3.6 vs 3.8 FEAD Belt Design, Bravo to Chrysler on removing the Hydrolocking Threat
03-11-2012, 07:20 AM
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3.6 vs 3.8 FEAD Belt Design, Bravo to Chrysler on removing the Hydrolocking Threat
(I'm not sure if this is the right section for this so, mods please move if you think it isn't.)
I've long contented that unless you submerge your 3.8 JK hard over the headlights, the weakness and threat for Hydrolocking comes from the FEAD belt (front end accessory drive) design.
I have had the displeasure of almost hydrolocking our 3.8 in not that deep of water and always believed it to be from the way the FEAD belt sprays water directly into the Airbox. If you don't believe me, take a look at the top of your hood after even going through the smallest of puddes, not to mention basic fording of a river or creek.
Initially to combat this, I had fabricated up a "spray shield" that went over the airbox and but a seal between the airbox and hood top. Even though it worked, still I eventually just Snorkeled our 08 to completely eliminate the threat especially for deep water fording.
What is interesting is yesterday we took our 12 wheeling instead of the 08. Checking it over this morning, I was shocked in the lack of water traces into the airbox.
Chrysler "reversed" the FEAD on the 3.6 running inboard to the motor and added multiple NVH (noise-vibration-harshness) covers onto the powertrain. What they also did was completely eliminate the "spray" threat to the airbox! There is almost zero traces on the hood top and absolutely zero water trace on or near the airbox intake.
This is the underside of our 3.8 powered JK (note the clean area is where my shield deflects the sprayed water)
This is the underside of our 3.6 powered JK after a day of wheeling with fairly significant water that was crossed
If you note it is clean and that horrid spray patter is no longer present
In actuality the upper NVH cover deflects the water back down and away
The airbox itself is immaculate
Compare against our 3.8 even with the home-brew "shield".
Now that I snorkeled the 3.8 its impervious but, major Bravo to Chrysler with this 3.6 powertrain and eliminating that damn weak spot in the 3.8's design!
I truly believe that unless you are running a snorkel on 3.8, its not a question of if, but when you suck up water in the intake
I've long contented that unless you submerge your 3.8 JK hard over the headlights, the weakness and threat for Hydrolocking comes from the FEAD belt (front end accessory drive) design.
I have had the displeasure of almost hydrolocking our 3.8 in not that deep of water and always believed it to be from the way the FEAD belt sprays water directly into the Airbox. If you don't believe me, take a look at the top of your hood after even going through the smallest of puddes, not to mention basic fording of a river or creek.
Initially to combat this, I had fabricated up a "spray shield" that went over the airbox and but a seal between the airbox and hood top. Even though it worked, still I eventually just Snorkeled our 08 to completely eliminate the threat especially for deep water fording.
What is interesting is yesterday we took our 12 wheeling instead of the 08. Checking it over this morning, I was shocked in the lack of water traces into the airbox.
Chrysler "reversed" the FEAD on the 3.6 running inboard to the motor and added multiple NVH (noise-vibration-harshness) covers onto the powertrain. What they also did was completely eliminate the "spray" threat to the airbox! There is almost zero traces on the hood top and absolutely zero water trace on or near the airbox intake.
This is the underside of our 3.8 powered JK (note the clean area is where my shield deflects the sprayed water)
This is the underside of our 3.6 powered JK after a day of wheeling with fairly significant water that was crossed
If you note it is clean and that horrid spray patter is no longer present
In actuality the upper NVH cover deflects the water back down and away
The airbox itself is immaculate
Compare against our 3.8 even with the home-brew "shield".
Now that I snorkeled the 3.8 its impervious but, major Bravo to Chrysler with this 3.6 powertrain and eliminating that damn weak spot in the 3.8's design!
I truly believe that unless you are running a snorkel on 3.8, its not a question of if, but when you suck up water in the intake
