cccp

First of i just want to know some things when off roading.
1. When going through mud is it bad for your car or engine or ect?
Last weekend i went through some mud and puddle. I hit about 25 and the dirt and water went all over , but then i was afraid something was going to happen so i went to the car wash and washed my car and of course it still runs.
2. Doing doughnuts in the snow does that hurt anything?
Cause i live in Colorado i like to mess around doing doghnuts in the parking lot well it is kind of an addiction these days.

I just want to know what the limits i can have off-roading on a 90 4runner that is pretty much stock.

Flamedx4

As in most things, it all depends.
Slamming full blast through mud holes is quite probably the worst thing to do. But then, we've all done it and didn't hurt anything (usually) Many bad things can happen, plus the mud and water get places under the hood they ordinarily wouldn't.

But as for your question - depends of how deep you consider deep, how wet, how much strain you put on your engine and trans getting out, etc. If you make a habit of deep dunkings (and by deep I mean DEEP, not just a puddle, but more like up to the rocker panels or even more) (anything over the hubs probably qualifies.) then you should increase your maintenance sched. Relube the front wheel bearings and hubs more often, check your diff fluids (looking for water) more often. Be sure your distributor is sealed up nice etc..

Your ecm is inside - if that gets dunked you have bigger problems.

[[2. Doing doughnuts in the snow does that hurt anything?]] ONly if you blow up your engine. It's fun though isn't it?

mt_goat

If you get a rear locker you can do doughnuts real easy. The only damage I ever did doing doughnuts was when I slid into curb and bent a rim. Its more fun to slide the skis, than my truck. Why not head up the slopes instead?

cccp

The mudd i go through is like 6-10in. maybe little bit deeper. I mean i stayed in 2wd when i went through it. Hopefully that helps you guys answer my question.

cccp

The snowboarding gets boring sometimes so when i am in the ski parking lot it is doughnut central for me.

cccp

Mt goat i am heding to Oklahoma over spring break ,but right now i forgot the name where i am going to ,but i know i am going fishing to some lake (i will give you the name later)
Got any good place for me to go wheelin.

calrockx

going through a (mud) puddle too fast, too hard can hydrolock your engine. that falls in the "things you don't want to happen" category.
if you plan on taking your truck for dips like that, look into getting a snorkel.

Beartracker

Another thing that happens to the newer models like my 01 and up is that the air filter will get saturated and your truck will die until you dry it out. Been there done that! Had the air filter full of mud and water and water laying in the bottom of the filters canister. Guess it got in through the wheel well somehow. We hit water about 2' deepat 40 mph and had the truck looking like it was drowned in mud . It took a while for the Taco to quit but it did. After cleaning out the water and pitching the filter it ran fine . Went right to the parts store and bought a new filter and then went home and did a throtle body clean. The mud and water never reached that far but we were lucky. If your going to do that stuff it's a good idea to snorkle a few things including all your breathers on the running gears.

CynicX

Doing donuts in the snow can overheat the engine, since your have a load on the engine but not moving air through the radiator, cept what the fan is moving.....But you'd have to do a donut for 5 minutes to cause damage.....I had a friend with a subaru overheat his car doing a donut, still runs great but didnt notice tell the guage was almost in the red...