10's from 3:73's, it got better.

2 other tricks I use:

1: Hand throttle, I often use that when going over really bumpy stuff.

2: High idle. I have a switch on the dash, connected to a 'dash pot' on the carb. When I flip the switch, it brings the idle up to 1700 RPM's

With this, I can idle over rocks/stumps/etc, and even up slight inclines, and never have to touch the gas pedal.

[SavageSun4x4]

Don't know if this applies or not, but my old school thoughts...STUCK float in the carb. Float sticks in the fill position, then gas pours in, and float slams shut, gas gets sucked down again and repeat cycle.

If you are FI then this is a N/A

[ravengp]

I tend to agree with Hillbilllie, Colo, and mich. I had been driving a stick for 15 years and a Jeep for 5 when I got my current Jeep. The new jeep had 2.5l with 4.10 gearing and it took a while for me to get used to the lower gearing. Also, I had to get used to the bigger tires (like Hillbillie). Blew my mind that I would buck the Jeep like that, being an experienced stick shifter, but those lower gear ratios mean a lighter foot on the go pedal, especially in low range.

BTW, my Jeep is a 2001 with the same exact specs as yours.