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A couple of questions, please answer what you can

XJ98Jeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Atlanta
After driving my XJ around for maybe 10 minutes, I noticed that smoke was coming out of the transmission, where the transmission is mated to the engine at the Rear main seal. My transmission fluid is also leaking out of the rear main seal, so I'm worried I'm low on fluid. How do I check this? What else could the smoke be?

Every time I put up/down all four windows, my radio turns off. And the more windows I use, the slower they go. Is there an after market window motor that can fix this?

I'm also looking for carpeting for my XJ, it's a 1998 4.0L, any ideas?
 
XJ98Jeep said:
Every time I put up/down all four windows, my radio turns off. And the more windows I use, the slower they go. Is there an after market window motor that can fix this?

Running all 4 windows down at the same time is putting a healthy draw on the alternator, especially if you have any other accessorys(blower motor/ac/lights/defrost/wipers) Your radio turning off might be a sign that your charging system isn't up to snuff and isn't carrying the load. The radio might turn off when it gets below a certain voltage.

Most parts stores will run a battery/alternator check on your vehicle for free, it's not the most reliable test but it will give you an idea.
 
The grounds may need cleaning to carry all that load.

On the 87 Jeep all those items pull power on one small 12 gauge brown wire going to, and through the ignition switch. Those loads burned out 2 ignition switches in just 12 months on mine so I ran a heavier 12 gauge wire and bypassed the ignition switch with a 30 amp Heavy duty toggle switch on the dash and new 10 gauge fused 30 amp inline fuse on mine 3 months ago.
I plan to remote wire the headlights to relay under the head next, another smoking wire trouble spot for many vehicles including jeeps.

On the leak problem, it sounds like leaking antifreeze coolant, possible at the hose connections to the heater core or near there.

Another possibility is oil leaking from the engine on the exhaust pipe? Oil can leak from the valve cover, oil filter adapter o'ring that seals to the engine block, the oil filter seal itself, and the rear main seal, all of which can find there way to the exhaust pipe eventually.

On the transmission, not sure about 98s, but the older manual trannys had brass synchronizers and yours might too, so be sure to use a GL-3 rated gear oil if it does have brass Synchros. I only found one oil left on the market that is suitable for brass synchronizers in the manual tranny gear boxes, it is GL-4 rated for GL-3. Do not use a GL-5 gear oil it will eat the brass. The only one I found left on the market I could find was made by Red Line oils, MT-90.

There should be a pipe plug or threaded fitting in the side of the transmission for filling it, and another one on the bottom for draining it.
 
If it's real oily underneath, take it up to the local quarter wash and blast off the undercarriage very well. This will make it easier to determine where the leak is really coming from.

-Oil filter adaptor (if you notice fresh oil on the bottom of your filter after driving)
-Valve Cover gasket - kinda obvious when they start to leak
-Rear Main engine seal.

All three are the most common oil leaks on the 4.0, and all will look like a rear main leak (that is, the oil will run down the front of the tranny and hit the exhaust pipe and smoke/evap....as what it sounds like yours is doing).

For the windows, as mentioned, rolling all 4 up/down at the same time puts a mighty big strain on the alternator. I usually roll two up or down at the same time, then do the other two.
 
XJ98Jeep said:
It's a manual. I'm pretty sure it isn't oil, because it doesn't look or feel like oil, and it's evaporating.

It could be engine coolant, there is a freeze plug between the dust cover and the trannie. The coolant will run down and out the bottom dust cover.
 
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