MjPioneer Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 I've recently found out that my Comanche is..less then water proof, and my exhaust at times likes to suck in water rather then pump out exhaust. I plan on building a snorkel out of 2" pvc connected to the stock airbox. I then plan on buying a piece of exhaust pipe that I can't clamp onto my tail pipe for deep water crossings. Okay, I have all that set in stone, but now what is the best way to make the electronics/misc things under the hood water proof? I was thinking I could use liquid electrical tape on the connectors and rtv on things that need to be sealed off. Does anyone have any ideas/things I should know before building these things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Should work. Make sure the surfaces are clean so it will stick better. Also consider Krylon, or any brand, clear plastic spray paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kastein Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 I've recently found out that my Comanche is..less then water proof, and my exhaust at times likes to suck in water rather then pump out exhaust. I plan on building a snorkel out of 2" pvc connected to the stock airbox. I then plan on buying a piece of exhaust pipe that I can't clamp onto my tail pipe for deep water crossings. Okay, I have all that set in stone, but now what is the best way to make the electronics/misc things under the hood water proof? I was thinking I could use liquid electrical tape on the connectors and rtv on things that need to be sealed off. Does anyone have any ideas/things I should know before building these things? Don't use liquid electrical tape, it'll keep you from ever pulling the connector apart again. Get yourself a huge tube of dielectric grease (basically special-formulation silicone grease) and a can of contact cleaner. Pull every connector under the hood apart, one at a time, clean them out with contact cleaner and then pack them with dielectric grease and reconnect. A large syringe can help a lot to get the grease packed into the terminals. See if you can't find a way to waterproof the TPS better - they love to go bad. I've been looking into building a fully sealed, Hall effect sensor based one, but haven't gotten anything concrete together yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 rip out your carpet if you haven't already. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crooner Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 ...not sure how much water you are talking about, but if water gets inside, the blower motor resistor pack is totally exposed and can wreak havoc on anything in the 'RUN' ignition switch position. I just spent the better part of a week diagnosing the problem that kept mine from running. The resistor pack was the problem. You could just pull fuse #5, then dry it out after a swim...if you don't it'll rust, fail and backfeed your ignition switch. Mine melted inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MjPioneer Posted August 4, 2010 Author Share Posted August 4, 2010 I jumped the gun a little bit and used that damn liquid electrical tape on one connector...big mistake, it took me forever to pull it apart and get all that gunk off. I'll be going to pick up some of that grease you guys speak of. As far as how deep do I want to go? Well most of the trails we go on around here have water about fender deep, and during the real wet times it can be clear over the hood. (After hydro-locking my xj I'd rather not do that to my mj) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88SporTruck Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Be sure to run hoses from the vents on both diffs and the transfer case to a point higher than the deepest water you plan to cross. otherwise youll fill everything with water the first time you dunk the Manche. Oh and don't forget that if the water goes over your hood then it can get into the engine/tranny through the dipsticks if they are not well sealed. Its gonna be a ton of work to get it fully waterproof and even then its still a gamble to drive in water that completely submerges the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hick92 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I'm thinking of doing a little bit of this stuff to mine for when i go mudding so i don't get anything wet that will affect my electronic and the drivetrain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I've always loved the idea of putting the intake in the cowl ever since I first saw it. It looks great, keeps it high and dry, and lets face it... If you have water all the way up there, you most likely have other problems. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyn2er Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I've always loved the idea of putting the intake in the cowl ever since I first saw it. It looks great, keeps it high and dry, and lets face it... If you have water all the way up there, you most likely have other problems. Rob X2... I feel the the same way :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I've always loved the idea of putting the intake in the cowl ever since I first saw it. It looks great, keeps it high and dry, and lets face it... If you have water all the way up there, you most likely have other problems. Rob, it is a very neat idea. I actually have a kit on my TJ that puts the filter in the cowl and has another filter designed to filter the air coming into the cowl. The only downside is the added intake noise. I will be doing a CWAI (cowl air intake) on the 86. It is all fun and games until you hydrolock your motor in the driveway. Sometime after my install my cowl drain got plugged up. Had a series of heavy down pours one day. I went out the next day to drive away. Turn the key, hear it spin then lock up. Needless to say my intake manifold was full of water as were my cylinders. Cleaned it all out and changed the oil. This is never a good sign: Haven't had any problems since and enjoy the 1-2 mpg increase. Just make sure the cowl drain is free and clear or all debris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyn2er Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 :doh: I never thought about that. Good point :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now