i'm a recent convert. for 35 years nothing sat in my driveway unless there was a bowtie on the grill. i won't bore anyone with details about the names i used to call dodges. for a few years now, i kept hearing disturbing things about chevys and after seeing a friends new dodge, i had to get one. after 6 months and a couple of trips pulling the travel trailer, i'm very happy. as my friend put it, once you drive the diesel, you never want a gasser again. but on with the first of many stupid questions that i intend to ask. i spent years working on marine diesels with mechanical govs. the detroits in particular could be completely submerged to the air intake and keep running. the question is, how deep can i go in water with my stock 2006 CTD considering the turbo and electronic magic stuff on the side of the engine?

the electronics should be waterproof. just don't suck any into the engine and you should be good, make sure to post up a video or some pics of your fording experience, and welcome to the site!

I've had my front tires (35s) completely submerged on a boat ramp trying to get my jumper cables to reach a stubborn boat... No worries...

Been in water up to my doors before (I'm lifted 4.5" on 35's) with no issues.

drive in as deep as you want. when it stalls, stop. next time go 2 inches shallower. [laugh] sorry for not being much help.

My guess is it can't be too good to get water up to or above the turbo. Can't imagine what would happen when that HOT turbo hits the cold water... Can't be too good for it... just a guess... :cool:

the electronics should be waterproof. just don't suck any into the engine and you should be good, make sure to post up a video or some pics of your fording experience, and welcome to the site!

Dude, you just broke one of the Cardinal rules here. You cannot have a "fording" experience in a Dodge Ram w/Cummins turbo diesel. You can have a "fjording" experience in a Dodge Ram w/Cummins turbo diesel though!!!! And Ford does not own Cummings!!!!![laugh] [laugh]

Dude, you just broke one of the Cardinal rules here. You cannot have a "fording" experience in a Dodge Ram w/Cummins turbo diesel. You can have a "fjording" experience in a Dodge Ram w/Cummins turbo diesel though!!!! And Ford does not own Cummings!!!!![laugh] [laugh]

I'm not sure if this was intentional but you also broke one of the so called cardinal rules. Ford can own Cummings all they want, as long as they dont get their hands on our Cummins! Hehe!

ive had some bad experience with going too deep.
but to help out with your question. ill tell you the story. dont go deep enough for your fan to get into the water, the truck will be fine and run but your fan blade will be bent and hanging out of the radiator.

^^^ ya if the fan blades hit the water they act like a paddle and get all messed up.

if the fan blades hit the water they act like a paddle

You mean, they will help moving the truck forward?... [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
Sorry couldn't help it.
-P

^^^ ya if the fan blades hit the water they act like a paddle and get all messed up.
And can destroy the radiator.

If you do a lot of off road, you may waht to think about electric fans. IIRC it is Flex-a-Lite that makes a set for us...

On the 3rd gens, can't we install a switch to disable the fan lockup?

I have had water come almost up to the windshield , but that's only because I was moving , if i stopped , it would have only been about half- 2/3rds up the door, just below the air intake :D. Might be a different story in a 3rd gen though.

I had mine up to the middle of the door. It did have some electrical problems, but that was probably because it got stuck there, and sat for about an hour before we could find any two trucks big enough to pull it out. I managed to back the truck out of the hole enough that there was only the front end in the water. With a 98 chevy on 33s and a 71 ford f200 on 35, they couldn't pull me out on dry ground. I had to start up the dodge and back it up out of the hole. When I got un-stuck, I checked the oil, it was full to the top with emulsified water, same with trans, and same with front diff. I changed the fluids and filters, ran the engine for about 2 minutes, changed the oil again, drove around the block, changed the trans fluid again, drove around the block, changed the trans fluid again, and changed the engine oil again. Two days later, I was hunting for a new turbo. I changed the turbo, the oil, trans fluid, and 40,000 miles later, and no other related problems.

I had mine up to the middle of the door. It did have some electrical problems, but that was probably because it got stuck there, and sat for about an hour before we could find any two trucks big enough to pull it out. I managed to back the truck out of the hole enough that there was only the front end in the water. With a 98 chevy on 33s and a 71 ford f200 on 35, they couldn't pull me out on dry ground. I had to start up the dodge and back it up out of the hole. When I got un-stuck, I checked the oil, it was full to the top with emulsified water, same with trans, and same with front diff. I changed the fluids and filters, ran the engine for about 2 minutes, changed the oil again, drove around the block, changed the trans fluid again, drove around the block, changed the trans fluid again, and changed the engine oil again. Two days later, I was hunting for a new turbo. I changed the turbo, the oil, trans fluid, and 40,000 miles later, and no other related problems.

Sounds like an expensive mud puddle. [duhhh] [duhhh] I guess it's a case of "if you play, you pay". Glad it wasn't worse.

Yeah that sounds a little extreme. I wonder what caused the short death of the turbo. I understand that without your vents higher you will get water in them but unless your turbo was at super hot levels I cant see why the water would kill it.

Water mixed with oil reaks havoc on bearings/ bushings. Especially at the extreme high speeds that a turbo shaft see. Just ask anyone who owns a Mack Mid-Liner how long a turbo or cam will last once your liner seals start to leak.

up to the door emblems is fine. I have done it several times any higher and you will have to start running driveline vents higher and get yourself a snorkel.

So im curious if there arent any other diesels in say camel trophy land rovers ( i know nothing about them) or what about the diesels that run in the Top Truck Challenge? Ive seen several run the ttc and not swap turbos. I just think there is a way we just dont know it.

don't let the turbo backfill with water. as long as the engine is running you shouldn't have a problem if it stalled for any amount of time submeged you would be screwed.

Remember, concrete floats. Simply pour a couple of inches in the bed and you can go as deep as you want.

Man I thought pullig was hard on my truck, wouldn't even think of taking my truck through 4 feet of water.

There was a Top Truck Challenge contestant a few years ago who had a Unimog with a Cummins in it, don't remember if it was the 4 or 6, but all he has was a snorkel on the engine and a pull cable kill switch, and he was completely submerging the engine, probably with 2, 3, or maybe 4 feet of water over the hood.

I ran my 4bt fork truck through 5-6ft of water last year when our jobsite flooded, good ol' Terex made it through no problem, however, I couldn't lift the homeowners truck with the forks, so i had to drag it through the water... I don't know if it ever ran again, but the Terex is still kicking.