Bronco vs Deep Water ... 3 Broncos Down (Exceeding Maximum Water Fording Depth)

[flip]

This is actually a very good point that I haven’t thought about. How susceptible are turbo engines to Hydrolocking? As you said in order to get into the cylinder it needs to get into the intake, through the turbo, through the intercooler and back up what is essentially a giant P-trap in order to make it into the cylinders.

Not that I want to find out And there’s probably some other issues but what’s the likelihood of actually Hydrolocking these? Also if you get water down to the inner cooler would the continuous hot air flow dry it out within a short drive?

@flip any thoughts having looked at this enough to plan your shielding.

The rubber around the right front wheel well was blown off because the push pins didn't hold. I assume this is due to the water pressure created either on initial entry or during the run through. Absolutely going to put a couple holes in the radiator support trim panel and some shielding under that hole so the water can drain off but not come up from the bottom. Also going to try and fill the gaps around the wheel wells and some sort of baffling that keeps a direct hit from the air inlet drain flapper. If the Raptor box was a direct fit I'd go with that because the filter is in the upper part of the box which means the actual air inlet tube are several inches higher than where it currently is.

Should not be this much crap in the box period. Subsequent pics show the evidence of up splash, not stuff coming down from the top. I may have hit the hole at speed but was well below fording limit. This was the first run, second outing with smaller mud hole wasn't as dramatic but still had stuff get in through the drain flapper.

One mod already, 4th pic down, I used some 3M rope caulk where the box and outlet meet because there was no obvious gasket. It was evident some water was pulled in at this junction probably because the air filter was partially plugged and vacuum levels higher. There's a small drain hole in the bottom of the box but didn't help much because I still had standing water in the socket where the bottom box half mounts to the body.

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[7722 Bronco]

The Gen1 had issues also with water when driver says " Hold my beer"

One of my young and dumb moments from years ago.

Which was after the drag race from a few minutes before.

 

[Razorbak86]

Right after I saw that video, I started to google snorkle ... Unfortunately nothing out there yet.

The Bronco Everglades trim has a snorkel, 2.3L engine, and a 3” higher fording depth, but it really has nothing to do with the alternator. Both alternators are submerged at the specified fording depths.

Water doesn’t kill an alternator, but mud can, if the dirt and silt from the slurry aren’t cleaned from the inside. Alternators can be cleaned. There are write-ups and videos all over the Internet. Heck, just rapping the housing a few times with a sledge can shake enough dirt and silt from the inside to restore functionality.

 

[DriveAllNight]

Just a little more dirt ....

 

[uncledoodoo]

The Bronco Everglades trim has a snorkel, 2.3L engine, and a 3” higher fording depth, but it really has nothing to do with the alternator. Both alternators are submerged at the specified fording depths.

Water doesn’t kill an alternator, but mud can, if the dirt and silt from the slurry aren’t cleaned from the inside. Alternators can be cleaned. There are write-ups and videos all over the Internet. Heck, just rapping the housing a few times with a sledge can shake enough dirt and silt from the inside to restore functionality.

A previous post said they measured and alternator was right at ford depth on 2.3. What measurement did you get? I haven't got my Bronco yet so I'm curious. Good tip on cleaning it out.

 

[da_jokker]

For giggles I just measured how high my alternator sits on my 2.3l Badlands with 33s and it's right at 31-32 inches. So I'm pretty the max fording height is set by the alternator height, which is just over the top of the bumper...

So my jeep has a high mount Alternator (too bad Ford didn't pick up on that) and yet the water Fording is still less.

Meaning, I don't think the Alt height is the influence for the depth.

 

[21BL2DR]

oh look...its the Jackass show.....

 

[da_jokker]

So video is titled alternator issue, but post 56 says there is no issue…..

Just an FYI, that wasn't my title...it got changed by someone else.

 

[da_jokker]

In the future, never crank it over till plugs are removed. Lucky you didn't bend a rod. I loan my Jeep to people so I can wheel w/them. I tell them if it stalls in water NEVER TOUCH THE KEY! I will winch you out, and we will get the plugs out then clear the water.

I know this and imagine my surprise when I found out my 3.6 Pentistar requires half the engine to be torn apart to get to the spark plugs (well that's exaggerated a bit) but pulling plugs on my jeep is not really a feasable trail fix.

 

[DumbAzzGuard]

This is what happens when you don't know what you are doing.
He took a fast nose dive into that water. Watch when he first goes in and floors it.

A little research before you drown your 50,000 + dollar baby.

Great info, thanks

 

[OCNORB1974]

Read the thread again, including my entire post where I also mentioned driver error. The design flaw has been discussed by multiple members, including the gentlemen I quoted:


Again, it’s NOT a design flaw. The driver exceeded the stated limit set by the manufacturer. That’s NOT a design flaw. Are you expecting it to drive through 6’ of water? Then but a vehicle with THAT limit.


Raising the alternator might not have helped in this situation, but it's a valid design potential improvement.

 

[Bmadda]

I know this and imagine my surprise when I found out my 3.6 Pentistar requires half the engine to be torn apart to get to the spark plugs (well that's exaggerated a bit) but pulling plugs on my jeep is not really a feasable trail fix.

I stopped buying Jeeps when they dropped the 4.0l, partially for that reason. I HAVE seen guys w/3.6l pull plugs on the trail though...no fun. That was the 1st thing I looked at on 2.3. Definitely doable. Anybody do 2.7 yet? Doesnt look terrible

 

[broncobase1]

People aren't going to keep brushing this off...this is an issue

Its crazy to me why anyone would take a new $50K vehicle thru deep water, or anything more than a foot. Even if you don't get stranded its extremely hard on the vehicle, water and electronics don't mix.

 

[broncobase1]

I stopped buying Jeeps when they dropped the 4.0l, partially for that reason. I HAVE seen guys w/3.6l pull plugs on the trail though...no fun. That was the 1st thing I looked at on 2.3. Definitely doable. Anybody do 2.7 yet? Doesnt look terrible

For what its worth the Pentistar engine does have a very good reputation, sometimes considered the best V6 available. That said there is something to be said about the access of spark plugs and more on an inline 4, just one of the reasons I have to regrets going with the 2.3L.

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