stalls in deep water?
i want to get yall's opinion of what may be causing this..
i have a '97 4.0L auto, new cap, rotor, plugs & wires, cap is sealed with rtv, the coil & spark plug wires have die-electric grease at both ends, alternator has been relocated about a half-inch away from the hood, the battery is in a sealed box in the rear hatch, and the engine is snorkel'd.
the problem is, when i get it in water up to just above the headlamps or deeper, it'll start to sputter and then shut off. i can always get it to crank over for 3-4 times for about 5 seconds each time, but then water eventually crawls up the exhaust and hydrolocks the engine, and i have to pull her out, pull the plugs andspit all the water out. then it fires right back up. my '94 would go in any water as long as you could keep feeding it air, i cant figure out whats causing my '97 to sputter and shut off. i have since swapped the mechanical fan for dual electric fans but havent tested the jeep in deep water again yet. can the mechanical fan submerged in water stall the engine? seems unlikely, the belt has never squeeled and the blades were not bent. i dunno.
if anyone knows what i might be missing or something else i could try i'd appreciate it!
i have a '97 4.0L auto, new cap, rotor, plugs & wires, cap is sealed with rtv, the coil & spark plug wires have die-electric grease at both ends, alternator has been relocated about a half-inch away from the hood, the battery is in a sealed box in the rear hatch, and the engine is snorkel'd.
the problem is, when i get it in water up to just above the headlamps or deeper, it'll start to sputter and then shut off. i can always get it to crank over for 3-4 times for about 5 seconds each time, but then water eventually crawls up the exhaust and hydrolocks the engine, and i have to pull her out, pull the plugs andspit all the water out. then it fires right back up. my '94 would go in any water as long as you could keep feeding it air, i cant figure out whats causing my '97 to sputter and shut off. i have since swapped the mechanical fan for dual electric fans but havent tested the jeep in deep water again yet. can the mechanical fan submerged in water stall the engine? seems unlikely, the belt has never squeeled and the blades were not bent. i dunno.
if anyone knows what i might be missing or something else i could try i'd appreciate it!
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 566
Likes: 1
From: riverside,ca
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Come on man....Pretty obvious solution would be not to put it in water upto your headlights...you could be shorting out a number of things, or drowning the engine...etc...who knows??? It's not a amphicar...
avoid the water & the mud? dude, this is a jeep forum, get real. im cant, and dont want to, simply avoid the water. i live in FL, all we have is swamp.
any number of sensors... what sensors, specifically? the crank sensor is submerged by the time the tires are fully submerged, and there is never a problem at that depth. the front o2 sensor has been disconnected for 3 months. TPS does get a little wet; cam sensor is sealed inside the distributor with rtv and the connector has dielectric grease inside it. however, i have not yet tried waterproofing the computer; that seems the next logical step.
could i be missing anything else?
any number of sensors... what sensors, specifically? the crank sensor is submerged by the time the tires are fully submerged, and there is never a problem at that depth. the front o2 sensor has been disconnected for 3 months. TPS does get a little wet; cam sensor is sealed inside the distributor with rtv and the connector has dielectric grease inside it. however, i have not yet tried waterproofing the computer; that seems the next logical step.
could i be missing anything else?
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Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 691
Likes: 0
From: connecticut
Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l
If your getting water into your cylinders then its making it past the intake, whether its got a snorkel or not you gotta realize any minor cracks especially in the intake gasket you'll suck water in.
the water is only coming in through the exhaust once the engine has been shut off for a while. i just replaced the intake manifold gasket & TB gasket about a month ago
Originally Posted by rompnXJ
avoid the water & the mud? dude, this is a jeep forum, get real. im cant, and dont want to, simply avoid the water. i live in FL, all we have is swamp.
any number of sensors... what sensors, specifically? the crank sensor is submerged by the time the tires are fully submerged, and there is never a problem at that depth. the front o2 sensor has been disconnected for 3 months. TPS does get a little wet; cam sensor is sealed inside the distributor with rtv and the connector has dielectric grease inside it. however, i have not yet tried waterproofing the computer; that seems the next logical step.
could i be missing anything else?
any number of sensors... what sensors, specifically? the crank sensor is submerged by the time the tires are fully submerged, and there is never a problem at that depth. the front o2 sensor has been disconnected for 3 months. TPS does get a little wet; cam sensor is sealed inside the distributor with rtv and the connector has dielectric grease inside it. however, i have not yet tried waterproofing the computer; that seems the next logical step.
could i be missing anything else?
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,322
Likes: 6
From: Summerville, Ga
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.5 4 cyl.
Wow you guys are absolutely no help telling him to stay out of the water.. Considering he WANTS to drive it in water.
Definitely seal up the computer... Did you put the dielectric grease in the IAT connector or the MAP sensor connector? CPS shouldnt be hurt by itself either way.. its a magnet.
I would personally go ahead and glob dielectric grease on EVERY connector if you havent already.
Definitely seal up the computer... Did you put the dielectric grease in the IAT connector or the MAP sensor connector? CPS shouldnt be hurt by itself either way.. its a magnet.
I would personally go ahead and glob dielectric grease on EVERY connector if you havent already.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 566
Likes: 1
From: riverside,ca
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Originally Posted by xj_maniac_newb
Wow you guys are absolutely no help telling him to stay out of the water.. Considering he WANTS to drive it in water.
Definitely seal up the computer... Did you put the dielectric grease in the IAT connector or the MAP sensor connector? CPS shouldnt be hurt by itself either way.. its a magnet.
I would personally go ahead and glob dielectric grease on EVERY connector if you havent already.
Definitely seal up the computer... Did you put the dielectric grease in the IAT connector or the MAP sensor connector? CPS shouldnt be hurt by itself either way.. its a magnet.
I would personally go ahead and glob dielectric grease on EVERY connector if you havent already.




