Swamped it, what to do now?

[82Laredo]

So I took the CJ out yesterday evening on my first trail ride and.....



Famous last word "it didn't look that deep". Hahahaha

She sat in the water for about 45 minutes before my buddy showed up in his CJ7 to pull us out. It still ran sitting in the water and is still running good except for some more clutch chatter.

Oil looks fine, anything else yall recommend checking out?

Should I pressure wash out the frame rails to get the mud out and then blow out with compressed air?

Thanks guys!

 

[Petescj]

If your differentials don't have vent tubes or the water went higher than they are mounted I'd check them. I don't know how long you've owed your Cj but if you bought it and haven't replaced the Transfer Case oil and Transmission oil now is the time. Basically anywhere oil leaks from water can get in. Cleaning out the frame the way you described is also recommended.

 

[82Laredo]

Ok thank you. I've owned for 3 years now and have changed all fluids. I'll pull the fill plugs and suck a little oil out and check for water.

 

[mriplaybass]

Don't mess around sucking "a little" oil out. I would just play it safe and change all the oil in everything. Oil is a lot cheaper than gears, bearings, shafts, etc. That way you know you are good until the next "Hey everyone, watch what I can do!"

 

[Posi]

Water is heavier then oil, if it's been sitting for awhile the water will be at the bottom.

 

[Hedgehog]

Yep, right at the bottom where many differentials have no drain plugs. I'd dump the running gear oil, if it shows any water an old time fix was to fill with kerosene and run it a little, like around the yard a couple times, dump the kerosene and fill with Dino oil. For grins change the engine oil and filter. be suspicious about the fuel.

 

[HackFabrication]

Oil is a lot cheaper than gears, bearings, shafts, etc.

The PITA factor alone (pulling out the Transmission /Transfer Case , diffs, etc., is well worth a couple gallons of gear lube.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Gas and oil will always be the cheapest thing we put in our Jeeps.
Change ALL oils and repack the wheel bearings, ASAP!
LG

 

[Peanut Butter]

with all of the above. I have to say it was probably smart to keep it running while you were in the water.

As a side note, right now is not a good time to do something like that down here. Last nights storm just a few miles North of us had to evacuate 1/3 of a small town and so far at least one death. It's a crazy world in South Central Texas this Spring. :dunno:

 

[mtnwhlr]

As a side note, right now is not a good time to do something like that down here. Last nights storm just a few miles North of us had to evacuate 1/3 of a small town and so far at least one death. It's a crazy world in South Central Texas this Spring. :dunno:

Stay safe my friend.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Stay safe my friend.

Another big round tonight and again on Thursday. Last Spring was the same way. We've had five different storms with baseball or larger hail. Insurance companies are going nuts. Son's truck and wife's car were totaled in one. Very unusal for South Central Texas. Just take a look at the radar images for Texas and you'll see what I mean.

Sorry for the highjack.

 

[CJim7]

Change ALL oils and repack the wheel bearings, ASAP!
LG

I cant stress this enough. I did something similar to this to my old '65 and I went through everything....front and rear end, tranny, xfercase, I even had to flush the motor since it sucked in quite a bit of water. The one thing I forgot was the wheel bearings and I ended up paying for that. Silt and sand can get in anywhere.