mud in engine bay...
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 182
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From: Thornton CO
mud in engine bay...
this weekend i tryed some deep mud for the first time, after i got home i found out there was mud all over the inside of my hood, engine, open air filter, etc. what have some of you used as extra cover to keep the mud out, or at least less mud out of the engine? or is it as simple as some plastic pieces and some zip-ties...
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 275
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I've never seen a truck that actually gets used off road that had a nice sparkly clean engine bay. Without shielding the whole underside of the engine bay, and sealing it all up, it's going to get dirty.
Gotta pay to play! And afterwards you gotta clean it up! I can't even tell you the number of hours I've spent pressure washing the gobs of mud from my driveway. It's just the result of the fun!
Gotta pay to play! And afterwards you gotta clean it up! I can't even tell you the number of hours I've spent pressure washing the gobs of mud from my driveway. It's just the result of the fun!
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
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Gotta remeber that there still has to be some sort of openings for air to get in so the engine can breathe, and air has to get out once heat is exchanged through the radiator.
Trying to completely seal the engine bay is next to impossible for the above reasons.
You can try to minimize the problem by adding a pre filter over the existing air filter, and maybe using a cotton gauze filter instead of a paper filter, water proof electrical connections and ignition.
Mud is going to get up there, the tires throw a bunch, and if the mechanical fan gets into the mud or water it will fling mud around everywhere. Preparing for a wet run is far easier than trying to prevent it. Prevention is an uphill battle. I have seen plenty of concepts with rubber mats, and other similar items in an attempt to prevent mud from getting to the engine, but none have actually worked so well.
However,,,,, regular old screen does a decent job of preventing the radiator from getting contaminated with mud, and preventing it from cooling.
Big mud runs are fun, but you gotta remeber to keep that radiator clean. If mud is permitted to pack up in the radiator, it will not cool, and the engine will overheat.
Trying to completely seal the engine bay is next to impossible for the above reasons.
You can try to minimize the problem by adding a pre filter over the existing air filter, and maybe using a cotton gauze filter instead of a paper filter, water proof electrical connections and ignition.
Mud is going to get up there, the tires throw a bunch, and if the mechanical fan gets into the mud or water it will fling mud around everywhere. Preparing for a wet run is far easier than trying to prevent it. Prevention is an uphill battle. I have seen plenty of concepts with rubber mats, and other similar items in an attempt to prevent mud from getting to the engine, but none have actually worked so well.
However,,,,, regular old screen does a decent job of preventing the radiator from getting contaminated with mud, and preventing it from cooling.
Big mud runs are fun, but you gotta remeber to keep that radiator clean. If mud is permitted to pack up in the radiator, it will not cool, and the engine will overheat.
Street Queen to the extr3m3
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,554
Likes: 3
From: Lubbock, Texas
i would shy away from the open element filter while mudding,
as it goes you have to pay to play, i still have mud in my engine compartment, from about 6 months ago, and everytime i wash my truck, i find somemore mud! Imagine that!
as it goes you have to pay to play, i still have mud in my engine compartment, from about 6 months ago, and everytime i wash my truck, i find somemore mud! Imagine that!
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 182
Likes: 1
From: Thornton CO
agree, there will always be mud up there, i guess my main concern was the filter, i have a k&n cold air intake, and the mud got in between the grooves of the filter, i just finished cleaning it off. i guess i have to find a way to seal the filter a little better...
thanks for the quick responce everybody...
p.s. i had a blast on the mud, i normally like the rocks and just mountain trails were not much mud is involved. i'll be doing it again...
thanks for the quick responce everybody...
p.s. i had a blast on the mud, i normally like the rocks and just mountain trails were not much mud is involved. i'll be doing it again...
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 782
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From: South Carolina
Tire shine all over the truck, engine bay, undercarriage, tires,body. Keeps the stuff from sticking. Or u can use diesel in a spray bottle. (Or vaseline if u so desire)j/k
Rain x on the windows.
Rain x on the windows.
Street Queen to the extr3m3
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,554
Likes: 3
From: Lubbock, Texas
i dont know about your intake, but mine is almost the same as my stock box. Ive thought about making a box that would fit around the filter, also ive used, prefilters to catch all the mud, then pull it off, rinse it out, and your good to go, just throw it back on when you go back out in the mud!
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: South Carolina
Originally Posted by Truckin4life
i dont know about your intake, but mine is almost the same as my stock box. Ive thought about making a box that would fit around the filter, also ive used, prefilters to catch all the mud, then pull it off, rinse it out, and your good to go, just throw it back on when you go back out in the mud!
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Street Queen to the extr3m3
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,554
Likes: 3
From: Lubbock, Texas
that would be cool. Not to keen on hackin up my firewall for a intake to go through, if it were a dedicated mud truck, then heck ya i would but this is my dd were talkin about here, i dont want to have to work around a filter element to shift my transfer case!
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: South Carolina
Originally Posted by Truckin4life
that would be cool. Not to keen on hackin up my firewall for a intake to go through, if it were a dedicated mud truck, then heck ya i would but this is my dd were talkin about here, i dont want to have to work around a filter element to shift my transfer case!
I agree, not unless it is very dedicated. My truck draws its air through hood scoops. Not the smartest mod, esp. after floods and such when the water is 5 ft high. But 90% I have no prob, hood is like 68" above the dirt.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 182
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From: Thornton CO
what is a prefilter, is it just a cover for the filter or a larger filter over my reg filter, i guess both would work just i've never heard of that. that sounds like it would work just fine for me.
Street Queen to the extr3m3
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,554
Likes: 3
From: Lubbock, Texas
Its an element that slips over the filter, the fibers are not as tightly woven, used to filter out leaves and stuff like that, works well with mud too. I made one for my old four wheeler, took a piece of a trim to fit furnace filter and a big hose clamp and i clamp it on when i get to playin in the mud. Works pretty good, i clean it out every other week or so, on my 4wheeler, i dont see why you couldnt transfer the idea to your truck, i got the filter element at lowes, costs abotu 6 bucks and you could make 2 or 3 prefilters out of it! Cheap and it works!