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White Smoke from Breather

rkirbyaz

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Arizona
I have a 96 XJ. I just put a new 424 in it and it has been running great for months. Recently I have been having an occasional issue with it starting the next day after a large storm. It will cough and make a chug like sound and blows white smoke out of the breather tube. I am guessing it is water. It doesn't really have much of a smell to it. Usually, I just try starting it over and over and eventually it cranks over and starts. Yesterday we had a some significant rain. I was taking it out to the river this morning. So I went out first thing to see if it would start. It coughed a couple times and blow out some white smoke and then started up. I let it run for a little while, then shut it down. A couple hours later (after I got all the kayaks strapped on top), it started doing it again. This time it would not start. It just kept blowing white smoke from the breather tube. The amount of smoke did decrease. I left the Jeep behind and headed the lake. When I got back about 4 hours later. I cranked it, and it started right up. I am pretty sure it is partially a result of Blow By, but does that usually keep it from starting and where could all that water be coming from? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
Check you plugs, those are typical signs of high crankcase pressures caused by failing valve stem seals and piston rings'

Got to ask, what's a 424?
 
Sorry, a 6-242 4.0L engine, not 424. New plugs did go in when I replaced the engine. Any ideas why it only happens after a big rain? I do have hood vents.
 
Ya , I think your distributor is getting wet and your plug wires are arking out to other wires and firing other cylinders at the same time , the spark will follow the path of least resistance , and that is usually the wrong cylinder . If you have some one crank it when it is dark you can see the spark jump , if that is your problem .
 
I will be changing the oil and checking the plug wires this week. Thanks for the help. I will let you know what I find.
 
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