Caught in a flash flood. Water in engine.

[authemis]

2002 explorer limited V8
Got caught in a flash flood yesterday. Engine stalled. towed back home. Took apart some this morning. Water was in intake, and seemed to be in oil. Removed plugs and tried to dry out, but the engine will not seem to turn on the starter. Its engaging and is drawing enough amps to dim all the lights and show its trying. Is my engine seized, or what possible damage has been done to it. I have not tried to turn by hand yet as its pouring again. Any possible ideas are much appreciated.

 

[rwt101]

Doesn't sound good. When water enters the combustion chamber and the engine is running it can break a piston for a connecting rod. Water can't be compressed so it is like a piston hitting a solid object.

I would try and turn it by hand but if the starter won't turn it you probably won't be able to either.

Of course it is also possible the since the started got soaked that is bad and is shorted out.

Bob T

 

[swshawaii]

^ Ditto. Time is NOT on your side and corrosion occurs very quickly. Get it turning or tear down ASAP to save it.

 

[Sweersa]

Sorry this happened. Roughly how deep was the water?

 

[colintrax]

Change the oil, change the air filter, clean the MAF sensor, now remove all the spark plugs and disconnect the coil. Crank the engine over several times. Reinstall the plugs, crank it over and cross your fingers.

No start? Check the gas for water. Disconnect a line and drain it into a clear container. Let it sit, the water will separate from the gas if it's there. Meanwhile, borrow a compression tester and check compression on every cylinder.

If the motor won't turn over with all the plugs removed (and battery on a strong battery charger ~50+amps) the engine is trashed. Although I'd try turning it over by hand before scrapping it.
Good luck

 

[colintrax]

Also, if it does run. You need to change the oil again in 500 miles or so. Change differantial and transmission oil at the same time. You need to get all the water out, it makes for a piss poor lubricant and will cause corrosion

 

[authemis]

OP here.

No garage and the rain is still going so have not been able to do much to it. I got the intake off. Water got past that point. Oils drained and plug out so everything can drain out the bottom. Plugs are out. tried to get the front off enough to get to the main pulley to try to manually turn. could not get the fan and clutch off tonight. Will try again tomorrow. dropped a small heater under the hood, but its dropping below freezing here soon so i don't think that will help much.
Hard to tear it down working on a public street unfortunately. The continuous rain is also making working impossible.

The water was a little over a foot and a half deep and i punched to gas to try to clear it. Probably made it worse by doing so. I was almost out when it stalled. deepest was over the tires from what i could see in the driver seat.

I'm not optimistic.

 

[lincolnshibuya]

without a garage to work it on, I might call insurance and call it a day.

 

[colintrax]

OP here.

No garage and the rain is still going so have not been able to do much to it. I got the intake off. Water got past that point. Oils drained and plug out so everything can drain out the bottom. Plugs are out. tried to get the front off enough to get to the main pulley to try to manually turn. could not get the fan and clutch off tonight. Will try again tomorrow. dropped a small heater under the hood, but its dropping below freezing here soon so i don't think that will help much.
Hard to tear it down working on a public street unfortunately. The continuous rain is also making working impossible.

The water was a little over a foot and a half deep and i punched to gas to try to clear it. Probably made it worse by doing so. I was almost out when it stalled. deepest was over the tires from what i could see in the driver seat.

I'm not optimistic.

It's known water got through the intake, that's what made it stall.
It's good you drained the oil, but you need to refill it. The oil can help displace the water.
No need to get to the crank pulley, spin the alternator instead.
You need to be spinning the engine over with the plugs out. A pool of water disappears much faster when it gets splashed around instead of left to sit and evaporate.

 

[authemis]

No need to get to the crank pulley, spin the alternator instead.

All the other pulleys will move and the belt won't. Thats why i'm trying to the to the main pulley. was gonna put a breaker bar on it. Nothing else will move it. I was trying to dry it out first and foremost. The rain is making doing anything impossible.

 

[colintrax]

All the other pulleys will move and the belt won't. Thats why i'm trying to the to the main pulley. was gonna put a breaker bar on it. Nothing else will move it. I was trying to dry it out first and foremost. The rain is making doing anything impossible.

Try spinning the motor reverse. If the belt is slipping.... Ima bet there's a bent con rod.
Again, good luck

 

[Number4]

I'm imaging bent rods. Perhaps jumped time as well. Pull all plugs, rotate crank. I imagine it won't move. If it does, test for compression.

 

[kmac59]

Thank you all for your very good information. I got stuck trying to get home with Hurricane Harvey causing torrential rains in Houston. Made it home but when I turned into my drive, there was a big dip and water came over the hood. Truck stalled in the garage. I immediately started searching internet for what to do. Your comments and instructions here were invaluable.

While the storms were raging around Houston, luckily I still had power and the water was not coming in my place, I pulled spark plugs, pulled the manifold. There was water in air filter. Pulled MAF sensor. Put fans on engine and other parts put in oven at 100 degrees. After about 5 days of making sure all was dry, put back together. Started right up! Let it run for a while, checked down in oil fill could see oil was nice and clean, not milky. Transmission was good but am planing on changing since is at 30K.

Been driving for last few days... all good until last night. At restaurant, come out and start... sounds like it's out of gas.

Luckily in parking garage and left it over night. Went and bought a new MAF sensor this am put in... no luck.

Not sure what it is... sounds like out of gas or maybe got some bad gas day before.

Much appreciate all your help!

Keith

 

[Drewmcg]

There are enough differences in your (newer) Explorer and the third-generation (2002-05) Explorers in this forum that you may want to re-post in the newer model forum.

I saw a 3rd gen on the news stuck with water up to the middle of its tail lights, and the rescue folks loading kid and bags out of it. I remember thinking that the transmission vent house that goes to nearly the top of the bell housing would be under water and letting water into the transmission (5R55S).

Your model had a completely different configuration/transmission, however.

Is yours a Flex Fuel model? I've heard running E85 fuel will dry water out of the system, but have not tried it. Good luck.

 

[kmac59]

There are enough differences in your (newer) Explorer and the third-generation (2002-05) Explorers in this forum that you may want to re-post in the newer model forum.

I saw a 3rd gen on the news stuck with water up to the middle of its tail lights, and the rescue folks loading kid and bags out of it. I remember thinking that the transmission vent house that goes to nearly the top of the bell housing would be under water and letting water into the transmission (5R55S).

Your model had a completely different configuration/transmission, however.

Is yours a Flex Fuel model? I've heard running E85 fuel will dry water out of the system, but have not tried it. Good luck.

Yep, mine has the FlexFuel.. but I can't get it to run now. Was able to get it running with Starter Fluid; however, once that dried out, it died.

Next step is to figure out if Fuel Relay is bad or fuel not getting to injectors.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Drewmcg]

Yep, mine has the FlexFuel.. but I can't get it to run now. Was able to get it running with Starter Fluid; however, once that dried out, it died.

Next step is to figure out if Fuel Relay is bad or fuel not getting to injectors.

Thanks for the help!

In the 3rd gen, you can hook up a fuel pressure guage to the fuel rail to see if you have pressure. You can borrow one from the auto parts store. Fuel pump relay; fuel pump fuse; fuel pump itself; fuel pump wirinig--several possibilities.

 

[kmac59]

Thanks for everyone's help. Just to let you know the outcome. I troubleshooted while it was in the parking garage. There is a connector on the fuel injector rail. I was able to put the fuel line in a plastic bottle... crank the engine and saw no fuel from tank getting to injectors. Had it towed to the dealership... It was the Fuel Pump Driver Module, under warranty still so no charge... whew! Plus they did a complete check of the engine. All good!