Yesterday I took the wife kayaking.. when leaving the front end of my truck slipped into a ditch.. after trying to pull it out with another 3/4 ton.. it ended up IN the ditch.. the bank was too steep and muddy... and the truck to heavy.. while trying to get out the motor stalled out today when I got it home I pulled the air intake off and found water all the way to the turbo.. oil dipstick didn't show any signs of water or did the transmission.. the service emissions light came on and the door locks keep clicking...I've yet to try and crank it..I guess all in all with my head in my hands I'm just asking for advice on what to do... I know to change all the fluids oil, tranny and did... But any other help would be great
Does it crank? If it cranks and cranks with nothing it’s probably hydrostatic lock. Pull all the injectors out and crank. Cover your eyes. Water and fuel will go flying. Do it until no more water is in the engine. Put injectors back and see if she starts.
I had got a 1982 Jetta diesel a ,one time ago that had water in the engine. Did that trick and bam, basically a free car.
It would be MUCH easier to pull all the Glow Plugs.
BUT, if it is hydro-locked, you DO NOT want to try and turn it over until you first remove the Glow Plugs.. Water Does NOT compress so you stand a chance of bending a rod.
Personally, I'd be on the phone with my insurance agent.
I worked at a Pontiac dealership as mechanic back in the 80's. When they made the turbo Sunbird - which was cool little car with a turbo 1.8 litre that would absolutely scream. Bought one for my wife and raced a friend with an IROC Z. Stayed with him up to about 85 mph and then he started pulling away.
Anyway, we had a salesman that had one as a demo. Dumbshit drove it thru thigh high water during a flash flood. The air filter was down low in front of the front right wheel. The turbo sucked up all that water and shoved it into the motor. I was the mechanic who got to put a new motor in it. I don't remember how many of the pistons were pulverized but I think it was 2. There wasn't much left but dust. Installed a new long block in it. Missed cleaning the turbo oil lines and first time out on the road the oil pressure dropped to 0 after the piston "dust" was washed into the oil relief valve and it stuck wide open. Luckily one of the other mechanics was driving it and immediately shut it off. Came back on a hook, pulled the turbo lines and oil filter mount, cleaned it all out and she was fine after that.
Several questions come to mind:
1 - What was engine RPM?
2 - How long was it before you pulled the tubes?
3 - Did you pull the lower intercooler (charged) air tube (s)?
4 - What was the LEVEL of the oil on the dipstick?
Reason for questions:
1 - If you hydrolocked it at low RPM, it may not have bent anything (been there done that on LLY with bent rod)
2 - Water may leak back out of the tubes.
3 - If there is water in the boost tubes, then it probably died from hydrolock.
4 - Water will settle to the bottom of the pan. The dipstick most likely will not reach into the water. Dipstick does not go into the lower most oil pan where the water will collect as it leaks through the rings in the pistons.
The rpms were very low.maybe 1500 when it stalled I pulled the intake off maybe 16 hrs later.. I sucked out water from tube coming up from what I'm assuming was the turbo because it looked like the turbine blades
Insurance will appraise the truck and determine if it can be repaired for a somewhat reasonable price to them. Otherwise they total it, deduct whatever you still owe on it, and give you the balance. Keep in mind that insurance is SUPPOSED to pay you for any taxes, document fees, etc. you incurred when you purchased the truck. I didn't know this when wife totaled '17 1500 high country but salesman at dealer where I bought a new '18 1500 identical to totaled explained it to me. I asked for and got all the additional fees plus costs for the new Weathertechs I had installed.
Good Luck and hold the insurance's feet to the fire!
At 1500 RPM I would guess that it has at least one bent rod and several other things that need to be addressed.
As mentioned, you probably have numerous other issues that will not show up immediately and may not show up until months after the final repairs. There are computer modules buried all over the truck in the most unlikely of places (under seats and in doors).
Send it to the dealer and have the insurance adjuster start writing. New engine, or repair to current will be $5k min and most likely they will want to go into the trans. Electrical gremlins to show up later start at $1k each module. It sitting with wet carpet (another couple of $k) creates a moisture rich environment for corrosion to sensitive components. It all adds up quickly.
Your best bet is to hope your insurance company totals the truck. You will NOT want a vehicle back that was in water that deep. The mechanical issues (engine, exhaust components etc) are nothing compared to the multiple electrical issues you'll have for years down the road. Corrosion in wiring harnesses, modules and connectors all over the truck will be permanently effected, many of which won't start showing up for months/years. It shouldn't be too hard to get close to a total loss by the time you factor in the engine, transmission, t/case, exhaust parts (DPF, Catalyst, sensors, DEF parts etc), modules and carpet/interior parts that will need to be replaced, plus labor associated with the repairs.
my only concern is that I didn't get Gap coverage when I bought the truck... I'm just worried totaled could put me in a financial bind.. like someone else mentioned the amount owed vs acv would put me in a bad spot
A little more than one year old on an L5P, I think you'll be alright.
Roll into another note, probably the worst case is $40 more a month...or even less (better rates now than when you bought), if new (longer length notes on new vs used).
It's all about the monthly expense to drive, not lost value. marx
Something similar happened to my LML offroading. Lent the truck to one of my buddies he drove it through a deep puddle. On the dash it said water in fuel or something similar. Ended up loosening the bottom intercooler piping and drained all out. Still the warning msg. Took out the pipe going to the throthle body and just kept reving it and water was flying out outside of the engine. It happened so fast but the truck never stalled so maybe not that much water went in. But it definitely looked like a lot to me. There is a long way for water to travel in these trucks from air filter to intercooler to turbo back down, throttle body and then a little more. Thats the one you have to worry about after the TB. you might have gotten lucky. Hopefully.
I would take the hose/pipe going to the throttle body off and see if its wet. Did you get a water in fuel or water in engine cant remember the msg on the driver info screen?
Like a lot have said before me if its wet all of the way up top take out the glow plugs and crank. Do not do it before. If all that fails then call the insurance lol.
PS I dont think the tranny or the turbo would suffer, worry about saving that engine.
Good luck
insurance said they would rebuild the truck before totalling it... It's been a pain in the ass.. they are now finally putting a new transmission in it..the dealership is very incompetent. I explained a noise it was making shifting from 2nd to 3rd and they decided to put a new driveshaft in... After strong arming the service manager into taking a drive with me to hear the noise he finally agreed it was the transmission
If insurance opts for totaling the truck you need to look at if you bought gap insurance when you purchased it and if you did then they will cover the difference that you may owe on the loan.
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