I just bought a 1998 XJ with the 4.0/auto and 184,000 miles. Seems to be very well kept, runs great, everything seems to check out OK. Then I drove it about 150 miles down the freeway with the A/C on, and it died. As best I can tell the box with the relays in it on the passenger side fender is overheating, killing the fuel pump and the engine. It starts and runs fine again once it cools off.
I can't figure out why this is getting so hot. It seems like hot air is blowing out of the small square hole in the fender behind the battery. If I just let it idle for about 10 minutes with the hood shut, the outside of the fender heats up to over 170 degrees according to an IR thermometer! The box with the relays is almost as hot. If I leave the hood open it doesn't get as hot.
My coolant temp never gets above 210, usually lower. Does anybody have any idea why hot air would be blowing out of this area? It appears to have the stock fan shroud and everything else in tact. The electric fan comes on and off as it should with coolant temp and when I turn the A/C on.
I've had several other XJs in the past, many with overheating issues, but I've never seen a problem like this...
I can't figure out why this is getting so hot. It seems like hot air is blowing out of the small square hole in the fender behind the battery. If I just let it idle for about 10 minutes with the hood shut, the outside of the fender heats up to over 170 degrees according to an IR thermometer! The box with the relays is almost as hot. If I leave the hood open it doesn't get as hot.
My coolant temp never gets above 210, usually lower. Does anybody have any idea why hot air would be blowing out of this area? It appears to have the stock fan shroud and everything else in tact. The electric fan comes on and off as it should with coolant temp and when I turn the A/C on.
I've had several other XJs in the past, many with overheating issues, but I've never seen a problem like this...