# Jeep is Bipolar or needs an exorcism **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** grand-cherokee, jeep\ **Created:** [March 20, 2012, 8:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-is-bipolar-or-needs-an-exorcism/71531 "2012-03-20T08:51:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![imjohnm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7bcc69/32.png) [@imjohnm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/imjohnm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 8:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-is-bipolar-or-needs-an-exorcism/71531/1 "2012-03-20T08:51:47Z")
1996 4.0 with new battery starts often starts fine, but then… sometimes hot or cold it throws a total hissy fit. Like a kick back or detonation it stops cranking or the whole engine shudders. When it starts it idles rough a few seconds and then is fine (like my first wife). This wore out 1 starter. I replaced the idle air valve, computer, and checked the fuel injectors for leaks, and tried a lot of prayer. No lights come on. The water reservoir loses some water and I thought it might be a head gasket or block problem but he oil is clean and no smoke in the exhaust. I pulled the thermostat to flush the system before using K&W nano to seal a leak n case fluid is getting in in a cylinder. Am going to check the plugs to see if any are wet. Anyone seen this problem? ---
**Author:** ![GSragtop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7c8e57/32.png) [@GSragtop](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GSragtop)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-is-bipolar-or-needs-an-exorcism/71531/2 "2012-03-20T14:52:42Z")
If it’s kicking back, I would suspect ignition. What shape are your cap rotor and wires?? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-is-bipolar-or-needs-an-exorcism/71531/3 "2012-03-21T03:57:35Z")
You don’t say how many miles are on the vehicle, but a stretched timing chain can cause this problem. This then causes both the ignition and valve timing to be off. Here’s a Jeep 4.0 liter engine with only 60,000 miles on it and the timing chain is already stretched. Tester