Car Tech forum: 1995 jeep cherokee country wont start

i just tightened the bolts on the tranny and i got it to start...now it idles really low and when i floor it its un responsive like its delayed then kicks in but if i put it in gear it just wants to die and has no power...please help

Ehaust manifold glowing means that your ignition timing is retarded. The spark plugs are firing very late, meaning that the exhaust valve opens before the burn is complete (cause it's firing late) and it's still burning in the exhaust manifold, which makes it hot and glows.

So first fix the obvious problem. You may find other problems later, that this ones a no brainer. You must fix the ignition timing. How to fix it? Not sure how your engine is setup. If you have a distributer, the distributer needs to be properly set. You'll need a manual to figure out how to time it correctly. If it doesn't, then there's a Cam shaft Sensor that tells the computer when to fire the plugs. That sensor may need replaced, or checked to make sure it is installed correctly. Lastly, if there is no distributer, the PCM computer itself may be the problem.

No matter the cause, this must be fixed first. Spark plugs firing at the wrong time is very bad. This explains why you have no power once your in gear. Fixing any other problem is a waste of time, until you get the ignition timing fixed.

I am having the same problem with my Jeep. Did you find a resolution to your problem? Can you please let me know what you found out. Thanks