thebeast

hey guys so a few months ago i was having starting problems on my xj. so i replaced the alternator and battery in that process i removed all the plastic cladding on the underside. this last month my xj has been acting really weird in the fact that when it rains it starts a lopping idle every minute and when i accelerate i lose power and the engine wants to die. i was wondering if the alternator was getting splashed with water and thats why its idling funny? and should i put the cladding back on to protect the alternator? or would it be something else? thanks

BuckB91XJ

I removed that plastic cladding from my XJ about 2 years ago to help make it run cooler. I've had no problems when going through water. I think you have an issue other than that. Does it do the loping idle thing only when going through water? Getting water in the coil or distributor would be more apt to cause problems with how your motor runs, than getting water in the alternator.

thebeast

its usually whenever i go thru a big puddle. like 5 mins after while im driving down the road the engine cuts out and loses power and i cant accelerate and then it downshifts and its fine for another minute. and when im stopped the revs drop down to around 250 rpm and then it lurches forward back up to 1000 rpms and then it goes back to normal and then it does it again a min later

BuckB91XJ

Take a look around the front and sides of your engine bay down low. You have some bare or chaffed ignition wiring, somewhere. Look around the battery, alternator, starter, coil and distributor. I bet you'll fond something that looks questionable in one of those places. Look for big gobbs of black electrical tape. Those are usually places to find problems. Unknown to some people, black electrical tape does not make a water resistant repair.

thebeast

thanks dude ill definitely take a look around in the morning

BlueXJ

Buck is probably right but another trick is to look at it in total darkness with a hose at the ready. Look for arcing with it being wet.

BuckB91XJ

There goes Blue with those Awesome Renix troubleshooting procedures again.

KBCMorphs

yes check for arcing and check around your coil too, I use salt water in a spray bottle and complete darkness. I have spotted arcing wires before and a coil the would light up like a christmas tree when you'd hit it with water and it would even stall out my jeep.

thebeast

thanks guys ya i looked today and didnt see any wires showing or anything dangling down but ill have to try the darkness and water thing