How to Troubleshoot a Jeep 2.5L Engine
- 1). Start the engine and listen for a ticking noise. Over time, the Jeep's engine tends to suffer from misaligned valves. When the valves are out of alignment, they will chatter or produce a constant ticking sound. Have a valve adjustment done to correct this problem.
- 2). Check for white smoke coming out of the tail pipe if your Jeep has over 100,000 miles on it. The 2.5L engine may have blown a head gasket. This is a common occurrence at such a high mileage and will need to be serviced by a professional auto mechanic.
- 3). Check the idle on the Jeep. The Jeep's engine tends to build up carbon deposits. These deposits often form in the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve and on the fuel injectors. If the fuel injectors are dirty, you can try pouring in 8 oz of fuel injector cleaner (into the gas tank), filling up the tank, and then running the engine until the tank is empty. This may solve the problem, but if it is the EGR valve, you may need this serviced or cleaned by a professional mechanic.
- 4). Check the exhaust for blue smoke. Blue smoke is common in high mileage Jeeps due to piston ring value or failure of the valve seals. The blue smoke coming out of the back of the tail pipe is oil that has been burned in the combustion chamber. This will also cause the Jeep's engine to start "hard" and to hesitate at low rpm when the throttle is wide open. You'll need to have these seals replaced by a professional mechanic.
