XJ N00b crossing water.

[xjruben]

First off, Hello . Hope to join some day soon if I ever get money. Being a broke college student doenst pay as well as some may think. I have a question about something I did this past weekend. I have a 98 sport with the AW4, NP231 and D30/C8.25 with a 2 inch BB. I work on my families farm on the weekends to earn some pocket money and this past weekend I used my XJ to cross the river that runs through the farm. I got stuck once but after around 2 min. i managed to free myself and get across. The water was about 1.5" from the rocker panels and got a little deeper at an angle to where my passenger side rocker panels where dipped not submerged in water. My question is how much damage can be done from that? I noticed I have a different sounding exhaust and it accelerates a little slower than it used too. Do I have to change all the fluids?
Thanks

 

[MoparManiac]

I would at the bare minimum inspect all your fluids:

- Engine oil (likely fine if you don't have any oil leaks)
- Transmission Fluid (same as above - breather is halfway up the dipstick in the engine compartment)
- T-case fluid (breather is right above the transmission bellhousing - sounds like you were close to it)
- Front and Rear Diff fluids (front is probably ok - breather is against the firewall next to the brake booster - rear possibly took some in - breather is at the unirail on the drivers side, follow the hose up from the axle's driver's side tube)

If there is ANY sign of water in them, drain and refill ASAP.

Also, go through and grease anything in the undercarriage that has a fitting (be careful of brake bleeder screws, I've seen people grease them :roflmao.

From the sounds of it, you may have a clogged cat or some sensor got soaked (TPS, CPS, etc) that has to do with how it runs.

 

[jeepster_259]

I can't imagine you damaged anything with water that shallow. But it doesn't hurt to check the items listed above.

 

[srmitchell]

Unless you have very bad leaks, you should be fine. And also, as long as your hood didn't dunk under, I doubt you hurt anything.

As a general rule, if fluids aren't leaking out of your drivetrain, it's hard for water to get in.

I have a snorkel, and 2 weeks ago, I dunked my entire hood under, it was 4 feet. They can handle it.

 

[xjruben]

I'll be sure to check all of these.
Thanks