97 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo--sputters and dies

don't know if this makes a difference but the Jeep has an automatic transmission and around 170,000 miles. Thank you to anyone who is willing to help me out.

Hello mommy2avery. It could be a plugged exhaust. Due to loss of power while driving then having a no-start after it died out leads me to this possible answer. Think of your engine as a vacuum cleaner(sucks air through on one end and pushes air out of the other end). If it can't push air out(plugged exhaust), then it can't pull air in. Good way to check, start you vehicle and let it warm up, while parked of course, rev the engine up to 2,000 r.p.m. for 1-2 minutes if you can. Then let it idle, look under the vehicle for your exhaust pipe(pay close attention to your catalytic converter) if any of it that you can see turns bright red, orange, or white hot; then you know your heating up your catalytic converter(CAT's are not suppose to get that hot) which means plugged exhaust. hope this helps.

p.s. this shows what a catalytic converter looks like(it's not a muffler)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter

let your hubby use it for mudding and tell him to buy you a new one! just kidding, breakdowns are frustrating. Good luck!! Maybe your fuel pump is getting weak, after time the rubber "paddles" get weak and flimsy and will allow gas to slip by and create a void and an airlock in the fuel line. it makes sense when you have to let it set before it will start and run again.....have to let that air dissipate and the line refill with fuel....just a thought from past experiences!! I hope you get it going again!!

I had a similar problem. often when i would take my foot off the gas and slow to a stop the truck would stall. It seemed to do this more often when I would have the heat on. I eventually cleaned the Idle air control valve w/ throttle body cleaner. Also cleaned out the throttle body. all you need is a t25 torx wrench(looks like a Allen key with a star tip.)((every jeep owner should have one)) , long arms, and the cleaner. Go to a auto parts store have them print out a picture of the IAC. Also ask them to show you where it's at. If cleaning it doesn't work it might need to be replaced all together, $40 part. When all else fails change the battery (that's where the gremlins live)...

Mine is a 96 GC with 6Cyl. Initially, it would stall not long after starting, unless I increased the rpms. It would also stall driving down the road when the engine was cold. Once the engine warmed, it would rarely stall.
So, after looking at several websites, I did the following (in this order) in the course of a few months: change fuel filter, replaced throttle position sensor, cleaned throttle body, replaced spark plugs, cleaned idle air control valve, replaced distributor cap and rotor and replaced the crankshaft position sensor. No improvement.
Yesterday, looking at other forums, I backed out the the two screws holding the PCM to the firewall by 1/3 of a turn. I'm only two days in, but I do not touch the gas when I start the engine and it doesn't stall. As hard as it is for me to believe, I am going to keep a good thought.