Blew 2uzfe Engine in water crossing... rebuild advise please?

[duffdog]

So,

Last weekend I went through a 1' deep puddle and the engine sucked up 3 gallons of water. We pulled the plugs and jacked up the truck to drain most of the water out of it before restarting, but when we restarted the engine it now makes a clanking noise. This was my 05 w vvti.

I'm thinking that a rod is bent or valve or something like that. My question is, should I try to rebuild this motor or just get a used motor and swap the whole thing? Has anyone successfully pulled the pistons out from the oil pan and just put in new ones? I'm trying to think of the best way to tackle this as I have never had a Toyota not come back when submerging it under water. Apparently, the 4th gens can't handle any water at all.

 

[07V8]

Seriosuly doubt it was 1' only.

Get a new engine and replace.

 

[Drunner97]

I can't help with the rebuild options, but a 1 foot puddle isn't very deep and I'm surprised you sucked up that much water without putting the fender under. Do you have an aftermarket bumper or aftermarket intake? The fender well of the stock air intake is actually surprisingly pretty well covered and just splashing water up from the tires isn't going to allow 3 gallons of water into it. Also, the stock intake faces up in the fender (I had to cut the piece off when I did the snorkel install) which prevents water from being splashed directly into it even with the fender line removed.

 

[JimInTN]

Pull the heads and have them decked until straight. Do a a valve job while you're at it.

Whichever rod or rods are bent replace them and their bearings. It can all be done without pulling the engine I would think.

Or you could LS swap it!

 

[ZiaMan]

4runner engine displacement: 4.7 Liters
Water Ingested: 3 gallons / 12+ Liters

There's a reason why your engine couldn't just "take it".

Would price out a LKQ engine with a warranty and install vs. parts and what you are comfortable doing yourself. If you are good with pulling heads and dropping/pulling pistons with the oil pan off, I would think that is the cheaper route.

 

[duffdog]

it was exactly 1 foot deep, I have pics of me in the puddle connecting a tow rope to the back bumper. I am very disappointed in the design of the intake, I assumed that there was some sort of angled piping or a rubber valve that would stop huge amounts of water from going into the engine, but there is not. They must not have water in Japan...:drum:

Tonight I am going to pull the oil pan to see if there are any bent rods and slap a new one on if thats the case. If not, the heads are coming off for inspection and if they are toast Ill just get a junkyard engine

 

[dkyleb]

Post pictures if possible please?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

To be fair, 12" of water seems like it shouldn't have caused an issue. I don't know about your intake, but my factory one has the opening pointing towards the rear of the vehicle and it's designed so that any water that is splashed in has a chance to settle at the bottom of the airbox more than getting sucked in (key word being splashed). The inner fender liner also helps protect it from water as well.

Perhaps you were going too fast and kicking water into the intake? I am having a hard time visualizing how you got so much water into the intake with only 12" of water since that would barely go past the wheel hubs on a stock 4th gen.

 

[T4R2014]

4runner engine displacement: 4.7 Liters
Water Ingested: 3 gallons / 12+ Liters

There's a reason why your engine couldn't just "take it".

I don't think it works like that...

But correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[94toy22re]

I don't think it works like that...

But correct me if I'm wrong.

Kinda but instead of the volume of water it's referring to the volume of air!

 

[Drunner97]

it was exactly 1 foot deep, I have pics of me in the puddle connecting a tow rope to the back bumper. I am very disappointed in the design of the intake, I assumed that there was some sort of angled piping or a rubber valve that would stop huge amounts of water from going into the engine, but there is not. They must not have water in Japan...:drum:

Tonight I am going to pull the oil pan to see if there are any bent rods and slap a new one on if thats the case. If not, the heads are coming off for inspection and if they are toast Ill just get a junkyard engine

This is what the end of the intake looks like, as [MENTION=100496]blackworks[/MENTION] says, it's angled to not suck water in until it's hit directly and/or the fender is under water. That's why I asked whether you had an aftermarket bumper or an aftermarket intake.

 

[ZiaMan]

I don't think it works like that...

But correct me if I'm wrong.

I would say I'm actually being generous. The 4.7 displacement would be if all pistons were at bottom dead center. If you google carbon cleaning with water, most people used 1-2 cups of water over several minutes, barely dribbling the water in. This works because you use a tiny amount of water to let it phase change into steam.

So 3 gallons in 1-2 seconds - the time to hit and drive an through a puddle -would be way more than enough to hydrolock an engine.

 

[V8Man]

I am currently rebuilding an 03 2uzfe. It is very complicated engine. Once you get the heads off all that is left is the block. With the cross member and the front diff the bottom is not accessible. Two more bolts and it is easier to pull the engine complete. I have done it, with the transmission too.
If this is your only transportation time would be quicker for a swap too.

 

[duffdog]

A little bit more information for you guys. I have an aftermarket front bumper and the plastic fender thing that used to connect to the factory bumper has been cut so that the tire doesn't hit it.

Today, I got off of work and removed my skidplates, drained the oil, removed the lower oil pan and removed the front diff.

I found a sheared off bolt head and part of a rod in the lower oil pan...:redbrick:

My question for anyone who works on the 2uz-- Is it possible to remove the pistons from the bottom of the engine?

 

[dkyleb]

Okay, so how hard did you hit this water? I have a feeling you must have plowed into it...

 

[morphious]

Definitely more than 1 foot of water, more like 2+.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

That's a bit over 2ft of water. My guess is you hit it too fast or too slow and you did not create a good bow wake to deflect water away from the intake.

 

[duffdog]

Keep in mind that the tires are dug into the mud in the bottom of this hole. Its not really that deep. I was probably going 10mph into it.

 

[dkyleb]

Keep in mind that the tires are dug into the mud in the bottom of this hole. Its not really that deep. I was probably going 10mph into it.

Why the heck are you hitting water at 10MPH?!

 

[20074runnerlimited]

Is this some kind of trick statement? Yes it is more than a foot unless you are riding on 12" rims. Who cares if mud etc and you sank. You are in two feet of water. Poor design? Poor judgment more like it.

Keep in mind that the tires are dug into the mud in the bottom of this hole. Its not really that deep. I was probably going 10mph into it.