Hydrolocked motor, need advice.

[604explorer]

Hey there, new guy here. Bought my 96 - 5.0 - AWD Explorer back in December with 103,x.. now has 107,x... Brought her off roading two days ago and a buddy took it through a puddle that wasn't too deep but he took it at the wrong angle and too fast. She sucked a bunch of water in and stalled on the exit of the puddle. Wouldn't turn over nor crank so took spark plugs out onsite and cranked it over, water poured out of cyl #1, sprayed a little bit out of the others. Now has a knocking noise...and barely runs.. got it towed home, didn't want to limp it home from where I was. Haven't had the opportunity to start taking the motor apart to find out exactly what happened..that begins Monday.

Any advice...
should I rebuild if it's just a lifter, valve, or spring ?
If it's a rod should I rebuild or buy a new motor ?
IF I get a new motor should I get a mustang engine and swap it in orrrrr ???

I know if I were to drop in a mustang motor there is "custom" work to be done..the harmonic balancer and TB linkage..correct? I have found some posts about this/these swaps but I'm sure there are more I haven't found and I'm sure there is more advice to be given then what's been posted already.

After this issue it taken care of I plan on doing TT, AAL, 3 inch BL, and bigger tires. There are 28's on it now, I want 32-33's.. Oh and exhaust...however dealing with this motor issue is my first priority.

 

[jremington59]

You want to get the oil drained out as soon as possible and get some clean oil in it. I'd also probably put a shot of lubricant in the spark plug holes. After that see if she's still knocking. You'll also need a new set of plugs if the motors ok.

I have the AWD and I wouldn't consider it to be an offroad vehicle as much as the 4wd.

 

[yavapaires]

If it were mine, which it is not, I would rebuild it. Replacement rods , ARP bolts, cam change if bucks allow, port match the intake and heads, you will be ahead of the game. You know what the engine is. If you buy one from the wrecking yard, it is a shot in the dark. Just my opinion.

 

[buckwill]

highly unlikely to be valve lifter or spring, most likely a bent rod or broken piston, engine gonna have to come out to fix, what happens next is up to you,, have your crank checked for straitness if u reuse it, or rebuild your block,, what u had was a sudden stoppage with an incompressible liquid,, buck,, let us know

 

[604explorer]

Yeah I'd love to rebuild it..that'd take about the same time as going another route, correct ?

 

[604explorer]

yeah you're not the first person to say it's a rod. The knocking isn't tooo loud, however it's still there. Okay, well I guess first time Monday I'll start taking the motor completely out. Guess I have some work to do...

What about swapping a mustang motor into it ?

 

[604explorer]

You want to get the oil drained out as soon as possible and get some clean oil in it. I'd also probably put a shot of lubricant in the spark plug holes. After that see if she's still knocking. You'll also need a new set of plugs if the motors ok.

I have the AWD and I wouldn't consider it to be an offroad vehicle as much as the 4wd.

You think changing the oil could possibly get rid of that knock ?

 

[604explorer]

can't drain the oil until Monday... :/

 

[jremington59]

You think changing the oil could possibly get rid of that knock ?

Have you pulled the dipstick and seen what the oil looks like? I'd assume there has to be water in there if a few cylinders were full.

 

[604explorer]

Have you pulled the dipstick and seen what the oil looks like? I'd assume there has to be water in there if a few cylinders were full.

Yup it's been pulled. There is water in the oil

 

[jremington59]

You can't be running that with water in the oil. I'd drain the oil and start it regardless and see what it sounds like before I started tearing it apart. You shouldn't have run it at all with water in the oil.

 

[604explorer]

You can't be running that with water in the oil. I'd drain the oil and start it regardless and see what it sounds like before I started tearing it apart. You shouldn't have run it at all with water in the oil.

Okay, tomorrow I'll drain the oil, put fresh oil in and see what it sounds like. I still doubt changing the oil(watery oil lol) will rid my engine of that horrid knock. If the knock is still there, out comes the engine.

 

[rabbit91]

Just subscribing, I hope all goes well. Similar problem happened to me, sucked in water and stalled coming out of a puddle. I dried the whole intake, started right up and kept going on the trail.
Something to keep in mind (after you get the engine problem fixed of course) is swapping your Tcase for the BW4406 giving you 2wd and 4low.

 

[Noober1]

I did this! It was raining and I thought... If the Honda in front of me can drive through maybe 2" of water... Then I should be able to. WRONG! buried the rod into the cylinder wall. I believe this has to be a design flaw be cause the itty bitty rice burner I drive now can go through much deeper water. Regardless if I go 4x4 through rivers I will have a snorkel for everyday driving!

 

[604explorer]

Just subscribing, I hope all goes well. Similar problem happened to me, sucked in water and stalled coming out of a puddle. I dried the whole intake, started right up and kept going on the trail.
Something to keep in mind (after you get the engine problem fixed of course) is swapping your Tcase for the BW4406 giving you 2wd and 4low.

Yeah, ****ty situation... Went to the school today(got it towed)and drained the oil, looked like mud(light brown)..baby ****... put new oil in and started it back up..knock was still there and didn't get any quieter. Limped it home, stopped at a mechanic shop along the way and he even said the same thing there auto teacher at my old school said. As well as you guys on here. Looks like I have some work ahead of me.. I'll keep you guys posted on how this thing goes.

Yeah I'd like to do that as well, swapping the T case.. Was looking at mine today when it was on the hoist, looks fairly easy to take out and put in a new one..with some slight custom work as well, right ?

 

[rabbit91]

Actually not much custom work. The Tcase swap is what I am about to do in a month or so..once the semester ends. Search BW4406 swap and you will see a bunch of threads with plenty of information, seems pretty straight forward. Only custom work I would consider is adding the stick for manual shift if you decide you want the manual tcase.

 

[604explorer]

I did this! It was raining and I thought... If the Honda in front of me can drive through maybe 2" of water... Then I should be able to. WRONG! buried the rod into the cylinder wall. I believe this has to be a design flaw be cause the itty bitty rice burner I drive now can go through much deeper water. Regardless if I go 4x4 through rivers I will have a snorkel for everyday driving!

Yeah, when work picks back up I'ma get me a snorkel!

 

[rabbit91]

I noticed the 604 in your name earlier but just clued in! Your just over the bridge from me

What school do you go to?

 

[604explorer]

I noticed the 604 in your name earlier but just clued in! Your just over the bridge from me

What school do you go to?

Haha yup. I'm not going to school right now, graduated last year

 

[604explorer]

So I have access to my old 1990 5.0 out of my old fox bods mustang. I sold it for 200 and the guy doesn't want it anymore so I can get it back for 200. Can I just swap parts around to make my motor work again ?