Water crossings-How deep is too deep ?

[77f250diesel]

With the horror going on in Texas and the fact we live on the edge of a flood zone down here I started thinking about how deep of water could I safely get through.
This is considering that all diff, trans and transfer case vents have been routed higher and a certain amount of waterproofing to electrical connections.

Talking daily drivers, What do you consider the max safe depth ?

Top of your wheels, chassis height, water hitting hot manifolds, what would be the limits ?

 

[Thatoneguy]

I've gone through some decently deep water (about 3.5ft) in my truck with no issues. But that's also only barely higher than the top of my tires lol.

 

[77f250diesel]

That's sorta what I was thinking, the height of my tires (33").
Is water hitting hot manifolds a concern ?

 

[Thewespaul]

It's an idi. Just don't hydrolock the engine and you'll be fine

 

[DougsOBS]

I *might* have stuck my dads 88 f350 above the rockers before will no lasting ill effects.

The biggest thing with water crossings, especially flood waters isnt normally how deep but how fast the water is moving.

 

[Thatoneguy]

What he said ^^^. I have 35's which mine actually run a little larger, and room to spare ion top of them. But honestly I wouldn't be worried about the exhaust manifolds. I mean yes they are cast, which typically doesn't like rapid temp changes. But, they are 99% of the time OLD cast. Which over the years has lost a lot of the brittleness from cast due to the slow warming and cooling.

 

[Thatoneguy]

When in doubt, THROTTLE OUT!!!

 

[Dieselcrawler]

I have had water up to the valve covers on my wheeler. Very wet ****. Inside the cab it was just touching the steering column where it goes through the firewall.

 

[jwalterus]

Truck running or not?

My truck was completely under the 2011 flood here, took me about an hour after I bought it and drug it home to have it going.

I may have driven mine into a lake to prove a point, I keep the water under the badges, keeps the water out of the intake without the snorkel on.

 

[Macrobb]

Is water hitting hot manifolds a concern ?

One thing that will probably affect this quite a bit is that an IDI at idle... has a really low EGT temperature - well below 300F.
I've seen 175F a few times.
Of course, pouring on the coals going up a hill will give you much, much higher EGTs... which will be reflected in the temperature of the exhaust manifold(which will be lower than the EGTs by a bit).

So... Pouring on the coals hauling a load and then straight into a deep stream is probably going to have a lot more shock than an idling, cooled-off IDI going in.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

only thing that CAN get damaged from water dunking on the engine is the injection pump. a hot aluminum pump getting dunked into cold water or even splashed good with water can cause it to warp, causing heatsoak issues.

 

[Thewespaul]

I have had water up to the valve covers on my wheeler. Very wet ****. Inside the cab it was just touching the steering column where it goes through the firewall.

I just want to see video of this
You gotta get a cheap GoPro or something and feed us some more videos

 

[Dieselcrawler]

yea it was an interesting day. we went to Rausch creek ORP for a buddies bachlor party weekend. 2 days of wheeling. well it had rained for 2 days straight prior so everything was a muddy mess. i was the only one of us who had been there before, and i had the most capable and biggest rig, so i was leading them. some of the holes were ALOT fuller than i was used to. lol only one did i back out of. the one i mentioned above i just idled slowly though it to keep water from splashing up into the air cleaner. the other two rigs went around that one. my truck isnt super tall either. remember i have NO lift but i am 42's. my 81 f100 with 6 inches of lift on 35's sits 1 inch taller at the roof line than my wheeler.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

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that was from later in the weekend on sunday. we picked up some little jeep guys who hung out with us cause i kept pulling them out of the mud

 

[Dieselcrawler]

another one from that same hole with me in it. i made it look easy. nobody else made it
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