Engine died during water crossing

[Banditoo7]

Hey, this is my first post and I’m learning about my jeep so go easy on me.

last Sunday night I crossed a flooded creek on the OOAT and it killed my engine. Water was half way up my door (3.5” lift on 37”s).

I grabbed my winch controller and jumped out my window. I took my winch one and swam to the bank swam back and put the winch in gear, and winched it out.

I thought I had destroyed my favorite toy but after eating 30 min, my headlights turned back on and I started it up.

I had a check engine light until I got to camp and started it the next morning, now the engine light is off, and it runs perfect.

questions:

1. Did I just get lucky or is there a safety device that shut it down before it drank creek water?

2. should I be concerned about anything/have anything checked out?

Before I get a lecture, trust me nobody could be more acutely aware of how lucky he is and how dumb that crossing attempt was.

Thanks

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[Maximus Gladius]

I can’t say for certain about why it shut down but I’d be checking to see if water contaminated the diffs, transmission and engine. Have you opened up the air box to see if water got in there or into the intake tubes?

I know the manual states “if the transmission is contaminated with water etc, you’re expected to change the oil. Assuming you have an automatic, maybe there’s a breather valve or something where water can get in.

Good luck and hope luck smiles down on you and you can walk away from this with no issues

 

[Blade1668]

Sounds like you got lucky but I'm surprised / interested in what happened. Was the water above the hood and how fast was you going? If traveling fast enough that could have lead to the shutdown maybe "???" Not as anything programed in, years ago I had my old pickup just quit shut off after I crossed some deeper water (water in dist cap) pulled off quick spray WD-40 and back on way after 30-45 minutes airing out.

 

[hjdca]

You should change all your fluids - engine oil, tranny fluid, diff fluids.

Check your oil dip stick and see if the oil is milky brown. If so, water is mixed in the oil... If not,
Oil floats on water... Let the jeep sit overnight... Open your engine oil drain plug a little bit and see if water drips out... If so, let it all drain out until oil comes out... At any rate, You should change your engine oil and filter anyway just to be safe.

 

[Berserker]

Do you have a video or pictures so that we can judge the water depth (and what components were potentially affected)? Did your engine make any sound when it died, and was your tailpipe restricted?

 

[Banditoo7]

Do you have a video or pictures so that we can judge the water depth (and what components were potentially affected)? Did your engine make any sound when it died, and was your tailpipe restricted?

Unfortunately no, we were all worn out and trying to make camp. Should have been off the trail hours earlier but we kept re-routing around bigger streams due to the depth.

no weird sounds it just died. On start up it took a little longer than normal.

In the attached photo I put a line on my door about where the water was on the upstream side.

 

[Banditoo7]

Sounds like you got lucky but I'm surprised / interested in what happened. Was the water above the hood and how fast was you going? If traveling fast enough that could have lead to the shutdown maybe "???" Not as anything programed in, years ago I had my old pickup just quit shut off after I crossed some deeper water (water in dist cap) pulled off quick spray WD-40 and back on way after 30-45 minutes airing out.

I was going pretty steady, maybe 3-5mph. Had an initial splash above my hood when I dropped into the deep hole.

 

[Banditoo7]

I can’t say for certain about why it shut down but I’d be checking to see if water contaminated the diffs, transmission and engine. Have you opened up the air box to see if water got in there or into the intake tubes?

I know the manual states “if the transmission is contaminated with water etc, you’re expected to change the oil. Assuming you have an automatic, maybe there’s a breather valve or something where water can get in.

Good luck and hope luck smiles down on you and you can walk away from this with no issues

I’ve got all the breather hoses extended up high into my engine bay. Basically hood level.

when I looked into the air box it looked like it had been splashed but not at all soaked/saturated.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

Speaking from experience (other vehicles):

- It’s possible that the engine shut down because the ECU sensed the water in the air box (disruption in air flow) and the wet filter. I’ve witnessed that first-hand.

-If the ECU does not catch the water ingress in the air box and shut the engine down, you’re possibly in for a hydro-lock.

Literally witnessed both, the latter being to a previous vehicle of mine, so take that for what it’s worth. $0, tree-fiddy, etc.

I’ll just say that you’re lucky it shutoff, go change the oil to be safe, and be happy.

 

[Kindafearless]

The upstream side was toward the airbox, so Barnadby'sdad might be dead right.

In terms of how lucky you are: The other ingress point into the engine is through the exhaust. When the engine shuts down, the water no longer has that pressure keeping it out. Looks like the water was just below making it through the headers.

So, damn. Buy a lotto ticket... and a snorkel to avoid that danger next time :P (I like the Hauk one, unobtrusive and gives you just enough to avoid the situation you were in.)

Good job on re-routing the breather tubes before hand!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

30" is the limit - half-way up the door sounds like more than 30" lift or no lift.
Agreed on changing the fluids of the differentials and t-case and transmission unless you are dead-sure that all vents were well above the water at all times - and bet you can't be really sure.
Something got wet that shouldn't be wet, sent the system into a tizzy (like perhaps wires to sensors got wet giving crazy readings to the PCM, etc.

Speaking from experience (other vehicles):

- It’s possible that the engine shut down because the ECU sensed the water in the air box (disruption in air flow) and the wet filter. I’ve witnessed that first-hand.

-If the ECU does not catch the water ingress in the air box and shut the engine down, you’re possibly in for a hydro-lock.

Literally witnessed both, the latter being to a previous vehicle of mine, so take that for what it’s worth. $0, tree-fiddy, etc.

I’ll just say that you’re lucky it shutoff, go change the oil to be safe, and be happy.

Mine was because I left the car sitting under the maple tree out front for the night because the forecast was for 0% chance of rain, clear sky, etc.
Got up the next AM and found we got over 5" in one hour through the night.
Pulled spark plugs and water shot out over 30 feet when I gave the starter a quick bump.
Changed the oil 3 times that day, lucky as heck.

Things can bend and break if you get into a hydro-lock situation. I've seen bent and busted rods.
Totally agree - worth every minute and every dollar to change fluids after that.
It was only the third time that I could say there were no signs at all of any water in the crankcase or starbucks coffee in the oil filler tube on my car.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

30" is the limit - half-way up the door sounds like more than 30" lift or no lift.
Agreed on changing the fluids of the differentials and t-case and transmission unless you are dead-sure that all vents were well above the water at all times - and bet you can't be really sure.
Something got wet that shouldn't be wet, sent the system into a tizzy (like perhaps wires to sensors got wet giving crazy readings to the PCM, etc.


Mine was because I left the car sitting under the maple tree out front for the night because the forecast was for 0% chance of rain, clear sky, etc.
Got up the next AM and found we got over 5" in one hour through the night.
Pulled spark plugs and water shot out over 30 feet when I gave the starter a quick bump.
Changed the oil 3 times that day, lucky as heck.

Things can bend and break if you get into a hydro-lock situation. I've seen bent and busted rods.
Totally agree - worth every minute and every dollar to change fluids after that.
It was only the third time that I could say there were no signs at all of any water in the crankcase or starbucks coffee in the oil filler tube on my car.

That’s exactly what I ran into. Multiple broken and bent rods, etc.

I was lucky that my insurance ended up covering the rebuild and replacement of non-related components. I.e. MAF, wiring, etc. I ended up throwing in the towel with that vehicle after the 15th trip to the dealer (was covered under warranty after the initial insurance covered repair).

 

[Jems007]

Just a tip for you and anyone else that sees it. Never fly through water. You can take these things pretty deep but you have to go slow. If you’re giving it gas and sucking air in the intake you’ll suck water in. From what I understand there is a drain at the bottom that allows water to drain if some gets in but that all goes down the drain of your giving it the beans and sucking air and water past that point.

you may have gotten lucky. Hydro locking the engine is no joke.

 

[Rusty PW]

I've had friends that have hydro locked their engines. Sounds like you had an electrical shut down. Something got wet and grounded out. You got lucky in that your motor isn't knocking. Did your air filter get soaked? If it did, water may have gone into the motor.

 

[Lunentucker]

Unfortunately no, we were all worn out and trying to make camp. Should have been off the trail hours earlier but we kept re-routing around bigger streams due to the depth.

no weird sounds it just died. On start up it took a little longer than normal.

In the attached photo I put a line on my door about where the water was on the upstream side.

Lucky. A few more inches and you were getting into hydrolock territory.

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