Tuesday evening my daughter and I were leaving the grocery store, when I decided to drive through a big mud puddle in the lot next to it. We have driven through it before, months ago, but apparently it got bigger... the water level came almost up to the door handles. We got nearly through it (I gunned it at the start, so I wasn't crawling through it) but it was still enough to kill the engine. After getting my daughter calmed down (she was panicking and screaming "We're gonna drown", while trying to climb out the window...), we sat in place for 10-20 minutes (it felt a lot longer, but this is probably more accurate) before getting someone to pull us out. We weren't completely submerged for that time; the water on my side was just over the top of my step bar, but on a slight incline, so the water was about at the top of the tires in the rear; the passenger side was sitting lower, and water was coming in the back of the cab.

Let me save y'all the time: Yes, I'm a dumbass.

I tried and tried to locate a tow truck before both of my phones (personal & work) died, but with no luck. Because of the area we were in, I didn't feel comfortable in leaving my truck overnight, and even my daughter started to argue when I suggested it (not one of the worst areas, but remote enough that it most likely would have been broken into/stolen/vandalized if left unattended). So we sat there for another 2 hours trying to get it started, and finally drove it home, on what sounded like not all the cylinders (fap-fap-fap-fap-fap sound, which increased in volume with throttle), which was about 9 miles.

I parked it and haven't been able to address it until today, in which I was going to change the oil (it did appear to have some water in it), filters & plugs. I thought I'd check with y'all, though, to see what else might need addressed.

I don't think it's a total loss, as it didn't sit fully submerged overnight, or anything. I mean, when folks go mudding and get stuck, they don't just write their trucks off. This was definitely more water than mud, however, but I think exposure was limited enough.

I appreciate any help!

 

Drain/change the rear differential fluid , and the front if you have 4WD.
Check the transmission and transfer case fluids for water.
As far as the engine is concerned,the damage is already done , if there is any. Change the oil and keep an eye on the fluids.Take note of any unusual smoke coming out the exhaust.

Hope your daughter learned from your mistake.






eta.........dumbass
J/K

 

I don't know, she was sending me mixed signals. She spent 2 hours that night giving me the 'told you so' treatment, but then the next morning was talking about how she wanted a Jeep when she turned 16 so that *she* could play in the mud...

 

Sounds like a true 4x4er was born...

 

Just change all fluids. Keep an eye on them.
Next time, hit it with more speed! lol.

 

IMO I think your trucks engine got messed up. Sounds like water got into the engine and broke a rod. (water doesn't compress). Thats what that flap flap sound probably is.

 

You might be right, Anthony...

I've been unable to address the issue until now, due to obligations and things my daughter had going on, so it's been sitting in my garage 'drying out'. This morning I changed the plugs, changed the oil and changed the filters. Said a little prayer, turned the key, and...

Fap-fap-fap-fap-fap... Heart-broken.

I checked the oil and it was looking pretty thin, like there may have still been water in there. And as I poured the old oil (tan'ish-brown) into the empty oil jug, there was some soot in the bottom of the drain pan. I thought it might have been sand, but it was slightly reflective, like metal flake/glitter (though, when I rubbed it between my fingers, I couldn't feel it). Ugh...

This puts me in a pickle, as the truck is now out of commission for quite a while. I'm actually driving my ex-wife's old Tahoe that has problems of its own from her ragging on it for the last 8 years. I also commute 500+ miles a week for work, and it gets 16MPG on a good day. I'm not in a position to take on a car payment, either.

So what am I looking at with the truck? What are my options at this point (repair vs swap; 4.0 vs 5.0; etc)? I know I'll have to figure this out on my own, but I'm so frustrated right now that my thoughts are all running together and I'm just looking for some insight to help sort things out.

 

Wirelessly posted

A broken rod would make a hell of slot more noise than a flap. Make a bid of the sound

 

Ok, here's a short clip. Can you tell, or is it being drowned out by the acoustics/echo of my garage?

 

Could also be a valve....did you turn the engine over w/o plugs? Gotta do that as soon as you get submerged to get any water out.

In any case, you'll probably need to look at the top and bottom of that engine....drop the oil pan and take off the valve covers.

 

any news ?

 

Not, yet. I've got about 6 different things going wrong all at the same time, so I'm trying to spread my time & attention across them all. That's on top of my daughter's softball season starting back up this week, which eats up an additional 3 hours a night, 3-4 nights a week, on top of my already-stretched-too-thin schedule... And I'm scheduled to go out of town for the last 1.5 weeks of September, so I hope to address it over the next couple of days.

But thanks for asking!

 

If its a 4cyl maybe you got lucky and screwed up the timing belt. Does not sound like a rod knock, does not sound good either. You may have fragged the alternator bearings, so try it without the serpentine belt.


For anyone that experiences this in the future. Pull the plugs on site and crank it for a good 30 seconds without them. If you have brake cleaner or contact cleaner spray(optional) a bit in the cylinders and crank it again, this will help dry it out more. If you have a wd40 or other spray lube add a touch and reinstall your plugs, make sure they are dry. Check your air filter for sogginess, run with out it till you can replace it. The sooner you dry out the cylinders the better off you will be.


I have personally had water push up over my hood and touch the window, by that time i was already one the way out. This was on the street in the middle of the night. So it can happen to any of us.