Just wondering what the consensus is regarding the necessity of fluid changes after water crossings. I was stuck in a tire height deep water/mud hole for about 5-10 minutes earlier today and I'm wondering if I ought to change my front and rear diff fluids and repack my manual hubs. Would you recommend any other fluid changes or is none of this really necessary? Thanks
Fluid Changes After Water Crossing?
- Thread starter jlocster
- Start date
Silver dude
Xplorer
If your seals and breather tubes are good not a issue as water wasn't able to leak in. But, how do you know for sure?
98dango
Expedition Leader
Growing up on the west coast and my dad owning a tow company I have delt with tons of water. Check your fluids hub deep is not bad. As said before if seals are good your good. It's easy to check the fluid if it has any milk look change it. I would not be all that worried but I don't know your truck.
SoCalMonty
Explorer
That would cost me ~$40 every time I splashed through some water. No thanks.
I've had axles submerged a number of times, changed the diff fluids several months later, and not had any water inside. If no diff oil is leaking out through the bottom or through the axles, then no water can get in from those points either. The only other route in/out of the diff is the breather tube. If it's in good shape and tight, and extended to well above any foreseeable water line, then water won't get it...period.
Also, some water getting in isn't necessarily going to ruin anything, even if it's left in for a while. One of my fun cars, a Volvo I just got rid of, was making over 400hp on the unmodified automatic transmission. The trans cooler went through the radiator. I found out when removing the engine and trans for another engine swap that the trans cooler had failed at the radiator, and my transmission was about 70% water/coolant instead of ATF. I had driven back and forth to New Mexico with it like that (I recall the occasion when it probably blew), and it was like that for probably a few months of driving under high boost.
If an OEM transmission is going to survive with mostly water insteaf of ATF, then one solid ring and pinion gear will survive a little bit of driving, too.
I've had axles submerged a number of times, changed the diff fluids several months later, and not had any water inside. If no diff oil is leaking out through the bottom or through the axles, then no water can get in from those points either. The only other route in/out of the diff is the breather tube. If it's in good shape and tight, and extended to well above any foreseeable water line, then water won't get it...period.
Also, some water getting in isn't necessarily going to ruin anything, even if it's left in for a while. One of my fun cars, a Volvo I just got rid of, was making over 400hp on the unmodified automatic transmission. The trans cooler went through the radiator. I found out when removing the engine and trans for another engine swap that the trans cooler had failed at the radiator, and my transmission was about 70% water/coolant instead of ATF. I had driven back and forth to New Mexico with it like that (I recall the occasion when it probably blew), and it was like that for probably a few months of driving under high boost.
If an OEM transmission is going to survive with mostly water insteaf of ATF, then one solid ring and pinion gear will survive a little bit of driving, too.
I love to play in the water and run a good water resistant grease that repels water. I found Redteck works wonders but in the case of fluids I got all the diffs tubed off into the passenger compartment and keep the vents open.
After every run that I played a little hard I do a once over on my rig and check the fluids. I run full synthetic where I can and I have drained all the fluid out and drove home dry a few times (slow running). You should be able to see if there is water in the oil because it will change color.
Years back I ran an indoor karting track and by accident we let a kart go out with no oil in it...totally dry. It ran for 30 minutes straight over max RPM's and didn't miss a beat. We stopped the kart added oil and he finished the race. The oil I run cost a lot more but I only need to change it once a year unless I get it contaminated. We took an old tired motor and drained the oil and it ran for over an hour bone dry.
After every run that I played a little hard I do a once over on my rig and check the fluids. I run full synthetic where I can and I have drained all the fluid out and drove home dry a few times (slow running). You should be able to see if there is water in the oil because it will change color.
Years back I ran an indoor karting track and by accident we let a kart go out with no oil in it...totally dry. It ran for 30 minutes straight over max RPM's and didn't miss a beat. We stopped the kart added oil and he finished the race. The oil I run cost a lot more but I only need to change it once a year unless I get it contaminated. We took an old tired motor and drained the oil and it ran for over an hour bone dry.