Topic: Factory fog laps bulb upgrade?

[moerl8088]

I recently had a talk with one of my local law enforcement officials who owns a wrangler.  he had mentioned to me that he installed a couple of really high wattage bulbs in his factory lights.  I don't exactly remember what he said they were, but the point was that they were much higher output than stock.  I was just wondering if this was a good idea or not.

incidently, his is a 2005.  his previous one (not sure on year) had an engine fire.  He said that his didn't come from the factory with heat shielding around the exhaust manifold and a bunch of leaves got up in there and started a fire.  so then the whole engine compartment went up in smoke I guess.  He got a check from Chrysler for $7,000 for the repair, then he traded it off.  I don't really know how likely that all is, but thats the story.

[Jeffy]

Well, I don't recommend adding higher wattage bulbs to the stock lights.  The problem is the wiring.  I don't beleive they use relays in their wiring. Although, I should look up a schematic to be 100% sure.  In any case, adding higher wattage bulbs draws more power from the existing wiring.  If it draws too much it will start to heat up the wiring and cause a short then a fire.

I don't know about the whole leaves story.  Unless you're parking your Jeep under a tree with the hood up, I can't see it happening.  And how many leaves got stuck there?

[hopp]

I had an '02 with a 4.0L. It had a recall on a missing intake manifold heat
 shield. The complaint was that debris would accumulate and start a fire.
 Chrysler was very persistant to get me in.

If he had the 4.0L it would be a plausible story.

[moerl8088]

Jeffy, thats what I was thinking with the wiring.  I also figured thats why any aftermarket set of lights will use its own relay instead.  On the jeep my sister drives I had put a set of KC slimlites.  what I wanted to do was take the stock fog lamps off of my 02 sport and plug them in to the factory harnesses on hers, the 00.  But I can't seem to find any lighting harness for the fog lamps on hers.  It didn't come with fog lamps from the factory.  So then I figured I would just have to find some cheap way of improving mine and thats what this guy told me he did.  So I guess, if somebody says that I'm just retarded and there's fog lamp harnesses on every TJ even if it came without lamps from the factory that would be nice, because then I could just switch.  oh well.
and yes, he did have the 4.0, and Chrysler paid for all the repair just out of the goodness of their heart, and without admitting any fault.  arent they sweet.

[jwrape]

Well, I don't recommend adding higher wattage bulbs to the stock lights.  The problem is the wiring.  I don't beleive they use relays in their wiring. Although, I should look up a schematic to be 100% sure.  In any case, adding higher wattage bulbs draws more power from the existing wiring.  If it draws too much it will start to heat up the wiring and cause a short then a fire.

I don't know about the whole leaves story.  Unless you're parking your Jeep under a tree with the hood up, I can't see it happening.  And how many leaves got stuck there?

Yea, the wiring won't handle it. My Mustang has a wiring issue from the factory. They put in much too small wiring for the factory bulbs and the wiring will over heat and shut off ALL the lights. I still have to re-wire them to correct it.

Moral of the story is, don't over load your wiring, might end up like your law buddy with a fire but not from leaves in the engine compartment..

Funny thing, I am wondering WHY he had leaves in his engine compartment and didn't clean them out. I look in my engine all the time. I would have noticed something like that and pulled it out, but that's how anal I am about my stuff.