[vet 180]

So recently there was some floods where I live and the wife took the car through some water that was over the bonnet. I was a passenger at the time as was glad the car made it out in 1 piece (many other cars and trucks have not been so lucky). The floors got flooded and the carpet now stinks which sucks. I checked the filter a few kms up the road and surprisingly it wasn't wet. It's some All the electrics help up too which was a nice surprise. What was strange though was that around 100kms later loaded up through mountain roads trans oil started leaking onto the exhaust and smoking. So we pulled over and checked the car. Was hard to tell where it came from do to the oil spreading under the car, but what was very interesting was when I checked the oil it was over full. When I felt it, it seemed a little watery. So took it to the dealer and asked them to change the oil out and check for leaks. They didn't find any leaks and said it was over full. So they drained it and put new oil in and I will monitor it over the next week.

So it seems the jimny trans isn't waterproof. Has anyone else had this issue? I didn't think the Trans would be the weakest link in water.

[fordem]

Does "non-jimny" experience count?

All transmissions have breathers, submerge them and they will typically suck water in through the breather - it's a lot more common with differentials, probably because it's takes a lot less water to submerge the diff.

I believe if you check the owner's manual you'll find they recommend checking all the lubricants after driving through water.

[vet 180]

fordem wrote:

Does "non-jimny" experience count?

All transmissions have breathers, submerge them and they will typically suck water in through the breather - it's a lot more common with differentials, probably because it's takes a lot less water to submerge the diff.

I believe if you check the owner's manual you'll find they recommend checking all the lubricants after driving through water.

Hell yes it does! Cheers mate. Wow, honestly didn't realize the auto trans ran breathers, but after this experience I thought it might be the case. The diff analogy makes sense and I get they all have breathers. Had my old manual sierra's submerged many times and its never been an issue. Well goes to show the stock air filter location is a much better design than it looks.

Hmm I might have to check the transfer oil aswell I guess, that would have a breather too?

Does anyone know where the jimny auto trans breather is? I might extend it out the way.

[pete_79]

The transfer breather is a bitch to get to. On the top really close to the floor, I'm sure it could be done in place with much swearing, but heaps easier if you dropped the case off the mounts.

There is a few posts on here about the auto breathers (but I'm not trained in the secrete art of AZ search).
The manual trans has a factory breather on the fire wall directly behind the center of the engine. Might be worth having a look around there to see if the auto is the same.

I've never had water over the bonnet, but I have forded many rivers and never had any water enter the transfer with no extended breathers. Diffs yes, transfer and gearbox no.

[Gwagensteve]

I can't recall where the breather is on the jimny auto, but on the Vitara it's extended up to the firewall along with the transfer breather.

If the auto has taken on water, the transfer and both axles have also taken on water.

Interesting to note that if a car stops or is parked in deep water it's an automatic insurance writeoff.

Steve

[Lockie666]

Pretty sure their is a little breather with a spring loaded cap, about the size of your pinky finger on the top of the box. They don't do that great at keeping water out especially while sitting still. Seen a fair few guys use flexi hose with a plastic fuel type filter run them up to the firewall.

[vet 180]

Gwagensteve wrote:

Interesting to note that if a car stops or is parked in deep water it's an automatic insurance writeoff.

Steve

I thought so too.

I was also impressed with the factory air filter set up. I will look at Jimny's with snorkels in a different light now

[Jezza86]

i tee'ed the breathers on my transfer in to the diff breathers.
never bothered with the manual gearbox, had the car swimming a few times and never had a problem with anything other than the throw out bearing and clutch cable.

[Gwagensteve]

vet 180 wrote:

I was also impressed with the factory air filter set up. I will look at Jimny's with snorkels in a different light now

I'm not. I think the jimny filter is a repurposed road car filter and unsuited to off road conditions.

I dislike any panel filter in an off road application.

[vet 180]

Gwagensteve wrote:

vet 180 wrote:

I was also impressed with the factory air filter set up. I will look at Jimny's with snorkels in a different light now

I'm not. I think the jimny filter is a repurposed road car filter and unsuited to off road conditions.

I dislike any panel filter in an off road application.

I used to think this. And it basically is, but I take it out is very dusty conditions and have dunked the car under water and it's help up well so fair, much better than expected.