radio static - 1998 XJ

It usual is bad ignition wires and/or incorrect resistor spark plugs. Or you are underneath high power lines. God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O mailto: snipped-for-privacy@billhughes.com

It usual is bad ignition wires and/or incorrect resistor spark plugs. Or you are underneath high power lines. God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O mailto: snipped-for-privacy@billhughes.com

This is a common symptom of bad spark plug wires.

A cheap easy way to check the wires is to get in some dark place and look hard at the engine with it running. If the wires are bad you will see faint starks running along the wires or between the wires and any nearby metal.

Jeff DeWitt

The ignition noise is probably the best answer but I just fixed the same problem on my 88 MJ and your comment about "touching" the brakes rang a bell. I could generate the static at will by pushing the brake pedal just right. Then I noticed that I had to put a fair amount of pressure on the pedal to get the brake lights to come on. Put two and two together then changed the brake switch. Noise gone, brake lights work. The contacts inside the switch were corroded and it took extra pressure to get a good contact.

Weird problem. If I hadn't been listen to a weak AM station, I might still be looking for the problem with my brake lights! Gotta love 20 year old vehicles....

Sixty one:

Jeff DeWitt

Thanks Will and Jeff. The brake switch is a relatively recent replacement. I'll clean & grease the contacts.

It's been over 70,000 miles since I replaced the plug wires & distributor cap, so perhaps it's time.

I'll report back with any results. Thanks, again.

Jim

Jumper the engine block to the battery ground. Corrosion in the engine ground strap can cause a lot of noise.

After thinking about the replies, it occured to me that I probably left a wrong impression. That is, the static is random in sound - it is not the sound of engine RPMs, or anything like that - just static in the atmosphere.

Jim

Thanks, Doug.

Jim

Switch to Modulated Frequencies. ;-) God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O mailto: snipped-for-privacy@billhughes.com

One other thing to try, take a good look at your antenna, make sure it isn't a bit loose, if it is, or if it's not making good contact with the body that can contribute to static because your getting a weaker signal.

If you have one of the one of the older style telescoping antennas make sure it's clean, if those segments don't make good contact with each other than effect your signal strength too.

Jeff DeWitt