Waterproofing my rig help.

[BlackRubi]

Aside from a snorkel, I know that there are things that need to be done, but I don't know what they are. Any help here? I know axle tube seals are a good idea to keep crap out of the tube. I don't plan on taking on any water that is so deep that it will be up to my fuse box, but just in case, I'm open to ideas.

[Brody]

First of all, use either marine or synthetic grease for everything that needs to be greased. Pull apart all of the electrical connectors that you can, clean the internals with electric parts cleaner, then put a good dab of dielectric grease on them before you put them back together. Do the same for any fuses or relays, especially if they are under the hood.

If you have an after market air cleaner on your rig, buy a K&N pre filter and slip it over the air filter. This is basically a micro mesh nylon filter, and it spills water off as wells as keeping the actual filter clean.

If you have an underhood fuse box, after you clean off everything and throw some dielectric grease on the contacts, close it up as best you can with duct tape. PITA if you have to change a fuse, but you aren't in there that often anyway.

Do the same for your battery terminals with the cleaning and dielectric grease. Any exposed connections you can clean and spray with spray on electrical tape which you can get at either Home Depo or Lowe's. Be sure to give these a couple of coats with this as one coat isn't usually enough.

If you still have a regular distributor, you can seal the top with a small bead of silicon.

Extend the differential breathers with a length of hose up into the fender well or inside the Jeep. You can either put a little breather on them or a simple one way valve, similar to a PCV valve on the end. You can also do the same to your transmission and T case breathers if you want.

On the Jeep, like you mentioned, there are after market outer axle seals that are easy to install.

This is pretty much the basic stuff without moving stuff around. I have used this set up on almost all of my 4x4s and it has seemed to work fine.

[Clyde]

longer vent tubes on everything, I run mine up high on the cage, silicone on the dist. cap, and around where the wiring goes into it. When I know I am going deep, I put a dab on my dipstick tubes, being sure it goes on the outside, and doesnt get into the tube. If you have any of the torqueflite trannys in your jeep, its kind of a big deal to waterproof them, as the vent is inside the bellhousing, behind the convertor, you have to drop the trans to plug that, and then drill a new vent in the top of the case. Keep in mind, that no amount of waterproofing will keep it all out, it will get into things, like diffs, t-cases, transmissions etc etc. Unless you are prepared to take things apart everytime you put it under, its best to not do it at all. At a bare minimum, carry a spare starter and alternator, and if you have an electric fan, put a cutout switch on it, so you can turn it off before getting deep.. I have always been all about mud, and water, and this is experience talking:D Experience is what you gain, shortly after needing it usually..

[scout man]

longer vent tubes on everything, I run mine up high on the cage, silicone on the dist. cap, and around where the wiring goes into it. When I know I am going deep, I put a dab on my dipstick tubes, being sure it goes on the outside, and doesnt get into the tube. If you have any of the torqueflite trannys in your jeep, its kind of a big deal to waterproof them, as the vent is inside the bellhousing, behind the convertor, you have to drop the trans to plug that, and then drill a new vent in the top of the case. Keep in mind, that no amount of waterproofing will keep it all out, it will get into things, like diffs, t-cases, transmissions etc etc. Unless you are prepared to take things apart everytime you put it under, its best to not do it at all. At a bare minimum, carry a spare starter and alternator, and if you have an electric fan, put a cutout switch on it, so you can turn it off before getting deep.. I have always been all about mud, and water, and this is experience talking:D Experience is what you gain, shortly after needing it usually..


having done this on my torqueflite tranny, it is a big job as I think it is best to tear the hole tranny apart to do it or else you are dumping a ton of shavings into the tranny, and its hard to tell exactly where you should drill if you dont have it apart. It isnt horribly hard to tear it apart once you have it out, and if you ever try to do it let me know, i have more expreience than I would like. Problem is the stock vent is though the fluid pump, and is actually at a pretty low point on the tranny, so it can suck in water way to easy.

also, if you have a torqueflite you may have a vent on your adapter housing also. This one can be a pain as it is just a small hole in the housing that needs significant drilling and tapping. I managed though.

[Big Red]

When you say silicone on distributor, i assume you mean around cap base. On HEI is there an easy way, since it's not the easiest to get at in there. Put it on cap and then put cap on? And where ignition wiring goes in, just smear it on with finger i assume?:confused:

MC

[Clyde]

yep, put it on the cap and then install it back on. and yes a finger works for that:D

[BlackRubi]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to start with the axle tubes because I'm really not planning on fording the Mississippi River anytime soon.:) Then I'll move on from there. I just wasn't sure about everything that needed to be done. Again, thanks!

[Brody]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to start with the axle tubes because I'm really not planning on fording the Mississippi River anytime soon.:) Then I'll move on from there. I just wasn't sure about everything that needed to be done. Again, thanks!

As a 'sometime in the future' modification, you might consider either re routing you exhaust tube higher or at least making a clamp on tube set up that you can stick on for deep crossings. Depending on what, if any, body holes you want to cut, it is relatively easy to cut a hole higher up in the body panel and simply route your exhaust out through that. I have done this on my rig and know quite a few other folks who have done the same thing.

Snorkels are nice features, but it partially depends on how high the air cleaner sits to begin with. I have entertained ideas of doing a snorkel on my rig, but the air cleaner sits almost chest high on me, so it wouldn't be too effective on mine. I don't plan on fording the Mississippi, either..