Well, like the title says, Detroit got hammered yesterday by a freak storm and we got almost 6" of rain dumped on us in about 4 hrs. Many of the freeways here are below grade, and every one of them was closed yesterday due to flooding - especially under the over passes where they dip lower. So on the news, they showed hundreds of vehicles stranded as they tried to go through the deep water, and it got me wondering: How deep is too deep? In other words, if I'm contemplating going through deep water, what component on the truck will cause it to stall if it gets water in it? Also, the maintenance schedule says to change rear axle lube at 100,000 miles and/or if submerged in water. Does that means even if it submerged only once for a few seconds as I wade throguh some deep water?

 

If you plan on going into deep water you have to prepare your truck, I live at the shore in jersey and already water proofed it. Now fresh water is much better than salt water, first thing is, running water or ponding water big difference, standing water is ok, when the water is running avoid it, the road could be eroded away or you might be swept away as well. my truck can make it trough 3 feet of water, my lift, tires, lockers, and the weight of the truck all help, I can pull the cold air tube out of my air cleaner box and pull air from the engine compartment. I raised all my vents front diff, rear diff, trans, transfercase and the fuel tank using heavy duty fuel injection hose with worm clamps, drilled a 1" hole in the front of my bed and ran my vents up to the top of my aux. fuel tank, always lock your hubs before forging water you never know whats down there, trees, all kinds of debris. Always go slow people think if they floor it they will make it to the other side, those are the cars you see floating in the water, with people sitting on the roof with a hydralocked motor, you dont want that wake to hit the engine, slow and steady will get it done. and if you did go through that water you still have to service everything, even if the fluid looks good ya never know, always becarefull.

 

The axle vent hose should have a check valve and be clipped to the frame rail.
if it sat submerged up to the bed you might want to check it out.

Usually it is the distributor that gets water splashed on/in it and kills the ignition.

I wouldn't want to run through water deeper than the air filter intake hose.
Hydrolocking an engine while running is sure to bend some rods.

 

I personally wouldn't go into water deeper than the rocker panels. These trucks aren't as waterproof as they once were. I've hit some pretty descent water and mud in mine but it never got above the axle. And by the sound of it, your driving on paved roads correct?if so, keep your hubs locked and your t case in 2wd. If your about to go through deep water, engage the t case and unlock it shortly before your out of the water. Running with the t case engaged on pavement is hard on the front end

 

BTW, here's a story with some pics. I saw over 50 cars stranded this morning on my way into work:
Detroit Historic Flooding: Parts of Major Interstates Still Closed After Historic Rainfall Event, One Dead - weather.com

 

Very true. Ask me how I know.

Also need to be careful of hydroplaning. Tires can lose contact with the road when driving at speed through water.

Be careful and thoughts are with you in Detroit. We went through the same thing here in Melville Saskatchewan first weekend in July. Still mopping up.

 

Find the bottom of your air intake. That's that absolute maximum you can possibly go through. And keep the "bow wave" in mind. If you aren't crawling through at an idle you'll push water ahead that you also need to have the air intake above. If you get water into your air intake you are in real danger of hydrolocking the engine.

Raising the air intake (even temporarily) can lessen the chance of hydrolocking, but there are other issues as well.

If the bottom of your cooling fan hits water you might get in trouble. Worst case the fan pulls itself forward in the water and tears up the radiator. But even short of that it will spray water arount a lot, making it more likely to get in the distributor. Pulling the belt off before going into the water and putting it back on when you get out can be a short-term fix, but only short term. remember you won't be turning your water pump like that either.

As mentioned, water in the distributor is the most likely thing to cause a stall. There's quite a bit that can be done to waterproof distributors if you expect to drive into water a lot (mud racers or swamp buggies). But for regular trucks you probably don't want to go that route. I've heard (but not tried) that spaying WD-40 into the inside of a wet distributor cap will dry it out so the engine will run again.

Axles, trannies and t.cases can get water in them. As noted, probably not a big risk if it's not in water for long, but it's not a bad idea to check the lube when you get a chance.

 

Axle vents do NOT have check valves. But it would not be a bad idea to put them in.

Also, your trans has a vent in the top(automatics) so there is another limiting factor

 

What about water in you exhaust pipe? Mine runs above my rear axle, so water at a depth of the bottom of that bend would start filling up the muffler and probably block the exhaust from exhausting. I know that would hydrolock the engine, but wouldn't that be enough to stall it?

 

Your PCM/EEC will be under water before the air intake gets there. About the bottom of the cab is when you should start being concerned with frying it. I'm still trying to think of a way to waterproof it. Thought of making a harness to MOVE the blasted thing and put it high in the cab.

The distributor can be sealed with RTV. Use silicone grease on each end of the plug and coil wires.

Trans/t-case/axle vents need to be extended too. Put 'em up high as you can.

A lot of people forget, but after driving around in deep water, pull the front hubs apart and service them. Clean/re-grease as needed.

Then change or at least check all the other stuff... engine, trans, t-case, axle, steering, etc.

 

As long as the engine is running, you should be fine. I've had my truck in water over the exhaust and never had an issue. The exhaust pressure should displace the water fairly easily.

This is what I consider the limit for my truck:



I ended up turning around and finding an alternate route in this case, and after I got around to the other side, there was an S10 that had stalled out in the mess by trying to go through. I waded in up over my waist to help push the guy out. I was really glad I decided to find another way.

 

Hmmm,
I guess I don't know what that little plastic cylinder thing on the end of my vent hose is then.
But you can blow through it and you can't suck back

 

EVERY one of my trucks will allow air to go BOTH ways and any truck I have ever worked on has been the same way. You must have a one in a million

 

Likewise with mine

 

Then I stand corrected. EVERY truck I have owned and worked on must have been changed