I searched, and have found the solutions to heat soak...but the descriptions of the symptoms aren't lining up with my TJ's behavior.
9 times out of 10, it starts up like a champ, idles perfectly (maybe a little on the low side), and drives just fine...but the 10th time...well anyway...a bit of backstory below (sorry if it's a little long-winded):
My last major issue with it was the fuel pump (early 2023)...my original one went out, so I replaced it, but used a cheapish one from eBay (Chinese made, I'm sure)...during the process of dropping the tank, I broke all 3 of the fuel line retaining clips (only exception was the one at the fuel pump connection), and I couldn't find the correct ones to replace them with...when I asked in here, I was told, by several people, that I could just use zip ties...so I did, and it seemed to work ok, and I drove it for a couple months...
Then, I assumed the fuel pressure regulator that came with the Chinese pump assembly had gone bad, because after sitting, it would take several cycles of the key on and off before the fuel pressure would be good enough to start. I contacted the seller, and they sent me a replacement...but because it was still running, and I was being lazy, not wanting to drop the tank again, I just drove it that way, and left the new pump in the garage...again, 9 times out of 10, no problems at all...then occasionally, I would park somewhere, and when I went to leave, it wouldn't want to fire...starting fluid would eventually work...but it was getting to be a pain in the ass...
So I eventually dropped the tank, and replaced the unit again...
It seemed to sort the problem, but one day I drove to pick my daughter up, when I went to restart, it wouldn't start...I still had the starting fluid in the car, so used that, and it would fire, and the second time, it fired and ran...drove it home and parked it, not wanting to go through all that again, and forgot about it for a while...
I had to move it a few times, and it started like a champ every time (except the last time, when it sat for 5 months, and needed the battery charged, after which, it fired right up)
I started thinking maybe the 1 time picking up my daughter had been a random occurrence, and decided to try driving it again...
Drove to the local shopping center (maybe 10 minutes away) and it refused to start...got out to try the starting fluid, and could smell a LOT of gas...walked around the other side, and saw a puddle of gas, and quickly realized the fuel line had come apart at the connection (zip tie was still intact) and fuel was pumping gas onto the ground every time I cycled the key
Had it towed home...jacked it up, and put the connection back together (zip tie)...pulled on it real good after reconnecting, and it seemed to be holding again...drove it again a few days later, made some stops, and it would start no problem, then stopped for gas on the way home...fuel line came loose...towed it home again...
Searched and searched, and found a kit that came with 2 different size fuel retainer clips on Amazon...a bunch of each size for $10 and took a chance that one of them would fit, and got lucky (one of them was the correct size)
Jacked it up, replaced the uncooperative zip tie with the proper retainer clip, and have been driving it every day for a couple weeks, with no issues...until today, when I drove it to the shopping center, and it decided it didn't want to start again, without the assistance of starting fluid...but the fuel line stayed connected
Bear in mind, the 2 other fuel line connections (returns or breather/vent lines or whatever they are) are still zip ties (I only replaced the one that kept coming apart)
I intend to jack it up and replace the other 2 zip ties with the proper clips, but wanted to ask the experts in here if there was anything else I could check, that might cause my issues?
Thanks in advance folks!
9 times out of 10, it starts up like a champ, idles perfectly (maybe a little on the low side), and drives just fine...but the 10th time...well anyway...a bit of backstory below (sorry if it's a little long-winded):
My last major issue with it was the fuel pump (early 2023)...my original one went out, so I replaced it, but used a cheapish one from eBay (Chinese made, I'm sure)...during the process of dropping the tank, I broke all 3 of the fuel line retaining clips (only exception was the one at the fuel pump connection), and I couldn't find the correct ones to replace them with...when I asked in here, I was told, by several people, that I could just use zip ties...so I did, and it seemed to work ok, and I drove it for a couple months...
Then, I assumed the fuel pressure regulator that came with the Chinese pump assembly had gone bad, because after sitting, it would take several cycles of the key on and off before the fuel pressure would be good enough to start. I contacted the seller, and they sent me a replacement...but because it was still running, and I was being lazy, not wanting to drop the tank again, I just drove it that way, and left the new pump in the garage...again, 9 times out of 10, no problems at all...then occasionally, I would park somewhere, and when I went to leave, it wouldn't want to fire...starting fluid would eventually work...but it was getting to be a pain in the ass...
So I eventually dropped the tank, and replaced the unit again...
It seemed to sort the problem, but one day I drove to pick my daughter up, when I went to restart, it wouldn't start...I still had the starting fluid in the car, so used that, and it would fire, and the second time, it fired and ran...drove it home and parked it, not wanting to go through all that again, and forgot about it for a while...
I had to move it a few times, and it started like a champ every time (except the last time, when it sat for 5 months, and needed the battery charged, after which, it fired right up)
I started thinking maybe the 1 time picking up my daughter had been a random occurrence, and decided to try driving it again...
Drove to the local shopping center (maybe 10 minutes away) and it refused to start...got out to try the starting fluid, and could smell a LOT of gas...walked around the other side, and saw a puddle of gas, and quickly realized the fuel line had come apart at the connection (zip tie was still intact) and fuel was pumping gas onto the ground every time I cycled the key
Had it towed home...jacked it up, and put the connection back together (zip tie)...pulled on it real good after reconnecting, and it seemed to be holding again...drove it again a few days later, made some stops, and it would start no problem, then stopped for gas on the way home...fuel line came loose...towed it home again...
Searched and searched, and found a kit that came with 2 different size fuel retainer clips on Amazon...a bunch of each size for $10 and took a chance that one of them would fit, and got lucky (one of them was the correct size)
Jacked it up, replaced the uncooperative zip tie with the proper retainer clip, and have been driving it every day for a couple weeks, with no issues...until today, when I drove it to the shopping center, and it decided it didn't want to start again, without the assistance of starting fluid...but the fuel line stayed connected
Bear in mind, the 2 other fuel line connections (returns or breather/vent lines or whatever they are) are still zip ties (I only replaced the one that kept coming apart)
I intend to jack it up and replace the other 2 zip ties with the proper clips, but wanted to ask the experts in here if there was anything else I could check, that might cause my issues?
Thanks in advance folks!