APJeepyKJ
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- Jan 17, 2023
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I flooded my KJ 3.7 petrol. I looked for guidance on how to recover it but it was all very bitty and random. If anyone is silly enough to end up with the engine fully submerged, I hope this helps:
Turn the engine off immediately. If you need to open the windows, then turn the ignition enough to engage the electrics but turn off immediately after.
DO NOT try to reverse out of gravel as you will suck water into the filters and the engine and that could be terminal for the vehicle.
Get Towed or winched out by selecting neutral with the gear selector. The quicker you get out of the water the more likely you are to be able to recover the engine.
Once the vehicle is completely out of the water and on dry land, dry or deep clean the interior so there is no excess water or damp left in the cabin. This is vital as if there is any river water or sea water in the cabin over a few days, it will cause corrosion and to a lesser extent mould, foul smells etc. Deep clean means removing the seats and carpets, strip to the metal, removing all trim and drying any wiring looms and connectors on the interior. If you are submerged like I was, assume water got in EVERYWHERE. (Do not despair, although it sounds like an impossible job, deep cleaning your old jeep is something you know you've put off for ever but this is your reason to do it...or pay a pro to do it for you).
Once its clean and dry on the inside, its time to drain all fluids and oils and get them replaced. Again, assume that water got in everywhere...Engine Oil, Brake Fluid, Transmission Fluid, Washer Fluid, Engine Coolant, Power Steering Fluid...assume they are all contaminated and they require flushing and replacement. Again...do not despair as this would all constitute a major service and is not impossible for a DIY job (again you can get a pro to do it all as well).
All filters need to be changed as water probably got into and contaminated those...air filter, fuel filter oil filter plus spark plugs. Change it all. I would not recommend trying to salvage any of these even if they look ok as these are cheap enough anyway and readily available.
That's the easy bit. Now the hard bit ...the stuff you don't see....
water damage to the PCBs and other electrical connectors. My instrument cluster was affected, wipers, radio and one window. The air con also was stuck on hot and would not respond to the command to cool. There thermostat also needed to be changed though I didn't diagnose if this was a issue with the thermostat or with the electrics. A new thermostat fixed the issue. The wiring looms and connectors to the above mentioned functions all had signs of water damage, water **** build up etc. A clean of the connectors resolved the issued relating to the wipers and the window. The instrument gauge cluster was totally fried and unrecoverable. I had to get a new one (second hand). I made the mistake of getting one from a diesel which only partially worked. I did eventually get one from an older 3.7L petrol (white gauges) which worked better but still not 100%. I had to buy a new in car entertainment system as the old one was totally fried. The air con issue was resolved by the mechanic by a physical intervention. It was physical damage to the mechanism.
1 major issue which took a long time to identify was a faulty brake calliper on the offside front. After a month at the mechanics, I got the call to collect the jeep and take for a test drive. 20 miles on the open road with no issue followed with a juddering steering wheel and a burning smell, not immediately obvious where it was coming from. Simultaneously, the bonnet was smoking as some more water, which had not been flushed was being pushed out under pressure by the working engine.
The mechanic was clever enough to diagnose that the smoking engine and the juddering steering wheel were unrelated and in fact 2 separate issues. Once the car cooled, again, 20 miles or so with no issue then the same again....eventually, the wheel locked and the issue became apparent. A new brake calliper fixed the issued and the Jeep has since been on the road, covering over 1000 miles and now feels better than ever. I took the opportunity tom also change 3 flywheels/ pulleys which were due. The brake calliper once removed showed signs of the rubber seals being worn and damaged and the calliper itself being corroded, probably due to water and debris.
Turn the engine off immediately. If you need to open the windows, then turn the ignition enough to engage the electrics but turn off immediately after.
DO NOT try to reverse out of gravel as you will suck water into the filters and the engine and that could be terminal for the vehicle.
Get Towed or winched out by selecting neutral with the gear selector. The quicker you get out of the water the more likely you are to be able to recover the engine.
Once the vehicle is completely out of the water and on dry land, dry or deep clean the interior so there is no excess water or damp left in the cabin. This is vital as if there is any river water or sea water in the cabin over a few days, it will cause corrosion and to a lesser extent mould, foul smells etc. Deep clean means removing the seats and carpets, strip to the metal, removing all trim and drying any wiring looms and connectors on the interior. If you are submerged like I was, assume water got in EVERYWHERE. (Do not despair, although it sounds like an impossible job, deep cleaning your old jeep is something you know you've put off for ever but this is your reason to do it...or pay a pro to do it for you).
Once its clean and dry on the inside, its time to drain all fluids and oils and get them replaced. Again, assume that water got in everywhere...Engine Oil, Brake Fluid, Transmission Fluid, Washer Fluid, Engine Coolant, Power Steering Fluid...assume they are all contaminated and they require flushing and replacement. Again...do not despair as this would all constitute a major service and is not impossible for a DIY job (again you can get a pro to do it all as well).
All filters need to be changed as water probably got into and contaminated those...air filter, fuel filter oil filter plus spark plugs. Change it all. I would not recommend trying to salvage any of these even if they look ok as these are cheap enough anyway and readily available.
That's the easy bit. Now the hard bit ...the stuff you don't see....
water damage to the PCBs and other electrical connectors. My instrument cluster was affected, wipers, radio and one window. The air con also was stuck on hot and would not respond to the command to cool. There thermostat also needed to be changed though I didn't diagnose if this was a issue with the thermostat or with the electrics. A new thermostat fixed the issue. The wiring looms and connectors to the above mentioned functions all had signs of water damage, water **** build up etc. A clean of the connectors resolved the issued relating to the wipers and the window. The instrument gauge cluster was totally fried and unrecoverable. I had to get a new one (second hand). I made the mistake of getting one from a diesel which only partially worked. I did eventually get one from an older 3.7L petrol (white gauges) which worked better but still not 100%. I had to buy a new in car entertainment system as the old one was totally fried. The air con issue was resolved by the mechanic by a physical intervention. It was physical damage to the mechanism.
1 major issue which took a long time to identify was a faulty brake calliper on the offside front. After a month at the mechanics, I got the call to collect the jeep and take for a test drive. 20 miles on the open road with no issue followed with a juddering steering wheel and a burning smell, not immediately obvious where it was coming from. Simultaneously, the bonnet was smoking as some more water, which had not been flushed was being pushed out under pressure by the working engine.
The mechanic was clever enough to diagnose that the smoking engine and the juddering steering wheel were unrelated and in fact 2 separate issues. Once the car cooled, again, 20 miles or so with no issue then the same again....eventually, the wheel locked and the issue became apparent. A new brake calliper fixed the issued and the Jeep has since been on the road, covering over 1000 miles and now feels better than ever. I took the opportunity tom also change 3 flywheels/ pulleys which were due. The brake calliper once removed showed signs of the rubber seals being worn and damaged and the calliper itself being corroded, probably due to water and debris.
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