Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Oh bugger.

We took the pathy, disco land cruiser and patrol out. Patrol was taking every thing in its stride. One obstacle the cruiser had to engage all locks. What was interesting is on each obstacle another vehicle did it best. Not the same.

Anyways last obstacle was a mud hole with water just above wheel arch. There was an incline at the end. The whole section is about 10 meters and deeply rutted so the independent vehicles did better. Disco got through with some mud shooting, pathfinder with slick all terrains did it the easiest. Patrol sadly stalled at the end, just before incline. After a hectic recovery and water entering the cabin ;(. About ankle deep at that.

Upon inspection it looks like car ingested water. Intercooler pipes wet, air filter soaked. We towed it home.

We couldn't work out why. I suspect it's a serious design fault. The fact the other cars got through on same line.

What would be the course of action. Water wasn't over bonnet, but was for disco as the bow wave bounced off the incline.

So I've gone through all the footage both the inside camera and outside. Water about wheel height in front and bit below rim in rear. Not once did water go over bonnet for patrol. There's one brief dip but not over bonnet. For the others water went over bonnet after bouncing off incline. Disco also went through twice as I reversed in obstacle to pick up camera.

I think it's a design fault or an I being unrealistic?

Pull injectors change oil if durty and crank were is the footage?

Hi Dieselan

What engine is this?
Once stalled, to try and restart may have been a bad idea if water was running into areas, including the exhaust.

My Lexus engine stalled at about the same depth at the Nissan year-end gathering in Krugersdorp.
About the same depth as you have described.
Water in the cabin is a real bugger.
It has taken me the best part of the past two weeks to get it completely dry under the carpets.

In my case the stalling was not due to the water as my idle valve control was sticky. I have it cut off now and the idling is perfect without it. Sill waiting for next year's cold winter mornings though!
However, also in my case, the car would not restart while the crank sensor (which is at quite a low level) was submerged.
Once I was pulled half way out of the water the engine would start again. Even though everything under the bonnet was still soaking wet.

Other than the crank sensor, it could also be the cam sensor that may not be sealed. But in my case I do not have the latter.
If the engine is still dead after the water has drained out, as it seems the case is here, then there may be more serious damage...
Water can be any engine's death. Even if you have a snorkel, the air filter cap is not water proof. So unless you keep on moving through the water, and not stand still, you may be heading for trouble.
Someone once said to me, the best way to cross a river with a vehicle, is to go around it...unless there is a bridge nearby.

The Patrol, like pretty-much all 4x4's these days, draws it's air from inside the wheelwell. This area usually traps enough air to drive through a shortish water hazard, but if the car stalls there, the water can displace the air and enter. Even a big splash at the wrong time can do it.

I presume you didn't try and restart while tha car was in the water? Pull the injectors and cranck the motor to see if any water comes out, and preferably have a compression test done.

I hope there's no damage.

Taking the video footage to Nissan tomorrow, will see what happens. Such a pity cause after going the the clips, in two places the cruiser engaged all lockers and still slid / stuck. The Patrol in 2nd low had no such issues with it's stock tyres, and here I was also taking such good care of running her in, she was due on Monday for her post delivery service Also I mentioned the water above wheel arch, it wasn't.

What I can see though is that the other cars have a sort of plastic wheel arch well to help splashes, the Patrol too but not very well sealed. The video clip is 400mb...so a bit big for youtubers.

I'm really disappointed not so much in the Patrol just that this happened. Another annoying factor was having the mocks about the Pathy, Cruiser and Disco doing it - for once I had no comeback.

dieselfan wrote:I'm really disappointed not so much in the Patrol just that this happened. Another annoying factor was having the mocks about the Pathy, Cruiser and Disco doing it - for once I had no comeback.

All the more important for you / us to understand what happened here.
I don't believe that splash covers would have helped, only to make water run in a bit slower if you are already static in the water. As long as you stay in motion, while in the water, the car should make a wave around it that should avoid water coming in too quickly while you are driving through the water.

Update

Nissan removed injectors, and intercooler. Cranked out water and engine idled fine.

They just going to do some more tests, any recommendations? Turbo etc

Hi Roy

I cannot comment on the further tests, but on the water in the cabin:

If the carpets are still soaking wet, you can start with towels
Then remove the plastic covers that clip down between the carpets and the body of the car.
Lift the carpets with washing pegs or something similar. The carpet is thick and spongy, in order to be more sound proof. Unfortunately this also retains a lot of water.
Keep the doors open during these hot days, if the car is in a safe place.
Then, if Swambo does not mind, stick the head of her hairdryer into the lifted parts of the carpet for a while.
That helps with the drying out.
Mine took a while to dry out, about 10 days, and no vrot smell remaining.

Thanks Alex, I inspected the car on Thursday - nice hot jhb weather and the doors were open carpet bone dry. I park in safe open air parking and always keep my windows slightly ajar for heat.