dunked in the creek

[dirtroadroots]

okay i got a serious question here. i haven't ever done this before and need some advise. i went down the creek last night where a buddy was stuck and after pulling him out i got stuck. on the way out i ended up getting pulled thru bout 3 foot of water on the drivers side cause the bank caved off under me. when we got it outta the water i checked it out some. i had a siphoning hose and got all the water outta the intake and pulled the spark plugs...made sure there was no water in there. put them back in this morning and after changing the oil it fired right up. the concern i have it a really rough idle and what sounds like a lifter ticking. anyone able to give me some advice on what to do would be great right now as i don't wanna screw anything up.

[Mudderoy]

okay i got a serious question here. i haven't ever done this before and need some advise. i went down the creek last night where a buddy was stuck and after pulling him out i got stuck. on the way out i ended up getting pulled thru bout 3 foot of water on the drivers side cause the bank caved off under me. when we got it outta the water i checked it out some. i had a siphoning hose and got all the water outta the intake and pulled the spark plugs...made sure there was no water in there. put them back in this morning and after changing the oil it fired right up. the concern i have it a really rough idle and what sounds like a lifter ticking. anyone able to give me some advice on what to do would be great right now as i don't wanna screw anything up.

I've never experienced this but from what you are describing and the situation you were in I'd say something got bent and now a valve isn't opening and closing like it should.

Now I have a ticking noise on mine and it runs fine, so it could be something else, like a sensor that wasn't too happy being under water.

What bends in a hydro lock anyway? I would think it would be a valve first...

[dirtroadroots]

i knew i didn't wanna start it right away so we towed it back to my place and got all the water out last night, let it set over night to air out the best it could in the cold weather...with it running that's a good sign right? hydrolock is when the motor locks up completely ain't it? i'm wondering if maybe a couple of the plugs got fouled causing the rough idle...just a guess though...if it hadn't have been a good friend i never woulda even attempted to get him out

[Mudderoy]

i knew i didn't wanna start it right away so we towed it back to my place and got all the water out last night, let it set over night to air out the best it could in the cold weather...with it running that's a good sign right? hydrolock is when the motor locks up completely ain't it? i'm wondering if maybe a couple of the plugs got fouled causing the rough idle...just a guess though...if it hadn't have been a good friend i never woulda even attempted to get him out

Well the ticking noise could be just from changing the oil, and like I said mine does that.

The miss could be something simple, especially since you had the plugs out.

Hydro lock is when the engine tries to compress water instead of an air/fuel mixture. You can't compress a liquid, or at least not much, so metal bends and breaks.

Someone with more experience will show up soon and tell us both what to look for...

[cantab27]

http://www.google.co.nz/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GPCK_enNZ312NZ312&q=hydrolocked+moter+cherokee

just be moister somewhere , check dizzy .sensors .....have a look through that link for ideas ,,, good luck mate ..if it was hydro locked ya wouldn't have got it going me thinks ,,, it would have been toast , water bends things

[cantab27]

might pay to check other fliuds ie ,, tc , diffs if you were undwer water sitting for a bit

[XJ Rat]

You might want to check your differential fluids also.

[dirtroadroots]

i planned on checking all the other fluids...the tranny doesn't appear to have any water in it and the oil didn't either but i'm sure both difs are full cause it was in the deep end for a few minutes...on a good note i didn't have hardly any water on the inside so least i know it the doors seal up good...lol

[finneys98xj]

Change your oil again and change your tranny alteast once also. pull you Valve cover to check for the tick. Unplug all of your connectors and spray a little wd-40 in them to get any mosture out and clean them. Change your plugs.

Do this and see if any improvement on the idle.

[XJ Rat]

Glad your experience didn't go too bad.

Everytime I hear of something like this it reminds me of when the dealer opens the door of the Porshe 928 that went in the drink in the movie 16 candles. He says, "Alright, who's the U-boat captain?"

[Firemanray]

Was the engine running when you went under?

Hydro-lock is caused from fluid entering the cylinder. Fluid can not be compressed therefore something has to stop, break, or bent thus causing "hydro-lock". If you are extremely lucky when this happens you can cure the problem by removing the fluid from the cylinder.

If the fluid enters the cylinder while the engine is not running, the results are much less damaging. If you try to start the engine you could bent or break internal components or, just blow the bendix on the starter. If you pull the plugs and blow the fluid out of the cylinders you can usually mitigate any damage.

Having rambled on about all that I'm not sure I can shed any light on your "ticking" problem. All the previous posters have good ideas. Did you change the plugs are dry them out? Also you can run a compression and leak down test to gain some insight into what may be going on internally.


.

[4x4Dalton]

I have to agree with a few others who have posted. To me it sounds like you may have a plug that has fouled out or maybe more then one. Those would be the first things I would check. Hopefully thats all that is wrong and is a quick and cheap fix. Keep us posted bro on what ya find out.

[cantab27]

Also you can run a compression and leak down test to gain some insight into what may be going on internally.


.

good idea , forgot that one ,,, be one of the best things to see if anything wrong in there .....:thumbsup:


that's why i love me snorkel ,, little out lay for a bit of piece of mind ,,, Even if ya don't play in water , things like falling in creeks happen ... keep us posted mate ...:driving:

[gary63]

I would change all the plug and check or flush out your power steering pump
if it sucked mud in from around the top or ends it will make a clicking and lug the engin.

[4.3LXJ]

I've never experienced this but from what you are describing and the situation you were in I'd say something got bent and now a valve isn't opening and closing like it should.

Now I have a ticking noise on mine and it runs fine, so it could be something else, like a sensor that wasn't too happy being under water.

What bends in a hydro lock anyway? I would think it would be a valve first...

First thing is the rod. Done it.

[gary63]

Rods bend but if you are real lucky you will blow a headgaskit. valves are usely the last thing you bend.

[Mudderoy]

Rods bend but if you are real lucky you will blow a headgaskit. valves are usely the last thing you bend.

Good to know, sad, but good to know.

[XJ4IV]

This happened to my first XJ and I basically removed the oil pain and cleaned it thoroughly and then I did some kind of engine cleaner that you add to the oil for about 30 minutes of running then you do an oil change ... after that I replaced the cap n rotor and plugs and mine was good to go... but yes for the sake of that tranny go ahead and drain n fill it and add lucas in it as well... for insurance purposes

[dirtroadroots]

i didn't get the plugs changed but i did leave them out all night...before i even tried starting it i cranked it over with the plugs out to make sure none of the cylinders were full of water...i think i got it all out with the siphoning hose cause nothing came out...pulled the cap and it was dry in there...changed all the fluids and the difs where the only ones it appeared to have water in...it was running when i started into the deep part but i killed it right bout the time she went under so i think and am hoping that maybe we'll be alright...drove it to town and back other than running rough at a stop didn't notice too much difference...fingers crossed that the spark plugs are the cure...the ticks got me kinda concerned but it doesn't seem to be as loud once it warms up

[finneys98xj]

i didn't get the plugs changed but i did leave them out all night...before i even tried starting it i cranked it over with the plugs out to make sure none of the cylinders were full of water...i think i got it all out with the siphoning hose cause nothing came out...pulled the cap and it was dry in there...changed all the fluids and the difs where the only ones it appeared to have water in...it was running when i started into the deep part but i killed it right bout the time she went under so i think and am hoping that maybe we'll be alright...drove it to town and back other than running rough at a stop didn't notice too much difference...fingers crossed that the spark plugs are the cure...the ticks got me kinda concerned but it doesn't seem to be as loud once it warms up

Just because it looks dry doesn't mean it is. I would still spray a little wd-40 and clean all the connections plus cap and dizzy. I know old mopars are bad about moisture in the cap area cause trouble.

[gary63]

yes just 1 drop will turn in to steam right after the first spark we would wrap the dist. to insalate it from the cold water from hitting the side and making water inside.

[gary63]

the tapping sound may be a compresed lifter that may pump it's self back up with nother oil change. Or a bent push rod.