FROM: Earle Horton
SUBJECT: Re: Expedition engines can injest Water Spray
DATE: 22 Nov 1998 02:10:13 GMT
ORGANIZATION: AT&T WorldNet Services
NEWSGROUPS: rec.autos.4x4
A lot depends on engine design. Some engines will bend a
connecting rod, while others will crack or break the cylinder
walls. Others will simply stop running once driven into water,
but work fine if drained and refilled with lubricant.
I drove a 1972 Honda Civic into a pond once. I think the year was
1976. The car was totally immersed. Then Bernie and I got the
dump truck, pulled the car out, drained the water out of the oil,
popped out the windshield, and tried it again. We had so much fun
we went back into town and got Ralph.
Ralph is about 6'4", Bernie is about the same, and I am a mere six
footer. We induced Ralph to get in the middle of the front seat
by offering him beer. We drove around the Montague flats a while
to give Ralph a false sense of security, then took off up the
power line right of way. About a half mile up, a right turn leads
to an embankment that straightens out and leads down into the
pond. The last two hundred yards or so is a straight shot into
the pond.
About half way down, Ralph realized what Bernie and I had
planned. Ralph is strong, but the beer had slowed him down and
Bernie and I had the doors locked and were securely belted in.
About the only way out for Ralph was the windshield opening, and
he went for it. The created a very large disturbance in the front
seat area of the Civic, to say the least.
Luckily, there wasn't enough time for Ralph to escape. As the
Civic entered the pond, a wave of water which looked to our beer
soaked minds like a tidal wave crashed in over the hood and we
took Ralph for a short but memorable submarine ride.
A group of local hippies was on the other side of the pond smoking
dope. One of them laughed so hard he fell down, but wasn't hurt.
As we were standing on the roof of the Honda, we realized that the
portable winch and (more serious) the beer, were in the back seat
of the car. Bernie, ever the gentleman, headed under water to
fetch the necessaries for pulling the car out. Not a single
bottle of beer was lost. The Honda was good for two more
immersions before the motor gave out.
My wife keeps in touch with Bernie's wife. He drives a bus for
musical groups on tour and has put four children through college.
I left the commune, went to college, and wound up programming
computers for Big Bad Microsoft. I had to retire from that
because it gave me enough money to afford lots of toys but not
enough time to enjoy them properly. I don't know what became of
Ralph, but I am sure he hasn't forgotten our little ride into the
pond.
I don't do much off road driving now. It tends to tear up the
environment and annoys wild life and hikers. If you see mud on my
tires, it comes from the parking lot at the trail head. I leave
it on because I like to tell myself I am impressing people who
have to work for a living.