Water Crossing FAIL: Hydrolock? (Video & Pics)
 

First off, I want to clearly state that this is not my driving, but my buddy's (never wheel alone!). We'd crossed the river heading out and although it was pretty fast moving, the water never got too high. On the way back though, water got over my hood and, well, it clearly got the better of my buddy's Bronco II. Here are some pics and the video that shows all. Clearly he went too fast and probably hydrolocked, but...my buddy swears that he got water on his starter. You tell me. He was able to restart the vehicle after getting a good butt chewing by the forest ranger and drove it home. Grey smoke for a bit and now it chugs. I'll take you're thoughts. I have my own opinion.

Lets start with the River we crossed:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...p/DSCF0787.jpg

Then here is my first crossing:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...p/DSCF0783.jpg

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...p/DSCF0784.jpg

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...p/DSCF0785.jpg

Here's a pic of the stranded Bronco II:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...p/DSCF0813.jpg


I guess I can't figure out how to make an image link for the video on photobucket. Unti someone teaches me how, here is the direct link. I must warn you that the video may be NSFW since my buddy's girlfriend was recording and cussed a couple times).
http://s58.photobucket.com/player.sw...fs=1&os=1&ap=1

Let me know what you think. Water crossings are new to me so I'm not sure what I need to do for protection (Snorkel, silicone the distributor, etc.).

s

looks like me when i hydrolocked my heep hauling a$$ being mr cool guy then my heep tells me to eff off

yeah, i'd say hydrolocked, since it stalled as the water got over the hood.
the starter was probably wet too, but chances are it was just clicking because the cylinders were full of water and couldn't compress until most of the water drained out when sitting.

best thing to do now is pull the plugs and turn it over, then pull the oil pan and filter to drain all the water, fill it up with fresh oil again and run it for a bit and drain that out too.
then fill it with more fresh oil and replace the filter and do another oil change in a few hundred miles and hope for the best.

it will cost a bit of cash, and time, but it's still cheaper than a new engine.

then let this teach you guys a lesson, and don't cross any rivers anymore. it is bad for our already tarnished reputation with the greenies. they will use it as ammo against us to ban our sport.

What chu talking bout Willis? I don't need to learn a lesson here. I drove that water crossing responsibly and it is the main crossing for the other half of the mountain and the Forest Service is dedicated to maintaining it. That is why the ranger was there. Besides, he was BSing with me after I crossed like I was his best buddy...until the Bronco went at it too fast.

The guy with the Bronco is a WyoTech grad who doesn't care much about his rig let alone where he is going, so I do see your point with regard to him. Sadly, I think he was looking to hydrolock honestly. He has been trying to justify a Mustang 5.0 swap in that Bronco for months (currently has the 2.9 EFI). I doubt he'll put any effort into caring for his engine now.

s

It's not hydrolocked, u need much more water and go much deeper for much more time, it's something electrical.
This is hydrolocked:

ive personally hydrolocked my jeep in a puddle that only came up to the bottom of my doors, when you hit the puddle and the water gushes into your intake you will hydro lock trust me i did it

U can have water coming in your cilinders without hydrolocking it. It depends on the amount, if it goes over the volume of the combustion chamber it hydrolocks (and usually cracks the head or piston) in all other cases u just get wet sparks and the engine stalls.

sorry, wasn't trying to sound like a prik, but we should do everything we can to help save our sport.
hope the ford wasn't leaking fluids worse than the average jeep...

please, tread lightly.

1st off he hit the water way too fast. We used to spray all the underhood wiring with silicon spray to keep the water from shorting stuff out (old swampbuggy trick) & a snorkel will keep the water out of the intake. Go SLOW and steady DON"T stop! Know how deep the water is. :boat:

I now use a boat when I want to cross water. But there was a time.......

NO COMMENT!:hang:

I also thought it took more than that to hydrolock, but I have no idea what he's done underneath his hood, where his air-filter is, etc.

I recently hydrolocked my moter in a fairly shallow puddle. I had been through it many times, but i took it a little too fast and sucked in some water and even some mud into the intake. it stalled out and wouldn't start again. when i got out i noticed a lot of oil on the ground(not a good sign lol) Thats when i found a huge hole in the bottom of my oil pan, another huge hole in the side of the block and saw one of the connecting rods broken in half. Now i know that even a shallow water hole can do a lot of damage

yea he defiantly did that the wrong way,your not supposed to bonsai a water crossing:hang:

Def. hydrolocked i did the same thing to my XJ. The water was not deep but it got in the intake and the motor sucked it up. That clunking sound is the starter tring to turn over the motor. (water in the combustion chamber, as you work the starter it slowly opens the exhaust valves so that the piston can force the water out and the gray smoke was all the water that was in the motor)

Exact same way I locked mine tring to be mr. Cool and hitting the puddle fast. now i creep thru water.

thanks for the input now i will never go fast and i wont go with anybody without a jeep.