Went out to play in the rain a few minutes ago and hit a deep puddle at a little speed, it died in the puddle and was hard to start and when it did I have coolant in the oil, runs on 2 or 3 cylinders, has a nasty exhaust "leak" in the rear of the head. And it's a Stanley Steamer.

Any way it could have sucked water up the exhaust when it was in the puddle?

Any bets on what happened, I cant look until the morning, no work lights.

Tell me your predictions (we already know I'm an idiot).

It sucked water in the intake, not exhaust. It sounds like you are screwed. Water doesn't compress in the cylinder like air, so something had to give. Probably bent rod(s), sounds like possibly popped the head gasket. If you have any hope, pull the plugs, change the oil, and turn it over on the starter until nothing comes out of the cylinders. Pull off the distributor cap and dry it off, spray it down with WD-40. Dry all the plugs off. Re-install cap and plugs and try to fire it. That is about all you can do IF your engine is not toast, which I predict it is.

IF it does run, plan on changing all the fluids in your differentials.

For future reference, if you ever drown your engine, don't try to restart it until you've pulled the plugs. Cranking it full of water pretty much ensures you are going to bend something.

Drifter,

I just pulled the top off the airbox, the filter is soaked. The depth of the puddle was 3-4 inches below the door frame, I just don't see how I got water into the intake.

You appear to be right. SHIT!

Drifter,

I just pulled the top off the airbox, the filter is soaked. The depth of the puddle was 3-4 inches below the door frame, I just don't see how I got water into the intake.

You appear to be right. SHIT!

When you hit water with speed in a TJ, the curvature of the hood basically funnels water into the airbox.

Do what drifter said. It's saved a couple rigs.

You really miffed up trying to crank it over.

Good Luck

You really miffed up trying to crank it over.


Perhaps a word a little stronger metaphor than "miffed up" would be appropriate. Like something that rimes with duck comes to mind.

It's a XJ but the funnel action appears to happen to them also. I hit the puddle at about 15-20 mph, my wife and I were out splashing around. The engine did restart and limped home. There's a loud exhaust noise in the rear of the head and I can see coolant on the firewall. And the oil is a nice brown color. Maybe I'll get lucky that it was just the head gasket :eek:.

Thanks for the info guys.

You willl be really lucky if it is just the head gasket. Chances are you bent a connecting rod.

You willl be really lucky if it is just the head gasket. Chances are you bent a connecting rod.

I'll pull the head in the next couple days. Can I determine lower end damage without pulling it apart? It is high mileage, not worth tossing more cash into (my opinion which isn't shared by my wife). It's hard to believe that a large amount water got into the engine, it didn't submerge, I just hit a big puddle. (ok it was 16-18" deep and 3-4 car lengths long - it looked like fun at the time)

It does start but the steam pours out and the oil looks like cream.

The more you keep running it to confirm what you already know, the more damage you will do. You have emulsified the oil, meaning it now has zero lubricating properties.

I think you guys are pretty doom and gloom.
I think you drowned the ignition and air cleaner, maybe sucked water in a breather or dip stick. Pull the plugs, put some oil in the cylinders, change the oil, dry out the air cleaner. Turn it over without the plugs and see what happens. Put you finger on each plug hole to do a quick compression check. Spray the ends of the plug wires with something to dry them, coil, distributer.
Sounds like you might have already had a loose header bolt, just tighten them.
Let us know what you find.
And water is an excellent lubricate. Used in loads of industrial applications. Just causes rust if you leave it in you stuff.

baldfatdad,

some of the gloom is true, it's spraying coolant out the back of the head, I HOPE it's the head casket. It's also a stanley steamer.

I let you guys know what I find - with pictures even.

In the mean time beware of puddles:shaking:

You can check for a bent rod with the head off. Just bring each cyl to TDC and measure how far down into the bore each piston is. If one or more don't come up as high, bingo, bent rod.
Travis..

Ok you'll doubt whether I should be around a wrench after this question. Where do i find a socket to fit the nut on the exposed head studs (looks kind of like a torx head) ? and are the rest of the head bolts the same? I want to get all the tools needed before I start pulling it a part.

I looked in the FSM but it doesn't note what they are.

Ok you'll doubt whether I should be around a wrench after this question. Where do i find a socket to fit the nut on the exposed head studs (looks kind of like a torx head) ? and are the rest of the head bolts the same? I want to get all the tools needed before I start pulling it a part.

I looked in the FSM but it doesn't note what they are.

This might sound stupid, but you got a pic or link to a pic? On my last TJ i thought they just took a 6 or 12 point deep drive socket. If Jeep used a torx then their engineers are stupid as fuck, if somebody put an aftermarket torx bolt for a head bolt then that person is stupid as fuck. Are you sure its a torx bolt?

No you're pretty much fawked. Hard lesson to learn.

This is the nut, there are 4 along the head.
496394

And to show you how I got here, this is the puddle.

496395

This is the nut, there are 4 along the head.
496394

And to show you how I got here, this is the puddle.

496395

I'm pretty sure thats just a 12 pt socket nut. The 6 point nut on the bottom is the one thats connected to the stud and torques the head to the block.

nice puddle! looks like a 12 point deep socket from the pic

:shaking::laughing:this is the ultimate expensive rooky mistake. all the kids think it is cool to forge water with the skinny pedal. hard lesson learned here.

I believe it is a 13 mm deep well socket. And the lesson learned here is drive slow through water. I've driven in water way too deep and never seized my motor. I got lucky with the motor, unlucky with starter, alternator, electric radiator fan, and all the fluids. Water forging is not cheap and should be avoided, it's fun but expensive. Lesson learned, now show us pictures of your fluid.

Ya'll are right, almost, a 1/2" 12 pt socket fits perfect.

This is the first 12 pt nut I've seen. Must be a Jeep thing.

you would think after 53 yrs on this planet you would have it before, but hey I'm still bonsai-ing into puddles.