Stock airbox help

Well I've done a fair amount of searching now, and not finding exactly what I want to hear. I have a 97' and the opening is on the front of the airbox. I had a previous issue with water getting in there through the wake when I hit deep water. Some sites are saying to seal that off and cut a new opening in the back, but others are saying not to because I will now be sucking hot air and get worse gas mileage. I know from my experiance with imports cold air is important. Gas mileage is also very important because the Jeep is my daily driver. I'd love a snorkle but the money/poser-factor/fender-cutting is an issue. I considered a K&N cone filter and a custom box around it, but I'm hesitant to highly modify the Jeep because of its resale value and the fact that I paid so little for it. I dont want to ruin my chances of getting back what I payed in a year or two.

So what do you think, cut a hole in the back and seal the front one, or no? Will this help me keep water out?

P.S. I'm buying a new K&N drop in filter tonight

If the water is deep enough to come in through a hole in the front of the air box, why would you think it might not come in through a hole at the back of the air box ... at the same height?

I'd say stay out of deep water until you can afford a snorkle

make a cowl snorkle....pretty cheap and effective unless you go deeper than your cowl....

Eagle said:

If the water is deep enough to come in through a hole in the front of the air box, why would you think it might not come in through a hole at the back of the air box ... at the same height?

I'd say stay out of deep water until you can afford a snorkle

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Maybe he's more worried about the intial entry into the water, when the water hits the headlights.

GudaXJ said:

Maybe he's more worried about the intial entry into the water, when the water hits the headlights.

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That would be it, the wake coming up in worries, and the opening in the front is like a big mouth. If the hole is in the back, less water will get in on entry. And no, the puddle I have in mind isnt above tha airbox, but the wake was close (I was going to fast).

I bought a pod from advanced auto that sits above the engine on the firewall. I simply turned the stock intake hose around, it fits great washable, I just except the fact that i get 230 miles out of a tank of gas

This will take care of it--go to www.madxj.com and scroll down to the "Custom deep-water intake" link. There are many varieties; search Google for XJ cowl snorkels. It not only raises the intake level, but it also is an area where large volumes of clean, colder air will enter the intake without water ingestion.

Timber said:

This will take care of it--go to www.madxj.com and scroll down to the "Custom deep-water intake" link. There are many varieties; search Google for XJ cowl snorkels. It not only raises the intake level, but it also is an area where large volumes of clean, colder air will enter the intake without water ingestion.

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Unfortunalty I've been to that link before, and the 97+'s dont have the same hole they use. My brake booster covers that area too. I'm not really up for cutting the firewall.

I did it earlier tonight. In a huge rush I cut the new hole in the back, and covered the one in the front with duct tape, and put in the new $60 K&N filter (I was in a huge rush to get to a pit party, up the same trail I got swamped in last time.) Unfortunatly the party was in a pit before the puddle, so I didnt get to test it out. Next time I guess.

I like the K&N by the way, I'm sure there are reviews of it on here already though.

zfinger said:

Unfortunalty I've been to that link before, and the 97+'s dont have the same hole they use. My brake booster covers that area too. I'm not really up for cutting the firewall.

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I must have forgotten about this post. Unless you need an exact-model-year, step-by-step write up, this is very easy. Anyway, I have a '99 and use the MadXJ setup. It just requires a bit more work, and it does work. I stay away from water when I can (mud pits in this area of the country tend not to have any type of bottom), but the initial entry of water into the intake is completely avoided. Take it however you want, but it works well.