i had a 1990 toyota pickup 4x4. no snorkel i had it in water up to the
airbox... never stalled and ran like bull elephant... nothing could
stop it.
MO full name wrote:

"MO full name" <nospam (AT) hole (DOT) org> wrote

As long as the harnesses, motors, and actuators do not get wet, no problem.

Keep in mind that the doors are not water-proof. If you drive in water that
is deeper than the door sill, water will come into the passenger
compartment.

A major concern with driving in deep water is sucking water into the air
intake. Water does not compress, and if it gets into the combustion
chamber, the connecting rod will probably get thrown through the side of the
block, destroying the engine. Whenver driving in deep water, one should
only creep slowly enough to not create any wave over the front of the
vehicle.

If the water is higher than the door sill, expect big problems.

After driving through deep water, change the engine oil, transmission fluid,
and differential fluid.

If the air filter is wet, it needs to be changed. Inspect brake linings,
including the parking brake. Inspect the parking brake cable and linkages,
shifter linkages, accelerator linkage.

If water gets into the passenger compartment, remove the seats and carpets,
inner door panels, trunk carpet, spare tire, jack, and let everything dry
out by leaving open. The vehicle will probably experience a wide variety of
electrical problems, and several very expensive computers may need
replacement. The main ECU is probably around $1,500, the air bag computer
is probably another $800, the AC computer is $300, power window motors are
probably several hundred apiece. Better yet, total the vehicle.

This is one of the areas where a high SUV or pickup may do better than
passenger cars because the door sills are higher. Otherwise, they are all
about the same.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Pop-N-Fresh, 9/3/2006,9:04:48 PM, wrote:

I have actually seen this with an early 1980's Toyota 4x4 pickup. I
had a 1983 Datsun 4x4 and I used to go four-wheeling with my buddy who
had the Toyota. He went flying through a muddy puddle and when I tried
it I got stuck in the middle. The water was past my doors and it was
coming in. He threw me a rope and I had to climb underneath the truck
to fasten it to my frame. He pulled me out then proceeded to rub it in
by going back through the puddle forward and backward and forward and
backward...

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 21:32:31 GMT, MO full name <nospam (AT) hole (DOT) org>
wrote:

Go slow and easy, and know how deep it is BEFORE you start through -
either let someone else go first and they can be the one that gets
stuck, or it's your street and you know exactly how the road goes.

Never let it get to the bottom of the floorboards, let alone over
the door sills. In a small car or minivan like the Sienna I'd say 6
inches deep is the absolute level where you say "Are you NUTS?! Go
back and try a different route!"

Read Ray O's post - it can range from changing all the fluids,
flushing the brake fluid and dealing with minor problems, all the way
to "It's cheaper in the long run to just scrap the car now."

Get the EFI Computer or any of the other expensive electronics wet,
and it may well be the latter.

If all the electronics get submerged and you start down the road of
"It'll only take a $1500 computer and it'll be all fixed" you are only
starting down the road of throwing good money after bad - Next week
they'll say "You only need to replace a $1000 instrument cluster and
it'll be all fixed", and two weeks "You only need two $400 window
motors..." and you're already in so deep you can't stop now.

About the same. They waterproof the connections against the
occasional splash, but no automotive computer case or airbag
controller case is designed to be submerged.

Though there are some models from all makers where they put the
computer in stupid places like under the passenger seat - the
absolutely lowest possible point on the car they could pick.

(The better locations are high on the cowl or above the glovebox,
where you really have to work at getting the water that high.)

--<< Bruce >>--

Ray O wrote:
My brother had his 4runner up to the hood in water the other weekend.

His didnt leak at the doors (20 seconds submerged). and made it out the
other side fine. Some water remnants in the intake setup but nothing
major.

Also beware that turbocharged engines having just had major load may
well crack the turbo exhaust housing ro the exhaust manifold. I have
driven my poor celica through a foot deep flood and its still miles
from the intake but it leaks at the doors. The toyota diffs/boxes Ive
seen have self-sealing vents so no real need to worry IMO.

J

"MO full name" <nospam (AT) hole (DOT) org> wrote

Some water can get into the doors without any problem, but water dripping in
thorugh the window seals and submerging the doors are not the same thing.

How about all the water on the hood and windshield - does a
Agan, water dripping or splashing in the engine compartment is not the same
as submerging the engine compartment, and it will not drain into the air
intake.

There are those who tell you that it is perfrectly safe go flying through
deep water over the top of the hood. I'm telling you that it is not. Just
remember who is going to pay to replace your engine if it ingests water or
replace the components that may be ruined.

In the 06 Sienna - where approximately are these
Critical wires and computers are located in the passenger compartment,
mostly under the dashboard, some in the B-pillars. Stay our of water that
is deeper than the door sill and you won't have a problem.

Passenger vehicles are perfectly capable of driving through rainstorms. It
is driving through deep water that should be avoided.

A vehicle that has been submerged severely will probably not start.

Your Sienna does not have a distributor or distributor cap.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"MO full name" <nospam (AT) hole (DOT) org> wrote

Driving at 60 or 70 MPH on the highway in heavy rain and hitting many
surprise puddles, even 5 or 6 inches deep, will not harm any computers or
the engine. The AC compressor drive belt may slip, and if the AC light
starts flashing, it means that the AC rotation sensor has detected a
difference in AC compressor RPM and engine RPM and de-energized the AC
compressor clutch. All you have to do is cycle the AC switch off and back
on and you'll be back in business.

Of course, driving at 60 or 70 MPH in heavy rain has other hazards, like
hydroplaning, reduced traction and braking efficiency, reduced visibility,
etc...
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)