My town is flooded, might have flooded my engine. What can I do to fix it?

[nevada]

tire deep water is not enough to kill a motor unless is a sports car. i have had water over the hood on my 4runner(before the snorkel) and in my GX470 a few times with no ill effects. my vote is either a bad ground or connection at a terminal, or a bad battery. you could have caused a short/draw because of the water that drained the battery. if you have a v8 its almost certanly not the start as that site on top on the block under the intake plenum and so getting water into that would almost be impossible.

that's a dangerous way to think. a bad splash can throw water into the intake. ive seen it done.
on a Toyota truck even. 3.0. lifted on 33's. he went through a very small mud puddle. not even up to the wheel, but still ended up sucking water into the cylinder. it wouldn't crank over, he said it had been having issues, it was a bad starter. so we pushed it. he popped the clutch, and a rod made a little extra room outside the block...

 

[DeadbeatYota]

Makes sense. Maybe the lack of a maf is throwing off the ignition timing? We have coil on plug so that'd be alot of coils to replace.

If I plug in the MAF it won't crank at all.

 

[Adumb]

If I plug in the MAF it won't crank at all.

Hmm did you completely dry out the maf?

 

[DeadbeatYota]

Hmm did you completely dry out the maf?

And cleaned it with MAF cleaner.

 

[Adumb]

And cleaned it with MAF cleaner.

Dang, maybe it needs replaced, know any other 4runners you might be able to swap with? I'm not completely sure how bad water is for a maf sensor. I know it is a pretty sensitive wire element.

 

[DeadbeatYota]

Dang, maybe it needs replaced, know any other 4runners you might be able to swap with? I'm not completely sure how bad water is for a maf sensor. I know it is a pretty sensitive wire element.

My friend has a 2007 FJ, any chance his might work just to test it?

 

[Adumb]

My friend has a 2007 FJ, any chance his might work just to test it?

Should if they are the same engine.

 

[DeadbeatYota]

Should if they are the same engine.

Once he gets his back from the shop we'll get it over here and try.
I'm more worried about the rest of the problems. Putting a new maf in is one thing, I'm just concerned about rebuilding the engine. Any idea why I have to hold the gas to keep it running? I put cleaner in the oil and gas tank. If I run the tank to empty and refill it will that take care of it? Maybe get the timing checked?

 

[Adumb]

Once he gets his back from the shop we'll get it over here and try.
I'm more worried about the rest of the problems. Putting a new maf in is one thing, I'm just concerned about rebuilding the engine. Any idea why I have to hold the gas to keep it running? I put cleaner in the oil and gas tank. If I run the tank to empty and refill it will that take care of it? Maybe get the timing checked?

Does it run good when you hold the peddle to keep it running? It might be because without the maf its running very rich and flooding the engine at idle. I don't think any water wouldve gotten in the gas tank.

 

[DeadbeatYota]

Does it run good when you hold the peddle to keep it running? It might be because without the maf its running very rich and flooding the engine at idle. I don't think any water wouldve gotten in the gas tank.

Runs like garbage. Sputters and clatters and won't get over 3500 rpm. I'm just trying to go through all possibilities before I get my insurance involved and take it somewhere. So put in a test maf and see if it'll run better, gotcha.

 

[wmiranda]

In order of things to check,.. make sure your battery cables are tight.

Remove plugs. If you have water in cylinders, this will blow it out... if there IS water in there and you try and start it,.. Boom,.. new rods.

As it just clicks and everything turns off, this point to a definite electrical problem. Reason I said check cable is that this has happened to me with cables that appeared tight.. I then discovered I was able to wiggle them. I cranked down on the bolts and started right up.

If cables are good,.. then check engine-chassis ground. I've also had this iss wuth my 911,.. everything was good and tight.. even my engine-chassis ground... but lo and behold I tried something suggested to me in another forum,.. swapped that and no issues afterwards.

Then go for your fusible links (see as above-I also have had issues with those)... may be a little corroded and will pass enough to light up your interior/stereo etc but will not allow a start.

All easy fixes real,.. just running them down... but even then,.. just using jumpers,.. not too terribly tough to resolve.

To give you the warm and fuzzies,.. if you had hydro-locked it,.. you would not have been able to drive it home.

Bill

 

[wmiranda]

Damn,.. should have sent mine earlier... if there is even the slightest chance of water in the cylinders,.. never try and start the engine with plugs in her.

If I ever stall in water,.. that's the first thing I do on the other side after getting pulled out.

If your connector to the MAF got wet,.. you'd be showing the same symptoms.. as in everything in my initial post.. I've that that problem too,,, lol.

Good luck.

 

[2003-4x4runner]

It sounds like it could be an electrical problem. Hope you get it fixed.

Check out this video of a old Toyota 4x4 Hilux truck get washed out to sea for hours and then drives off after a few hours of cleaning out the sea water and sand.

 

[Xetabur]

It sounds like it could be an electrical problem. Hope you get it fixed.

Check out this video of a old Toyota 4x4 Hilux truck get washed out to sea for hours and then drives off after a few hours of cleaning out the sea water and sand.

That video was from Top Gear UK (that was a diesel Hilux IIRC) I'm pretty sure they dropped a piano on it too lol.

 

[DeadbeatYota]

Damn,.. should have sent mine earlier... if there is even the slightest chance of water in the cylinders,.. never try and start the engine with plugs in her.

If I ever stall in water,.. that's the first thing I do on the other side after getting pulled out.

If your connector to the MAF got wet,.. you'd be showing the same symptoms.. as in everything in my initial post.. I've that that problem too,,, lol.

Good luck.

Since I'm new to this whole water thing I tried to start it with the plugs still in. And by that I mean I ran idled it in the yard several times with the plugs in. I've since pulled them, cranked it, and put new ones in but it's starting/running the same. There's a fast paced knock and it cuts off if I don't hold down the gas pedal. Not really sure where to go from here.

 

[SSt4r]

Did you get this straitened out?
If you took the MAF out but reinstalled it backward by mistake, it will either run very poorly or not at all.

 

[4RunnerEZE]

Alright guys I got the intake pulled, a little water poured out but not a ton. Sprayed some connections and got the engine to start. Lots of knocking and water and white smoke pouring out the exhaust. All of that stopped after running it for a couple minutes but it still doesn't sound normal. It'll only stay running if I'm holding down the gas. Got a P0352, P0102, and P0113 codes. Traction lights are all on as well.

Sounds like way deeper than just the tires. The factory intake sits a foot or so higher than the top of the tire. Also, my Jeep did this and it was the throttle position sensor.