Water-crossings: how to start a stalled manual transmission w/o clutch?

[Torero]

In my experience, water is not a problem for the clutch, thick mud is not a problem for the clutch; however, silt can be disastrous. That really murky water is what I try to avoid like a plague. Actually the clutch is just one of the victims, bearings go south a few days after the ingress. All sort of bearings!
As for the starting the engine without depressing the clutch, I find it very disappointing that there isn’t a switch to bypass. (My FJ has a button to bypass clutch)
My take on that is that for a as many mods we do to this things, I will just add the switch myself without complaints.
My 2 Cents.

Sponsored

 

[Onyx Dragon]

The clutch safety mechanism was engineered on earlier wranglers to be able to be bypassed easily in order to use the starter motor to move the vehicle in emergency situations such as a stall on a dangerous, uphill obstacle, stuck on train-tracks or an intersection or stalled in water/mud etc. etc.

If you stall on an uphill obstacle, the vehicle is designed for the brakes to hold it for 3 seconds after you take your foot off. So if you stall, restart it and go.

 

[MadDog27]

Wouldn’t that be cool to route a clutch bypass to one of the aux switched in the jeep. I get the jeep will let you if you do it within a certain time limit of a stall but would be nice to have the freedom do it whenever.

 

[BobW]

I used no-clutch stop/start in 4L routinely with my '93 5-sp Cherokee.
My (new) '18 JLU Rubicon 6-sp does in fact no-clutch start using the tricks described above. (I shut off in gear to stop; to restart, I press clutch; stall in 6th, then quickly shift to 1st, brake pressed, and start w/o clutch).

As others noted, the Owner's Manual (p 306 in my 2018) plainly states 4L start does not require clutch to be depressed, adding that no clutch start is a useful off-road technique (true!).

Is the Manual wrong? Or are my (and your) JLs programmed wrong?



BTW, I've contacted both Jeep helpline and dealer... both very polite but had no idea what I was asking about...

 

[Petey]

I remember reading about changes with the JL manual trans regarding water crossings..the main thing being something to do with the transmission itself.

With the Jk shifting while crossing allowed water to enter. And the JL might be sealed but I can’t find the article and don’t know for sure. I also am unsure if the trans has an extended breather

I know the transfer case does not have an extended breather so that should be something to consider as well.

I have only done one crossing and used 4lo 2nd gear or maybe 3rd. It was fairly deep. Went over my bumper and I’m on 37’s with 3” lift. So we’ll within the factory limit.

water will get into the bellhousing regardless of when ur shifting its not really watertight in there as far as I know..maybe Im wrong but I know for sure that water can enter in many places in the bellhousing not just the shift fork.

 

[omnitonic]

I just stumbled across and read through this thread. I never really thought about the ramifications of using my clutch when I got stuck in deep, dirty water last year. I was happy that I finally figured out how to blow the water out of the tailpipes, so the engine could actually run. Then I slammed it in first and floored it, with nary a thought of anything except avoiding having to step out into knee deep rancid muck water.

Well, anyway, that was 6+ months ago, and if I did any damage, it was the slow kind that doesn't manifest itself in an obvious way.

Now that I think about it, I've shifted in the water a few times. I never gave any thought to whether that was a bad thing to do. I try to go in in the gear I'm going to use to get out, but I've miscalculated now and again and had to downshift.

Great. One more thing to worry about. Also, if you do stall out with your tailpipe under water, getting started again is tricky. Not recommended.

 

[jbcrane]

This is a great thread... glad I found it. I don't do many water crossings but it's good to know the do's and don't's if required. I'll be trying the re-starting without the clutch technique. I can see it coming in handy in certain off-road situations. Thanks everyone.

 

[openingshok]

In 4-low, if you stall a manually JL it will give you instructions on the dash. You simply LIGHTLY press the brake and push the start button while the clutch is still engaged. The starter will roll the jeep and it will re-start in gear. Anyone above saying it won't either drives an automatic or hasn't tried this in 4-low. It works. Been there, done that.

 

[openingshok]

Getting a straight answer is like pulling teeth, isn't it??

 

[openingshok]

Ok good to know. Yeah, extending the breathers is always a good idea for the diffs/transfercase/auto trans. I haven't heard about a sealed manual transmission on the JLs but I just started researching it. Thanks.

This is inaccurate. There is a breather tube on the top of the transmission housing with the hydrophobic valve. Very hard to get at to extend but it's below the factory recommended 30" of water.

 

[openingshok]

It does not , that was possible on older models, The Jl will not. I have tried

In 4-low it will start with the clutch engaged. The engine has to stall to activate the system. It won't work just from turning the engine off and trying to start it in gear.

 

[Badweissenbier]

In 4-low, if you stall a manually JL it will give you instructions on the dash. You simply LIGHTLY press the brake and push the start button while the clutch is still engaged. The starter will roll the jeep and it will re-start in gear. Anyone above saying it won't either drives an automatic or hasn't tried this in 4-low. It works. Been there, done that.

Interesting choice of words you use there.
On my 18 rubi, stalling in 4 low gives no message and will not let you restart in gear. Tried several times back when this was originally posted.
So as it does for you, that begs the question if Jeep has updated at some point and did they add or remove a feature?

 

[beachbumm78]

Interesting choice of words you use there.
On my 18 rubi, stalling in 4 low gives no message and will not let you restart in gear. Tried several times back when this was originally posted.
So as it does for you, that begs the question if Jeep has updated at some point and did they add or remove a feature?

Same here. Last time i stalled in 4L I didn’t see any message. Can’t say I tried to restart in gear or didn’t but I’ll have to check next time and see. Maybe they did some update

 

[five9dak]

Serious question.. Do you really plan on making so many deep water crossings?

First time you get stuck in a mudhole you probably have your bellhousing "underwater." Happened to me on my very first outing in my TJ.

To rock back and forth you ideally need to stop and start the engine. The reality is you probably just use the clutch anyway, at least, on a TJ, its only $80 and an afternoon if there is a throw out bearing failure. (mine had 2 fail over 70k miles from off-road abuse).

 

[pablo_max3045]

First time you get stuck in a mudhole you probably have your bellhousing "underwater." Happened to me on my very first outing in my TJ.

To rock back and forth you ideally need to stop and start the engine. The reality is you probably just use the clutch anyway, at least, on a TJ, its only $80 and an afternoon if there is a throw out bearing failure. (mine had 2 fail over 70k miles from off-road abuse).

Luckily I have never taken any of my Jeeps "mudding"
Though, this is mainly because I am way too lazy for all the clean up required afterwards.

Sponsored