Fiat Panda 4x4 fording 10.09.10

Driving along a country road, I noticed a 'road closed' sign. Of course, I had to continue :). I eventually found this flood. I inspected it with a hiking stick, and found that although it wasn't too deep, there was alot of soot/mud on one side (the side I decided to drive). I thought 'phuff, can't be too bad'.

So I engaged 4wd and sped up to 2nd gear, thinking that momentum was the key to get through the sludge. Of course, the speed threw water into my plug leads at the distributor - hence the stalling and rough running. After drying out the plug leads, I was able to drive away smoothly.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Fiat
• Panda
• 4x4
• 4wd
• fording
• flood
• crossing

[Blurredman]

Hehehe. Why did it conk out? I would have thought carburetta cars wouldn't have stalled because it doesn't have electrics ?

[ANM4x4]

@Blurredman Water got at the plug leads; at the distributor end. Even carburettored engines have electrics - spark plugs and such. Later engines have electric ignition (such as the Panda's engine).

[Blurredman]

@ANM4x4 yep was thinking it be the sparks. You should take it slowly without a wave and then you'd have made it :D But then sparks are just temperary, the engine being warm will discard the water into nothingness and the sparks will come back ;)

[ANM4x4]

@Blurredman Yea. I had to take it quickly, as there was alot of sludge at the bottom of the water. I was worried about getting stuck in the middle :P

[Blurredman]

@ANM4x4 Come now. You have a 4x4 !!! Even my 2wd would do that :P

[ANM4x4]

@Blurredman Shush! I reckon that I should have either gone quicker or much slower to avoid the stalling. Lessons learned :)

[taza11659]

lol. Take it slower next time....

[andremacfoy]

You have traversed obstacles, with grace and expertise, before, but never did I expect you to contend with the watery depths. And, even so, you have passed this great test, with majesty. Bravo.