Episode 419 – Jeep Electrical – Parasitic Draw and Spark Plugs
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Jeep Talk Show is brought to you by ExtremeTerrain, Wrangler off-road parts and accessories outfitter. Stay tuned for later in this episode to hear about Merideth Evasew’s latest buyer’s guide video for Front and Rear Jeep Bumpers.
This Week In Jeep:
Jeep Wrangler – Special Edition – RECON
If you’re a Jeep fan you know the Wrangler is known for two things. There’s no better vehicle offroad, AND…the Wrangler has has more special edition’s than I bet anyone alive can remember off the top of their head. We can likely go back to the CJ era for blame and look at one of Jeeps first special editions, the Renegade. Now horrifically regurgitated into what we see today. A far cry from what a Renegade was back in the day. Fast forward to the modern era, and we look at the JK’s who with their three models, and in their 12 year run had at least 19 special editions, which didn’t even start until the 2009 model year, 2 years after the JK’s debut. All jabs at Renegade lovers aside, Jeep is at it again. This time we see the new JL getting revamped with a new special edition of its own, but this isn’t going to be the first, no no! …So far, there have already been the Black and Tan, Willys, and Freedom Editions. The latest special edition model for 2020 is the Wrangler Rubicon Recon Edition. I’m going to stop right here and say that at the time of this recording, this has not been officially confirmed by anyone at FCA and is more or less just highly substantiated rumors at this point, but (so far at least) seem to have credibility.
So why should any of us care then? If this is just Jeep being Jeep, then what’s the big deal. The big deal is actually the deal itself. THIS special edition is worth getting excited about since it adds a boatload of optional equipment for only $2755. The package is only available on the top-end Rubicon trim, which comes standard with all-terrain tires, locking front and rear Dana 44 axles, and a low 4:1 transfer case. The changes that come with the Recon Edition start under the hood, where the standard naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V-6 and six-speed manual transmission are replaced by Jeep’s very torquey turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four mated to the optional eight-speed automatic. The exterior sees a plethora of upgrades including LED headlights and taillights, a red and black hood stripe decal, Moab rock rails, new wheels with a black paint finish, a gloss black grille, body color matched fenders, a Recon fender badge, front and rear steel bumpers with recovery points, and a black hardtop roof. The already near perfect interior gets some extra highlights with red seat belts and seat bolsters with red stitching. If you separately purchased all the listed equipment that comes standard in the package, you could expect to pay over $5600. That’s a pretty significant chunk of change for some decent creature comforts and some serious styling. This is also the only way to get Jeep’s eTorque hybrid engine on a Rubicon model. Again, all this right now is allegedly leaked info and we can’t confirm nor deny the accuracy. However, once Jeep makes their formal announcements on this stuff, you will be the first to know about the rest of the details.
2018-19 Jeep Wranglers Frame Recall
As we all know, the Jeep Wrangler is one of the most popular SUVs in the country, and the world. Unfortunately, there have been raising concerns about the frames under these Jeeps. And some Jeep owners aren’t sure if a recent recall of some models is enough to fix the issues. Some reports show rusted welds, welds with little to no penetration, and welds that should be solid on the frame that had signs of cracking or breaks. There has even been evidence of 1″ gaps or more in frame welds that should have been a continuous bead… and on some Jeeps they are, but not on all, and that’s the problem. That and what this means for the longevity of these models or their frames.
What could this mean for a Jeeper who is serious about offroading and puts the Jeep through moments of extreme articulation, really putting stresses on these frames. All it could take is traversing one rock, and *POP* there goes the frame. After so many examples, complaints and reports, the The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now launched an official investigation into frame welding on nearly a quarter-million 2018 and 2019 Wranglers. Oddly enough, all those reports about newer Jeeps having death wobble, are actually tied into this. If you would like to learn more about death wobble, take a listen to episode 393 where we had the man himself, Dr. Death wobble on the show to break it all down. Now, between May 7th and Aug. 21st of 2018, Jeep’s Toledo North Assembly Plant used frames with what are called an “off seam [track bar] weld location” to build up to 18,055 new Jeep Wranglers.
The result, Jeep says in its NHTSA Safety Recall Report, is that likely around 720 vehicles (or roughly 4 percent of the recall population) have track bar brackets that could potentially “[separate] from the frame.” This sounds like something you’d never, ever want to happen to your vehicle for any number of reasons. So yea, lets get that fix taken care of ASAP thanks. Even though Jeep is fairly certain they have a handle on all this, there still lies the possibility that your Jeep may be affected in some way, but is not part of this recall. The online forums have many many stories of people who, during a routine vehicle inspection found out they had a frame with potential issues, and were advised to go back to the dealership. Some of these folks were able to get repairs done under warranty so if you have any doubt or concern, then check with your dealer or an independent repair shop, and hopefully they can provide you some answers, so you don’t waste your money. Or worse, waste your life or someone else’s in a crash. Be advised though, from what I hear, the inspection process, along with the review of that inspection, along with any repairs done, are all handled by different individuals, and the whole thing can take several days or more, so hopefully your dealer has a loaner program. If you are one of the affected and have gone or are going through this process we want to hear from you, so please reach out to us.
Wrangler Talk:
Spark Plugs, Let’s make it electric up in here.
Hello JTS listener and welcome to this week’s wrangler talk where we are going to play with some electricity. Oh yeah, I am talking about sticking a fork in an electrical socket or at least something close to that. No, we are going to be talking about something that has a whole lot more power than just a wall outlet, we are going to be talking about spark plugs. Well a spark plug is probably the most important part of the engine besides the engine block itself. Your spark plug generates the electric current needed for igniting the compressed air and fuel in the combustion chamber and yes, we all love blowing things up. Also, a spark plug is considered to be a maintenance item on your engine, so they do need to be changed after a certain mile mark and every spark plug is different, so we will cover that later. Although not all spark plugs are created equally, and each spark plug needs to be used in its own application. So, there are 4 different types of spark plugs and they are copper, Iridium, Platinum and Double Platinum Plugs. So first let’s cover the most basic and oldest spark plug there is and that is the copper spark plug. These plugs will be mostly used on some of the older jeeps and when I say older I am talking like 1980 and older. Copper plugs well are made from copper, meaning that the internal components of the plug are made from mostly copper with a central electrode being made from a nickel alloy and the largest diameter tip of all the other plugs on the market. The larger tip means that will need more voltage to generate an electric current across the gap between the electrode and anode of the plug. When it comes to Copper plugs they are not very durable and tend to wear out the quickest among all the other types of plugs. So, since they wear out the quickest it is recommended that they are replaced every 30,000 miles or so. Now let’s jump to the complete opposite end of the spectrum and talk about the most durable and longest lasting spark plugs out on the market, and that is iridium plugs. Iridium spark plugs are the most common spark plug being put on newer vehicles and that is for a couple of reasons. Well first because they last the longest, secondly, they require a lot less voltage to generate the electrical spark needed to ignite the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. Iridium plugs have a very small center electrode meaning that they will require less voltage so in the newer cars were there are a lot of electronic controlling all the other crap in the car these plugs and will not draw current away from your stereo turned all the way up to 50 drowning out your loud tires driving down the road. Although when it comes to iridium plugs you will never want to down grade to any other plug on the market, Jeep put these plugs in the jeep for a reason and if you stray away from these plugs you will be hurting the performance of your jeep. Finally, when it comes to replacing your iridium spark plugs it is recommended to replace them every 100,000 or so miles. Now on to Platinum plugs and there are two different types of platinum plugs there are standard platinum spark plugs then there are double platinum plugs, and both have their sperate application. So first let’s talk about platinum plugs. Platinum plugs have a platinum disc welded to the tip of the center electrode making them much stronger than the copper plugs although not quite as strong and durable as the iridium plugs. Also, platinum plugs tend to generate more heat when they ignite which leads to less build up and debris on the electrode leading to longer life of the plugs. Platinum plugs were designed to just make a longer lasting spark plug for all engine models and tend to work the best in our trusty 4.0L the best. Although they are not designed for any 4.0L that is 2000 and newer that will require the next type of spark plug. So, when it comes to replacing your platinum spark plugs it is recommended to replace them about every 60,000 miles or so. Now on to Double Platinum plugs and these spark plugs were designed to be used with an ignition system that utilizes waste spark meaning that the spark plug will actually spark twice during the combustion process. There will be a spark on the compression stroke of the cylinder and then spark again on the exhaust stroke of the cylinder. The waste spark system was designed to be more reliable and isn’t affected by environmental conditions such as rain or dampness. Secondly Double Platinum plugs were designed to be used with electronic distributor ignition systems or DIS, meaning to be used with cars that don’t have a distributor cap although also cars that do not have individual coil packs so for example the 3.8 litter in the Jeep JK has an electronic distributor system. So, all jeep wrangler made from 2000 and newer have a DIS ignition system. Finally, when it comes to replacing the double platinum plugs it is recommend to replace them every 60,000 miles same as the standard platinum plugs. Finally, when it comes to spark plugs I recommend sticking with the plugs that your engine came with from the factory. Jeep used those plugs for a reason and your engine will run the best when replacing them. Thank you for listening to this week’s wrangler talk and just remember did I miss something or do you want to hear about a specific topic on the wrangler talk well head over to jeeptalkshow.com/contact and send us an email or leave us a voice message and we would be happy to help you out and talk to you next week on the wrangler talk.
Jeep Life:
Jeep Life in Colorado
Neil and I have moved our slide in camper to a campground in Del Norte, my new home. I’ll be sharing my Camper on a Budget blog at www.JeepMomma.com. right now Neil and I are scouring junkyards for parts. We are rebuilding a LJ that was totaled in an accident. We’ve cut the frame that’s twisted and will be repairing it with a TJ frame and looking for a CJ front clip. I’m excited to be in the garage learning. I’m still working through my emotional issues of missing my kids and dealing with a separation.
Tech Talk With Jeep Talk:
Voltage Drop Test – Parasitic Drain – Procedures
Last week I started to tell you about another way to track down and identify the source of a battery drain, or a parasitic draw in your Jeep’s electrical system. I ended just short of teaching you the actual procedures so that I didn’t throw too much information at you all at once. Some schools of thought say that it’s a good idea to get an actual measurement of the draw, to get an idea of how serious the problem is.
My train of thought is that if the battery keeps dying on you day after day, then it’s probably serious enough to do something about and this information generally isn’t critical to finding the problem. However, if you do want these numbers, you will need to disconnect the battery and place your meter inline between the terminal and the battery cable. Plastic chip-clips, tape, or even c-clamps can keep the meter probes securely attached to the terminal and cable end for this part of things, just make sure nothing shorts out. Obviously you will need to have the meter set up to measure and display amps. You will also want to select the highest amp setting on the display selector since car batteries carry enough amperage to pop the fuse in most meters. This is also why we want the vehicle in that sleep mode I was talking about in the last episode. Even something like the dome light coming on can pop the fuse in many digital volt meters.
For most vehicles the process takes about an hour to ensure the vehicle and all its sensors and systems have discharged or turned off and gone to sleep. THIS is when you take your amperage measurement. Note that most vehicles draw at least some battery current when the key is off. This is normal, and due to things like the clock and the internal memory of engine computers, body-control modules, and radio presets.
Altogether, they draw a very small amount of current though. 50 milliamps would be a safe upper limit for this on modern Jeeps, though older Jeeps I’d say the limit to be closer to 30, and even those numbers I think are conservatively high. Ok, now say for instance you find a parasitic draw of 2 or 3 amps… this is easily enough to discharge a Jeep’s battery. Now that you know just how MUCH draw you have, (not that it was important to begin with) you need to move to the closest fuse panel (at this point it’s usually the one under the hood) to pinpoint the source of the draw. Switching from amperage to voltage, set your meter to read millivolts and make sure it’s in the right range too. Reconnect the battery, and in worst case scenarios, you’ll have to wait again for the vehicle to go back to sleep if reconnecting the battery woke it up. Now with a probe in each hand and the vehicle in sleep mode, probe on each side of a single fuse and note or record the absolute voltage value. Each fuse has two tiny little nibbs of metal that protrude out the top of the fuse body, this is where you will be probing.
It’s important to note that your probes need to be sharp to get into the recess of the smaller fuses where the metal is. If your meter probes have been rounded off real good, take a few minutes with a file or sandpaper to put a new point on them. You also do not want to be using a meter that has a reading that wildly fluctuates. It’s normal for a digital voltmeter to bounce around a little, but if its excessive then it may be time for a replacement or recalibration. Ignore negative voltage readings or switch the orientation of your test probes on the fuse if seeing the negative symbol distracts you.
On most of the fuses there should be a reading of zero. This means that circuit is indeed actually asleep. But eventually, you will come to the circuit that still has voltage flowing across it when it shouldn’t. A few milliamps is going to be fine, but if you see actual voltage, (really anything over 1 full volt) then likely that circuit is going to be the problem or part of it. You may have to move from the fuse box under the hood to the one or ones inside the vehicle. More often times than not the draw is going to be found in an interior circuit. Something inside the radio, a sticky relay, a shorting seat heater, a faulty switch somewhere, you get the idea. And now you get the idea behind testing for a parasitic drain using the voltage drop method. Like I said, there are several ways to go about doing this test, so if my methods differ from the ones you are familiar with, just know that we’ll come to the same conclusions either way. Good luck Jeeper, and if you end up having to use this, be sure to give us a call and let us know how it went.
Next week, we’re going to have a quick tip that is perfect for wet weather trail fixes.
Jeep Weather:
Jeep Weather: Hey Jeeper, Mitch here, today is the 10th of January 2020, and it’s time for your weekend Going Topless-Jeep Weather Report. So, I was thinking of where to go topless this weekend around North America, well I came up with a few places that you can go. Now I chose these locations as they lend to a good excuse to go topless. First, go topless in Roswell, New Mexico. You can use the excuse if you ever get caught, that the aliens brainwashed you and took your top off. Here it will be 54 and cloudy Friday then 59 and sunny for Saturday and Sunday. Next, suggest going topless in Huntington. Tell her that it will be warm with clouds, Friday and Saturday at 67 and 77 respectively, then Sunday will be dropping to 54 degrees. Just leave out the part that this is for Huntington, West Virginia and not Huntington Beach, California. Alright, maybe Hot Springs, South Carolina will get your tops off this weekend. It will be partly cloudy all weekend with 22 on Friday, 36 on Saturday, and 38 on Sunday. Now out of curiosity I did check, and Hot Springs has hot springs to save you from that nippily temperatures. Lastly, if you can’t convince anyone to go topless with you, then Dodge City, Kansas is where you’re headed. Friday has clouds at 34 degrees, Saturday is supposed to be sunny at 38, and Sunday partly cloudy at 48 degrees. Don’t forget to use the #JeepTalkShow on social media for us to see those pictures. If you have any suggestions or want to know YOUR local weather in an upcoming episode. Go to JeepTalkShow.com slash contact in order to find all the ways to get a message to me. I’m Mitch and its always great weekend to Go Topless if you’re brave enough! Just Go Topless responsibly. Mitch takes us around the nation in the hopes of finding somewhere to take our tops off.
Wheeling Where:
61st annual California Four Wheel Drive Association Convention
February 14th – 16th
Rancho Cordova, California
More Info: https://cal4wheel.com/events
Midwest Overlanding and Offroad Expo
February 15-16
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri
More Info: #SMORR2MOORE Adventure Route MOORE EXPO 2.5 hour ride, no pavement, all offroad, from SMORR offroad park to the MOORE Expo. 3 guided caravans!
Links Mentioned in Episode 419:
ExtremeTerrain’s Wrangler bumper (front and rear) buyer’s guide video
https://www.extremeterrain.com/wrangler-jeep-bumpers-towing.html