Flooded Jeep and Transmission

[Nekator]

Hi ya, try to keep your knickers on while reading this post. Dashed off last night to camp out on a lake basin that has been dry for the last 5 years. This morning we got exceptional rain and panicked just in time to leave the place... I had to put the ol' CJ7 through a 1 meter deep (almost 40") and 10 meter wide SLOW water crossing to get to the other side. Jeep stalled on me, but we managed to get it back up and running after drying the coils and plugs... would not start with the key switch but got it to run by kick starting it. Its been sitting in the my garage for a couple of hours now and yellow liquid is oozing from the tranny or Transfer Case ... I suppose the CJ tran/transfer wasn't waterproofed and had no intention of actually putting it through this. I am now getting a tow truck to pick the jeep off tomorrow morning to take it to the local "jeep repair shop". Can any one comment on what I can expect from the shop? Jeep ran quite well on the 45 minute drive back from the camp site. I suppose Transmission fluid change and possible differential and Transfer Case fluid change as well? Anything else?

 

[csuengr]

Yellow to brownish ooze is water mixed with gear oil. Hopefully the bearings and gear teeth are still in good shape. You will probably have to change the diff oil as well.

 

[IOPort51]

Drain it and flush it out with mineral spirits, fill it with mineral spirits, let it set, drain it, three or four times , put a decent gear lube in it and let the good times roll. Change the gear lube in a couple of hundred miles. Don't forget the axles, change lube and repack bearings.

A little water in the gear lube is not the end of the world, just don't let it set there too long.

Hi ya, try to keep your knickers on while reading this post. Dashed off last night to camp out on a lake basin that has been dry for the last 5 years. This morning we got exceptional rain and panicked just in time to leave the place... I had to put the ol' CJ7 through a 1 meter deep (almost 40") and 10 meter wide SLOW water crossing to get to the other side. Jeep stalled on me, but we managed to get it back up and running after drying the coils and plugs... would not start with the key switch but got it to run by kick starting it. Its been sitting in the my garage for a couple of hours now and yellow liquid is oozing from the tranny or Transfer Case ... I suppose the CJ tran/transfer wasn't waterproofed and had no intention of actually putting it through this. I am now getting a tow truck to pick the jeep off tomorrow morning to take it to the local "jeep repair shop". Can any one comment on what I can expect from the shop? Jeep ran quite well on the 45 minute drive back from the camp site. I suppose Transmission fluid change and possible differential and Transfer Case fluid change as well? Anything else?

 

[csuengr]

It's not like the dreaded pink milkshake.

 

[Nekator]

Fantastic, seem like the Ol' CJ7 rides again ! Diff/transmision/transfer oil clean and swap it is then....

My most sincere appreciation to you all!

 

[Torxhead]

May I ask, can you confirm the oil condition prior to going swimming?

 

[Nekator]

Nope, sorry. A bit dumb huh?

 

[Nekator]

Not sure I should continue posting this here but lets give it a try. Does anyone have checklist that I should go over before attempting to put the Jeep through water again or wading? I haven't got a snorkel for deep immersion but I figure there are lots of other places that could benefit from certain "water proofing" such as starter motor, diffs, Transfer Case and Transmission . Anyone?

 

[Peanut Butter]

A long time ago I use to use clear silicone to seal the distributor and plug wires. If needed it is pertty easy to pull off or rub off. Seamed to work. Always good to have a can of WD40 or brake cleaner to clean the moisture from the inside of an old style non-electronic distributor. Best water proofing is to use a diesel engine.

Of course everything depends on how high of water you go through. Just a snorkel woun't get you through. You should have the exhaust exit elevated above the water level. Like the pictures of the marine's humvees. Again a diesel engine though. With a gas engine you will also have to consider the spark pluges, carburater, distributer, coil, and any sensor wires. Then there are all the vents on the diffs, Transmission , Transfer Case , and gas tank. Rod

 

[Nekator]

Coming back to the consequences of flooding the jeep. Turns out the CJ has been having difficulties picking up speed after a red light or full stop. Finally gave up and took it to the garage today. Turns out the intake manifold is warped and leaking, this has caused a leak in the fuel gas supply to cylinders 5 and 6 on the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l I6... The mechanic said gasket was probably to blame but I mentioned It started acting up after flooding it and he mentioned that the sudden contact with cold water could be to blame and that this might then mean that the gasket is leaking because the intake manifold is warped.

C'mon, can this really happen to a CJ7 after jumping over a couple of puddles (1 meter deep puddles)?

 

[Torxhead]

I would think with a little modification($) your Jeep could do whatever you want it to. I would hope your objective is to have fun. Thanks for the update.

 

[Hedgehog]

I don't know, warping an intake manifold under those conditions doesn't seem quite right. I can see where as hot as an exhaust manifold is it could take a hit, but not the intake. I bet a simple gasket will fix the problem. How's the gasket on your carborator?

 

[TroyaCantrell]

I have seen water from a cold hose crack an over heated head before.


Troy Cantrell
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Build thread - '66 CJ6 :
http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15075

 

[Hedgehog]

Aren't intake manifolds relatively cool as compared to the head and exhaust manifold? I suppose it is possible, maybe they are right.