Diesel questions

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Apr 14, 2021 | 07:49 PM

Duksrule

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From: Va Beach Va

Diesel questions

So unfortunately my SD with 6.4 went through some high water and sucked a bunch of it down the intake. When it happened a ton of white smoke poured out of the exhaust. Now it has what sounds like valve chatter and possibly a blown head gasket.

My insurance adjuster says since there is no water in the crank case then it didn’t ingest water (I know it did I was driving) and they are trying to deny my claim. He said water down the intake ALWAYS bypasses the piston rings and ends up in the oil. I know everything there is about a gas motor and I know this isn’t true. I’ve seen water bend valves etc and not do any damage to the connecting rods or piston. Is a diesel any different?

Apr 14, 2021 | 08:34 PM

Evan_P

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Valve chatter and a blown head gasket are not common results from water ingestion. Hydro locking and bent rods or damaged pistons are much more likely.

Apr 14, 2021 | 08:39 PM

Duksrule

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I was driving the truck when it hit the water and white smoke started pouring out of the exhaust. It still runs other than the tapping so it doesn’t seem like a bottom end issue. The shop said it was in the rockers.

Apr 15, 2021 | 07:04 AM

oharal

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I'm struggling to envision how ingesting and and trying to compress water would bend the valves. They will be closed on the compression stroke. Compressing against closed valves isn't going to put any stress on the pushrods or rockers either. I'm voting for yep bent rods and the sound you're hearing is probably piston slap or something related to the banana rods sideloading the pistons in ways they were never designed for. I can't imagine how you would NOT bend a rod with water in the chamber in a 17.5:1 compression ratio engine. Bent rod = new lower compression ratio = less heat of compression = white smoke. This being said, I'm assuming you're white smoke smells like diesel and probably burns your eyes a bit and isn't coolant. I could see blowing a HG on an engine with cylinder heads the designers forgot to add the correct number of bolts to... maybe post up a video?

What did the shop *see* or *measure* that makes them think it's the rockers?

Apr 15, 2021 | 07:07 AM

99powerstrokedF250

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Likely that you bent some rods or possibly damaged some injectors if it is still blowing white smoke. A compression test would tell you if you've got a bad head gasket.

However, not surprised they're trying to deny your claim if you admitted to driving through known high water. Insurance companies rarely pay for driving a vehicle through high water. Sometimes they try to deny flood damage too.

Apr 15, 2021 | 08:03 AM

Duksrule

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There is no smoke now. It was white smoke when the water went in but only then.

Apr 15, 2021 | 08:05 AM

oharal

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From: CSRA, SC

Pressure test the cooling system and get a compression test, then you'll know. I wouldn't go so far as to say that if it's not smoking now doesn't mean you can't have bent rods.