Water crossings?

[e2stew]

Any tips on water crossings?
How much can the car handle?
How to prevent damage or getting stranded?
What to do once back home?

I went through some water a few months ago and everything still works fine.
The alternator did start failing recently. Not sure if that is related or not?
I did have a bow wake go up on the hood. That's when I decided to call it quits and get out of there.

This weekend heading back to Tahuya state forest, but bringing my young son along.
So I really don't want to break down. I'll play it a lot safer, but those puddles can be deeper than you think. And even though my tercel is a junker I still commute in it.

Any suggestions? Preferably on the cheep.

Thanks

[Neu]

I had a bearing failure soon after a deep water crossing, so watch out for that.

The alternator is most likely cuz of the water, but maybe not.

[ohcanada_00]

Generally speaking when I was learning to 4x4 in my Toyota truck one of the good rules of thumb was at slow speeds, when the water reaches the bottom of the door, you need to go VERY carefully, anything less than that was usually okay. The biggest thing over all was just not splashing in at top speed, slow, tempered entries and exits prevent a lot of damage.

However, as with any old car, there are thousands of places that seals and gaskets may have gone bad and will allow water in. Some areas for concern are axels, check boots often, diffs, and anything in the engine compartment. To prevent getting stranded, play it safe and dont bite off more than you can chew. If it looks deep, wait and watch. I would be wicked hesitant to tackle anything more than a foot or so in a Terc. Once you get home, give her a REALLY good bath, rinsing as much of the underrcarriage as possible and let it dry. Then start looking for leaks. If you are more 4x4 minded and have a breather on your diff, be extra careful that no water got in.

Always travel with a friend or buddy, have a really good tow rope and a cell phone or radio too. That will help you from having an overnight camping trip that was unplanned.

I would say overall if its moderately dry or drier at Tahuya, you should be fine, just dont go playing in the mud pits.

[Petros]

I have made several deep crossings, if everything is in order it will not harm anything except when it sucks it into the engine air inlet up by the grill. One time I was taking my daughter to school, I think she was in 8th grade at the time, and the river was swollen and over our road just short of where it meets the hwy (well above high water), the only place where the flooded river would affect us was on our road. My daughter suggested she could stay home, and I said I had to go to work anyway, so she was going to school, high water or not.

Based on the fence posts along the road side I did not think it would be a problem. So I crept in, and in, and in, I noticed the bow wake was just up to the grill and head lights. The engine started sputtering and coughing, I reved it high and immediately put in reverse. The cold air intake is fairly low, down next to the radiator and headlight, so I reckoned the bow wave was getting in there. I opened the hood and removed the intake duct, it gave me another 3 or 4 inches of free-board and would be drawing air from the engine compartment where the water level would be lower, not the front of the car below the grill area. I tried it again, much against my daughter's strong and almost hysterical objections. I crept through no problem this time, even though I could see the water lapping up to the front edge of the hood. tI made me realize if I rigged an alternate air intake that draws air from say the firewall where the fresh air inlet is for the heater, I could go through deeper rivers.

The little bit of water that got in the carb made it run funny for a day or so, but cleared up after that. If you are worried about the alternator and starter, you can spray some LPS1 inside of it both before and after such an event. Ditto for the distributor and the spark plug wires. It keeps moisture from getting into the electrical components. You also have to watch if your shift boot is torn or not, water will get inside the linkage compartment on the trans and cause it to rust (if the boot is good it should not, some have fabricated replacement boots and/or filled the area with grease, in winter the moisture can freeze and prevent shifting).

If all of your seals, boots and breathers are in place, driving through deep water should not harm anything. No worse than driving in a heavy rain, water gets up inside of everywhere in the engine compartment, drive train, brakes, etc. We once had a list member who rigged and air inlet that drew from the roof area, and ran it down the A pillar and through a hole in the hood, he had a picture of the Tercel driving through rushing muddy water up to the win shield.

So I suspect the biggest problem is water in the engine intake duct. If you fill the engine with water while it is running you will likely do very severe engine damage to it, including damaged pistons and bent connecting rods.

[arbskynxnex]

Fun Fact # 157: Did you know a Tercel 4wd will float in 18 inches of water?

I was out wheeling once upon a time and the road I was on had sunk because of the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. The road was underwater for a couple of hundred yards. I waded part of it (~10 inches deep) and thought okay I can do this. Started driving and suddenly it got deep. The car would touch the bottom, get enough traction to go forward and lift off the ground. So I half drove, half sailed the car across. I was by myself and didn't tell anyone where I was, so I figured I'd find a different way out.

I've learned from beating the crap out of my first tercel when I was younger that you never ever hit water at speed in one if you want to keep going forward. The hood is designed (I swear) to funnel all the water directly onto the distributor cap and it gets into the plug wire ports and forward motion becomes very hard. Paper towels fix that in about 2 seconds though.

If you're crossing deep water go SLOW and keep enough foot on the gas so the water doesn't back up the exhaust, cause if you stall you may not get started again. Your differentials and transmissions all have vents to allow for expansion of the oil as it heats up. Water will go down those, so locate them, and plan on changing fluids when you get home if the water is over the top of the vents. Your car will thank you.

Going slow also limits the amount of water your engine might suck in. Also a constant speed should help too, the bow wave is the car displacing water as you drive so if you catch your bow wave or stop, you're inviting water to come into the engine bay/intake and ruin your day.

And never drive into the ocean.

[e2stew]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I should change all the fluids after this trip as I didn't after the first.
And I will play it safer this time.

[arbskynxnex]

I never did on mine, though I didn't know better, and I never had a problem. I learned about that a few months ago over on the expedition portal website. They do some serious crossings and know their stuff.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/t ... deo-Added)
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/t ... r-Crossing

[splatterdog]

Shifter boot! Emmahumpfritter played in the water last year. His shift box was filled to the top with water.

Old wheel/driveshaft hanger bearings might not last much longer now.

Sure is fun though! As long as you make it....

[dlb]

my tip: don't do it. i aim to avoid doing anything that may necessitate more work on the car i love dearly so i drive pretty darn cautiously. i've never off-roaded. when i got my project tercel home i took it on a bank near my house but it made me really anxious because i thought it was going to tip and that was that. i get off-roading is a hobby for many people but it's just not for me and my delicate sensibilities.

[arbskynxnex]

Yeah, I'm getting that way now too. I used to take my brown one wheeling after classes with my high school buddies, they'd be in their lifted toyota and nissan trucks and I'd keep right up with them or even lead the pack. Never got stuck or broke anything major either, their trucks on the other hand... I still love driving the dirt roads and bombing through puddles, but my days of wallowing in the mud and driving up ATV trails are behind me.

My dad worked for the Forest Service and he passed on his philosophy of driving dirt roads, he said if you drive 25 mph you hit every bump, but when you drive the forest roads at 50 mph you hit every other bump. I still drive like that on the dirt if the road is suitable, though not so much on corners after I almost died in my truck in Utah.

[tercel4wdrules]

I had to cross a flooded street and I won't be doing that again if I can avoid it. I believe in the deepest part the water was above the tires. I went through slowly in second gear and it felt as if I was going to run out of steam mid-way, but it managed to go through, and the bow wake was definitely above bumper level. In comparison, a smaller compact car was behind me and I noticed how the headlights disappeared for a few seconds and then reemerged, I was surprised it made it through, and for that car the bow wake was at hood level. Probably is best to avoid it...

[Mattel]

Some of the French guys on their site rigged up clear plastic tubes to the breathers on the diffs and gearbox for there mission into Africa. I would definatly change fluids as well (don't forget rear dif). A tarp over the front of the car can help if you are slow and steady through the water and plastic bags taped over distributor etc. Heaps of RP7 over the area helps as well.

Here's some inspiration from a close relative http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65rb77o2sug

Watch how the car floats for a little before regaining grip...

Also here's a test where they manage to drown the Terc. From the splash though it looks like they went into it way to fast!

[Starbug]

Going four wheeling always looks like sooooo much fun! I just can't bring myself to ruin (or risk) mine since she's my daily driver. Check this video out, made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside watching these two tercels having a lot of fun and doing so good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6lwxHGC ... ature=fvwp

I should try to find a really crappy and rusty (that way you don't care what happens to it) tercel that somebody is just trying to be rid of for $100-200 and then make it into a four wheeler. Strip the interior of all fabrics/carpet (easier to keep clean), put all kinds of water proofing and snorkels on it, raise it a little bit, mud tires, shorten the bumpers.... sweet.

[hberdan]

I have made several deep crossings, My daughter suggested she could stay home, and I said I had to go to work anyway, so she was going to school, high water or not...I tried it again, much against my daughter's strong and almost hysterical objections...

You're a hard man, Petros!

I've driven thru and across a few small streams , but the biggest problem out here with those rocky mountain streambeds is hitting the diff or the oilpan or tranny on a big old rock hidden under the cold water. Could ruin the day.

[Petros]

we were on a paved road that just happen to be under water at the time, no rock hazards.

I did forget to mention the risk of floating the car. If there is ANY lateral movement of the water across the roadway I DO NOT RECOMMEND attempting the crossing at all. Many drown in their cars because they attempt a crossing, even in water that is not that deep, and it lifts the car and washes it off the road, usually into deep churning water. At that point you will be lucky to get out, let alone recover your car. The traction is much reduced when the car is lightened by the weight of the water it displaces, so there may not be much contact with the roadway. Any lateral movement of the water will wash it right off the roadway.

Floating the car through a crossing can only be done when the water is still, and you can keep even thrust in the direction you are going. It is very risky even in still water. If you build an off-road Tercel, you would want to drill drain holes in it (or remove the large rubber plugs in the floor) to allow the passenger compartment to fill, and prevent floating the car. It will also allow the water to drain out. Remember to wear your hip waders.