[254]

My cousin and I tried to make a creek crossing this afternoon, (photos coming) well, we made it across with water coming up on the hood, motor never missed a lick. We tried to cross back over and as we started up the other side, the current caught us and spun us around, the water came in and the motor stalled. We walked back to my house and got my Big Sammy and went and winched it up the bank to dry ground, It looked like water didnt go into the carb but I am sure it went up the exhaust and got into the motor that direction (up the exhaust) We tried to crank it but it didnt want to turn over, We plan to go back and work on it tonight, pull the plugs and try to get it spinning, drain the oil, change the filter, replace the plugs and try to get it to fire, (we have to drive it out, cant tow it, might tear up an old farmers field) I KNOW some of you have drowned your Sammy's before, What (maintenance wise) do we need to do to it to get it back going. Could we have ruined the motor? HOpe not....we just installed it (1.6 8 valve)

Thanks

Mark

 

[593]

in the past i have had water get into the disty cap and that caused my zuk not to start and also bad engine miss.

if water may have entered your zuks engine, then you should remove all the spark plugs, ground the coil and turn it over. this helps get rid of any water that could have been traped in the cumbustion chamber. turning the engine over without first removing the water from the combustion chambers could cause damage as water doesn't compress well. hope this helps and let us know what the verdict is.

 

[Guest]

You\'re pushin\' your credibility, Mark

Well, I can't offer you nothing.
I am sure others can.
But,Mark, aren't you pushing your credibility here?
You sure are for a guy like me.
I've been always thinkin',
"Gee, these guys are HARD on Mark."
Well, maybe I gotta wonder now.
It's clear you and your family been reading this Board for a long time. You seen all the pix of peopple who done what you just did. You've read all of everyone's advice for them. I guess I am having a hard time understanding why and how the really "smart people" on this list would want to "bail you out" yet one more time, Mark.

Enlighten me.

It looks (and sounds) like you are doing all the right things to "bail out" your Zuki.

However, me, myself and I gotta wonder if you are posting these kinda messages for sympathy, for "macho braggin'" or just becauwe you like hangin' out on your computer withnothin' much else to do.

After you get it all sorted out, I'd really like to know:

Are you an "attention freak" or what?

jp

 

[Nowhere]

Make sure to remove the spark plugs, distributor cap, and drain the oil in the engine. Spray the distrib with WD40, add a teaspoon/squirt of oil into each cylinder, refill with oil (CHANGE THE FILTER TOO!!!). Be VERY gentle with the engine when trying to start'er up. Change the oil + filter again soon.

 

[254]

Re: You\'re pushin\' your credibility, Mark

Hi JP, 1. no 2. The motor will be OK I think, 3. no

Thanks to all you guys that had real imput

Mark

 

[2479]

Mark,
How deep was it and did it get in the cylinders ? Im assuming that if you thougth it had a chance of getting in you removed the plugs first BEFORE turning it over ? Before I put the snorkel on I'd swicth it off if I thought the water was guna get in, it's much easier to get towed out and drain the water out than replaceing the con rods.

Shane

 

[953]

the mtotor didnt turn(turn, as in turn key, and nothing moves) over becuase of the iquids cannot compress theory(or yous starter, or some other mechanical issue)
by doing that you could have bent a rod,

do what these guys said, and then hope for the best

 

[254]

OK guys, thanks for your input. Here's the plan, we got it back to the garage, pulled the plugs, and drained the oil in the motor, motor had a little water in the oil. after pulling the plugs, we spun the motor for a bit and it pumped quite a bit of water out of the combustion chambers. TODAY, we plan to crank on it some more and get all the water we can out of the combustion chambers (I think we have it all out) Then we were going to put a teaspoon of oil in each cylinder and after letting it set for a bit, crank on it again for a bit letting the oil coat the cylinders well, Then we plan to put the plugs back in and try to get it to fire up. MY MECHANIC frined suggested filling the crankcase with 3 1/2 quarts of oil and a 1/2 quart of Diesel fuel, he say because it is oil based it wont hurt the motor and will clean the motor of any muddy water that may have gotten in. We will then run the motor for about 5 minutes or so then drain it out and refill with good clean oil again (changing the oil filter each time) We are hoping that this cleans the motor and gets all of the moisture out of the motor.

Thanks guys

 

[254]

Got Cuz's Sammy all cleaned out today, changed the oil in all the gear boxes, We changed the oil in it twice, added a little diesel fuel with the first oil change, now its clean oil throughout, NOW WIth the BAD It seems to have some motor noise in it now, sounds like its coming from the rear of the motor #3 or #4 cylinder, could be valve noise but it sounds like it might be in the short block. Any INput ?

Mark

 

[3791]

Worse case, if it was spinning hard when it sucked in the water......broken pistons, broken rings, bent rods, broken crank, cracked block, cracked head, blown head gasket.

If you were lucky, water got to the electricals and stalled it and didn't actually hydro-lock it while it was running. If that happened, get rid of the moisture and run it.

I think the oil in the cylinders is wasted effort. Drain the oil, change the filter and crank it up. I would let it idle for a while ....let it come up to temp and evaporate any remaining water. Keep an eye out for excessive blow-by (broken pistons or rings) and lower than usual power output (bent rods or broken stuff)

 

[2422]

Reason oil in cylinders is good is the water washes the cylinder walls and you have a hard time building compression to get engine to start and stay running. In my well publicized drowning a few weeks ago we ended up towing me for awhile in 2nd gear before the engine would finally start and stay running

 

[CTBrent]

In reply to:

We tried to crank it but it didnt want to turn over,

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the second mistake... the first is driving into a river with a current strong enough to turn your vehicle around... That is death wish stuff. Dude, you're in a Sammy...

Hydraulic(ing) or hydro-locking is caused by what everyone described above. My experience with it is pretty limited although I have seen a few guys screw their vehicles up completely making the second mistake like yours. You should have pulled the vehicle out and pulled the plugs first thing (before turning it over) but it looks as though that wasn't done... now all sorts of issues can come to play.

I doubt it was the exhaust that screwed you up, as long as there is air to burn I think your ride would run. I have seen vehicles submerged pretty deep but still getting air and running without problem. If your hood is under water, chances are you got water in through the carb... c'mon man common sense. Especially true if you are going fast, I think going slow helps keep the water out.

I have seen the piston rings on a car (with a cold air intake) sieze after hitting a puddle hard. He tried to start it after it automatically died. After someone with more knowledge than he got the car running it made all sorts of noise, which turned out to be piston slap in two of the cylinders. They ran the car hoping the rings would release but the bottom end let go before they did.

My friend Jeff submerged his Toyota in what appeared to be a puddle (a puddle that eats front ends) and his motor acted the same way as yours, even though he DID pull the plugs asap. The motor popped a few days later.

I hope you get it straightened out... Oh you guys didn't rev the motor too much while cleaning with the diesel? Just a thought, I also heard of a kid cleaning out a motor with ATF reving it up and spinning a bottom-end bearing. Hopefully that didn't happen to you guys after a fresh install, but that's wheeling, living, and learning.

 

[254]

The rig is my cousins, I just get to work on it.... My son was with him when he drowned it, he crossed the creek with water about on the hood, (no prob yet) when he came back across he spun out trying to get up the other side, when he backed up to try again, the current spun him around and the rest was history. The motor cranks and runs/idles ok now but like I said earlier, there is more noise in it than there was when we put it in (last week) motor (1.6) was very quite, not so now, hopefully it will clear up but I am worried it wont.

didnt rev it with the diesel in it, just idled it for about 5 minutes then went to strait motor oil

Mark

 

[Nowhere]

Buy a mechanics stethascope (like 4 dollars at harbour freight). Issolate where the noise is coming from, go from there.

You could also remove the valve cover, start'er up and look/listen, it'll be easy to see/hear if it's valve trane noise..

 

[1396]

probly hammered a rod bearing or bent a rod depending on how hard he hydraulic'd it.

 

[2479]

Mark,
Just in case you haven't seen first hand what effect water in your engine has take a look at the rod in the middle here ....

This was the aftermath of my mates snorkel leaking (not fitted correctly) on a 4.2 lt Nissan diesel. 1ST rule of playing in rivers is if in doubt never turn the key until your sure theres no water in there !

Shane

 

[JEEPN]

Yep, seen that before, not mine, but on someone else's rig.

I also doubt the water came in the exhaust, usually it'll get trapped in the air pocket near the engine, and the engine can't be running. For it to happen, it has to stall out (which you said it did), then have a pretty good sized air leak...basically the conditions have to be right.

The oil in the pistons will only work if you evacuated all the water in the first place, otherwise the water will stay on the walls and the oil will get pumped out. You first need to hit it with a water displacement chemical, then use the oil for it to be effective.

In the crankcase, I also hope you didn't rev it with the diesel in there, it's a sure way to chew up bearings with that much. If it was idiling, then it may have been fine, but I doubt it would do anything to get rid of the water quicker. Water and diesel don't mix any better than oil and water, just ask any fisherman with a diesel boat. The best way is to drain it out (the water will be on the bottom near the plug), then refill it with oil, run it, and drain that, then refill again and check after 1/2 hour or temperature is up for 5-10 minutes. If any water is present, you'll see it on the dipstick as soon as you pull it.

 

[254]

my good friend who it is a Polaris Moto Mechanic says he doubts I have any bent rods, he thinks the oil pick up screen may be clogged some and my engine noise might be coming from a lifter or two that is not getting oil. We plan to pull the oil pan off and have a look as soon as possible, it will stay parked till then, The motor was so quite before this happened, and he was gonna put a snorkel on it the next day. I have my snorkel underway and dont plan to get anywhere near any water till its on. CAUSE MY 1.6 FI kicks and i want to keep it that way. Thanks guys

 

[Guest]

How did it turn out? About ten years ago, I drowned my 4-banger jeep. Towed it home, properly cleared out all the water and everything was fine: until two days later I was driving down the highway and threw the #1 rod hard enough to knock a fist-sized hole in the side of the block. It sucked.

 

[254]

The verdict is still out, its been so cold around here lately that we havent been able to play with our toys much. I will give you an update, we plan to pull the oil pan and see if we can spot any damage