anyone have suggestions? other than draining the fluids! I know that has to be done,, my problem is we went 4 wheeling and got stuck... 1/2 the truck was not completly submerged to the engine, but it was in there pretty good! it stayed in the water over night, we got pulled out the next day, it wants to turn over but just cant do it, there was a lot of water comming out of the exhaust pipes so we let that drain out by putting a small hole in the muffler. when the key is in the on position i hear a noise in the engine of wires shorting out, in the fuse box on the drivers side! which was the side of the truck that was more in the water than the other. we had tried jump starting but the battery will not hold a charge! which indicates to me the alternator, can anyone help me it is still out on the power lines and i want her home!!I hope someone out there has something to offer! Thank you Sue

 

DRY IT OUT !!!!. you are right about changing fluids. but, your electrical will have to be completly dried out. your ECU might be toast computors do not like water. also remove all your spark plugs before cranking over the engine. this will pump out any water that is trapped in the cylinders. and please tow it home before attempting anything else. this is the best advice i have. what year is your truck?

 

I'm with mike here, you will need to drag it home where you can work on it. Your truck is one big short right now. If you keep trying to power it up you will only make it worse. Pull all of your connectors apart and dry them out. More than likely if you have a computer, you will need a new one. Good tip to pull the plugs, water is NOT compressible, you will blow a head if you have any water in the cylinders.

 

Thanks guys!! unfortantly where the truck is right now seems almost impossible to get anyone to tow me out! w/out it being started i have no control over the brakes or steering. the truck is a 1993, it is getting spark i pulled the plug wire off to see if there was spark and there is. its the wires that i am worried about where the fuses are that is way to complicated for me
. luckily it hasnt rained out since this all happened, I am going to go back tomorrow with some testers. at this point i am more woried about someone comming along and helping themselves to parts tires cap etc. My Son is the one who actully got it stuck!! being a big shot, now he is a big shot w/out a truck , but i am the one who is determend to get her out! I know the transmission has water in it. the fluid is creamy. if i could get it to the road then i will call a tow truck but its about 1/2 of a mile in the woods and its a pretty ruff trail. a friend said if i could just get it going and drive it out then tow it.. is that bad? everyone is telling me something different. one said drain the oil and filter and fill it all back up and to fill the filter again. another said the egnition got wet and that is why it wouldnt start, how long should it sit? i hate the fact its out there and so vunrable, it kills me

 

If you can get spark out of it, it may not be that bad. Can you hear the fuel pump run when you turn the key on? Maybe he "bounced" it in there and tripped the inertia switch. Got anything you can take a pic with so we can see how bad it is? Maybe you can get one of those portable air tanks and a blowgun and blow some things out (fuse box, relays...)

 

the fuel pump is working i listened for it yesterday! I was going to get one of those airguns today! and try blowing out the wires...there are 2 switches way under the streeing colom, one is red and the other is like a bronze color! not to sure what the bronze one is i assumed the red was the kill for the fuel pump.. why do you think the battery wont keep a charge? I will try and get some picture but it is out of the water! what would you want to see, im surprised there wasnt much mud in the engine! i expected it to be covered! Thank you VERY much for repling to me

 

I am mostly curious as to how deep in the water it went. If the computer went under then that's a problem. There shouldn't be anything under the hood that would prevent it from starting. If it has spark and the pump runs, it should start. Hmm...(just thinking out loud)

 

i would get a new battery for it. stop messin with that one if its causing problems. also pull dizzy cap off make sure its nice and dry this will help get better spark.

 

I didnt actually see it in the water... from the looks of the truck and what the boyz say, it was tipped at an angle making the drivers side of the truck deeper in the water so the water lines come up to about 1/2 the door. on the other side there are no water lines. we took off the "dizzy" cap its all dry there is spark from the plugs, the boysz say the engine wasnt submerdged! but they also say they werent drinking either!! lolol moms not that stupid. I think i am goign to break down and call in a tow. the other issue we just added to the list. who ever rigged this up for the pull out , wrapped the chain around what is either the sway bar/a~arm/pitman arm/tie rode. i really didnt get a good look i just want to get it out of there so no one comes along for the takings...my Son wants to take it apart for parts now he is just mad...I, on the other hand want to get it running but when do i know when to stop trying?
thanks again guys
Sue

 

Your battery problem could be related to a bad battery or that sizzling you heard around the fuses when you tried to start it caused a short that is causing you to have a constant drain. Either way, take a known good battery with you next trip into the jungle. As far as getting it from the boonies to the towing territory, ask around for some assistance from someone local that has a capable 4X4 that is willing to drag you to better ground. Use a logging chain placed through a length of iron pipe and attatch to one of your frame rails. Steering will be difficult, but not as bad as you think when its rolling. Braking will be the tow vehicle's responsibility. Very little slack in the chain and the iron pipe will keep you off the pulling vehicle's rear. Can be a little rough on the neck though. Good luck! One word of advise from someone that's been there: Let the tow vehicle's owner connect the chain to his own vehicle. If he looses a bumper, you want it to be his fault that he attached it to it, not yours.

 

it sucks to drain the fuel, well in my 95 stang that my wife drove off into a creek last week it was. i got a small electric fuel pump and a long fuel hose, then i put that into the fuel inlet and sucked as much as i could. then i had to drain the lines. i put 3 gallons of super gas in it and 2 cans of B12 and one of seafoam the next day. it cranked but ran like mess for a few hours. and it still has water in the bottom of the tank. when it gets to about 1/4 tank the motor sputters a lot.i got water all up inside the car and it stinks bad. the only damage my motor had was the oil pan was busted when they pulled the car out sideways but that was easily fixed the next day.one of these day i plan on hooking that little pump to the fuel tanks outlet line and suck the exsisting water out. the car went off a 7 foot dropoff backwards and into the water between 2 5 foot colverts. the front wheels were not even on the ground.

 

you mentioned that the transmission has water in it as the fluid is creamy. please do not try to run it in this condition as you will destroy all of the clutches inside tranny.

 

You are too funny!! I loved the advise! I actually got my good friend to tow me out today!!! GOD DAMN AM I a happy person tonight!!!!! we towed it out perfectly.. it couldnt have gone better! just as you were saying, i went with the flow of the driver ahead of me. i am out YIPEEEEE,,, now I am faced with the damage... I plan on draining all the fluids, the boysz that attempted getting it out used the sway bar!( thought it may have been the tie rod/ pitman arm or the a~ arm... anyway my girl is out and SAFE! some damage to the front end, along with the sway arm they, damaged the body mounts, to me no big deal!! its the computer i am more concerned about THANK YOU for the advise ALL you guys havebeen great help!
Sue
PS. I informed my Son who got it stuck.....Whom wanted to parts it out!! I got it out....... its mine now!!! lolol It's Mama's turn...
Thanks again

 

Good God!!! is she ok??? its a lot of work to have fun in off road... although i never have been until this weekend!! now that i have the truck!! i cant wait to go back!! God forbid I get stuck.. I will never let it down... the only differnce is....I wouldnt leave my truck! lololo
Take Care
Sue

 

yes the tranny oil is milky!I know there is water in there ... I finally found a friend that wasnt doing anything to take me out to get the truck we towed it and when we got it to the road... perfectly,,it was greatonce we got it to the road i had a tow come get it! now it is safe and tomrrow is a day to begin the draining I plan on spending the day draining!!!! i wont run it !!! i need to find out what the damage is going to cost me! Thank you! for your advise!
Sue