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WATER : How deep is too deep?

4K views 39 replies 23 participants last post by  yellj 
#1 ·
My local park has gotten a ton of rain lately and all the ruts have turned into puddles. Not a big deal but a few areas have taken on a good bit of water and get pretty deep.

I've heard horror stories regarding having to rebuild engines or transmissions, etc. My 04 is in pretty good shape and while I have NO Problem getting it good and muddy I don't want to do any serious damage to it if at all avoidable.

So... what is the "danger zone" with regards to water levels. Do I want to keep my transmission out of the water? Bumper height okay? What should I look for and/or avoid?

Thanks in advance guys...
 
#2 ·
Auto tranny is scary to me. They have breathers that I would locate higher in the engine bay. Once you do that bumper height is fine. Headlight is a little close. Your air filter is right behind the headlight, so to me thats the danger zone.
 
#3 ·
I have an auto tranny and try not to let it get above the rocker panels. I really need to do the tranny breather line upgrade but don't really want to drop the tranny out. That might be the summer project in about a month.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies guys!

So you have to yank the tranny to run a breather higher up? Any links to instructins on how to do that?

Thanks!
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
try to keep it under 2 feet and you will be fine.
 
#8 ·
Muddy Tj Zack said:
Maybe later down the road....but thats not the problem right now, the tranny will crap out long before the motor will. Here is a link I found with the search, not sure at all if its the best way to do it, but its an option. http://www.the-jersey-devil.com/bbs...r=12051&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
I was just about to post that link. Alot of the guys that run in the Pines with autos end up doing that mod...unfortunately they usually wait until they ruin a tranny. I know both Sudz and Doug are happy with the way it has worked out for them.
 
#9 ·
I try to keep the water lower than the middle of the tire where the axle tubes are. If it ends up being deeper than that I defiantly don't go higher than the bottom of the tub. Its not a submarine you know.

My friend dunked his and hes had nothing but problems since. We spent over 3 hours dropping the tcase skid, draining and replcing all the tranny fluid at the camp site so he could drive home.

Not worth it in my opinion.
 
#11 ·
I've gone into water about 30 inches deep or so at stream crossings with no problems. Of course I have a six speed with a tranny breather tube that goes halfway up the fire wall inside the engine compartment. Why didn't Chrysler do this with the auto?
 
#12 ·
Since msavard has an 04 TJ, it would be the 4 speed auto (42RE).

The 4 speed auto has a breather on top of it. Its not behind the torque converter like it was on the older 3 speed autos, so there's no need to pull the tranny to extend this vent. Just splice in some tubing and you'll be fine.

AOPAPilot said:
This thread just made me reconsider ordering my JK in automatic

:(
Starting in 06 (I believe) that vent hose runs all the way to the firewall. So I would guess the new JK will have the same extended vent.
 
#14 ·
Why Didn't DCX........

Bishop Creek said:
I've gone into water about 30 inches deep or so at stream crossings with no problems. Of course I have a six speed with a tranny breather tube that goes halfway up the fire wall inside the engine compartment. Why didn't Chrysler do this with the auto?
........Run a breather extension up the firewall for the NVG1500 five-speed?
There's a vent with a rattlecap but it's not quite on the top of the trans on the passenger side.
The transfer case is vented up to the firewall behind the engine and that hose runs right next to the trans vent. Must be a tee would have been too expensive to install. Go DCX.
Thanks.
 
#15 ·
Wheelin98TJ said:
Since msavard has an 04 TJ, it would be the 4 speed auto (42RE).

The 4 speed auto has a breather on top of it. Its not behind the torque converter like it was on the older 3 speed autos
That must be something new. I know several people that have extended the breather on the 42RE (just not in a TJ) by plugging up the original vent behind the TC and drilling/tapping the case and putting in a breather.
 
#17 ·
Wheelin98TJ said:
Since msavard has an 04 TJ, it would be the 4 speed auto (42RE).

The 4 speed auto has a breather on top of it. Its not behind the torque converter like it was on the older 3 speed autos, so there's no need to pull the tranny to extend this vent. Just splice in some tubing and you'll be fine.

QUOTE]
I thought the 04 had the breather tube running up to the firewall, someon had posted a pic of it, was it another breather tube :confused:
 
#19 ·
yellj said:
I thought the 04 had the breather tube running up to the firewall, someon had posted a pic of it, was it another breather tube :confused:
It could have been the xfer case breather.

I'm not sure though... maybe the vent does run to the engine bay. I know it does on 06 models.

tommaho said:
There's a line now thats routed into the engine bay and zip tied to a fill tube. I'm not sure what they did with one in the housing.

Tom
Tom - is your 04 an auto? Are you sure the vent you're looking at is for the transmission?

I'm not doubting you. I just want to be sure.
 
#20 ·
Can anyone verify that the tranny is pre-vented or at least vented at the top where I can get to it? I don't plan on making a habit of running deep but it sure would be nice to know I can at least get up into my bumpers without worrying about it.

hrmmm
 
#21 ·
Just spoke with the service manager at southhaven (MS) Jeep and he said that he was pretty sure that the Auto Tranny vent on the 04 is inside the bellhousing. He said hte vent you see near the tranny is for the transfer case.

Not sure if he's 100% correct on that... he did tell me to hold on to confirm it with a mechanic.

Anyone have anything that shows this isn't the case? :(
 
#23 ·
Wheelin98TJ said:
Why don't you look yourself and confirm this for us?
I would but:

1) I'm in my office right now till 5pm and probably won't have any time to really get under there until tomorrow afternoon (company softball doubleheader tongiht).

2) I don't have a lift in my garage (we can all dream eh?)

3) I've only had my jeep for 3 weeks now... and am probably in the bottom 10-20% of people on this forum when it comes to ;mechanical knowledge... I'm not even sure I could recognize the vent assembly if I was staring right at it :D

I was just wondering if some of you whiz kids happened to know offfhand.. not the end of the world, I just was hoping for perhaps a LITTLE piece of mind :)
 
#25 ·
tommaho said:
Yeah, it's the 42RLE and now I'm not sure myself about the vent. The line I'm thinking of could very well have come across the back of the trans from the TC case. I might be able to take a look later tonight.

Tom
Excellent. Thanks for the feedback tommaho. It's much appreciated :thumbsup:
 
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