yukonrider
New member
Decided to go do a little hunting up in my favorite spot, wanted to get across this creek I'd been across many times before, but this time was different, hesitation on my part due to higher than usual water levels, and the higher water levels themselves led to me getting stuck trying to cross.
Of course I was alone, my winch was broken, and I was totally unprepared for a recovery. I was at least a 45 minute drive to the highway on poorly maintained dirt roads, and probably 30 minute drive to the nearest house. This place is the middle of nowhere. Luckily while I was trying to self recover, my friend was able to get word out to my friends in town to send a recovery party, and find a fellow hunter to drive us out to the highway.
Regardless, from the time of first loss of momentum, to the time where the runner was actually pulled out of the frigid water it probably sat idling for 3 hours.
Anyways, here are a few pictures before more words.
This is the shallowest...
The observant may note the strawberry colored foam towards the back of the engine... More on that later.
*sigh*
So the runner was idle this whole time. I assume it was running on batter for a good portion of this, because my gauges showed low power. After being yanked out, it almost didn't come out.... It was backed up this hill possibly 500 feet, turned off, inspected, finding of course water in everything, tranny, engine dipstick, headlight, air box etc. It was then decided to tow it out to town, the trailer it home. Due to poor parking, I actually had to start it after this to get my wheels turned, and she fired right up!
Anyways, got it home and started the process of un-sinking.
$140 worth of fluids (and I forgot a bunch)
No more interior...
What came out of my tranny..
This came out of the FILL PLUG of my front diff.
And this came out of the FILL plug of my transfer case for about 2 minutes
Then this came out of the drain plug
Nothing came out of the fill plug of my rear diff, so I am saving that one for later.
Luckily my awesome friend set me up with her dads truck for a while so I don't have to rush this, and can do it right.
I have full faith that if I take my time and flush everything out well, the runner will be back in action in a week.
It appears that water got in through the transmission dipstick, and the engine oil dipstick (not very much in the engine) I took out two 5 gallon buckets of ATF before I deemed the color "acceptable" I will probably flush it again after 30 miles. The diffs I don't know what do do about, probably spray a bunch of brake clean in there, fill, drive for 30 miles and flush again.
Now this wasn't one of my smarter moves, what I am most sorry about is that I had to leave it in the water for so long while it was leaking fluid; It was simply un-recoverable.
Luckily I had extra layers, and jackets, and if the situation had been different (if we hadn't found that other hunter) this could have quickly turned into a 3 hour or more walk out in 45 degree rain soaked from the waist down. I felt I was fairly prepared for this possibility, with gear stashed in various places of my car.
Anyways, laugh and learn from my mistake! Happy wheelin!
Of course I was alone, my winch was broken, and I was totally unprepared for a recovery. I was at least a 45 minute drive to the highway on poorly maintained dirt roads, and probably 30 minute drive to the nearest house. This place is the middle of nowhere. Luckily while I was trying to self recover, my friend was able to get word out to my friends in town to send a recovery party, and find a fellow hunter to drive us out to the highway.
Regardless, from the time of first loss of momentum, to the time where the runner was actually pulled out of the frigid water it probably sat idling for 3 hours.
Anyways, here are a few pictures before more words.
This is the shallowest...
The observant may note the strawberry colored foam towards the back of the engine... More on that later.
*sigh*
So the runner was idle this whole time. I assume it was running on batter for a good portion of this, because my gauges showed low power. After being yanked out, it almost didn't come out.... It was backed up this hill possibly 500 feet, turned off, inspected, finding of course water in everything, tranny, engine dipstick, headlight, air box etc. It was then decided to tow it out to town, the trailer it home. Due to poor parking, I actually had to start it after this to get my wheels turned, and she fired right up!
Anyways, got it home and started the process of un-sinking.
$140 worth of fluids (and I forgot a bunch)
No more interior...
What came out of my tranny..
This came out of the FILL PLUG of my front diff.
And this came out of the FILL plug of my transfer case for about 2 minutes
Then this came out of the drain plug
Nothing came out of the fill plug of my rear diff, so I am saving that one for later.
Luckily my awesome friend set me up with her dads truck for a while so I don't have to rush this, and can do it right.
I have full faith that if I take my time and flush everything out well, the runner will be back in action in a week.
It appears that water got in through the transmission dipstick, and the engine oil dipstick (not very much in the engine) I took out two 5 gallon buckets of ATF before I deemed the color "acceptable" I will probably flush it again after 30 miles. The diffs I don't know what do do about, probably spray a bunch of brake clean in there, fill, drive for 30 miles and flush again.
Now this wasn't one of my smarter moves, what I am most sorry about is that I had to leave it in the water for so long while it was leaking fluid; It was simply un-recoverable.
Luckily I had extra layers, and jackets, and if the situation had been different (if we hadn't found that other hunter) this could have quickly turned into a 3 hour or more walk out in 45 degree rain soaked from the waist down. I felt I was fairly prepared for this possibility, with gear stashed in various places of my car.
Anyways, laugh and learn from my mistake! Happy wheelin!
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