I know the title does not help state what the issue is. I have a 2002 Explorer Sport with a 4.0L V6 with 4 wheel drive. When I turn the key in the ignition, all I hear is 1 loud click and nothing else. The radio and other lights light up but the nothing from the engine.

Now everything was working fine on Friday. I was driving home from work and a jerk pulled out of a gas station and cut me off. When he cut me off he hit a very deep puddle and sprayed a lot of water up. Now when he cut me off, he was about 2 feet in front of me and I caught the whole water spray.

After that, my engine started to knock and ping a little. I drove the car until I could reach a safe place to pull over but I heard a lound knock and the engine died. Tried to get the car started and all I could get was a single loud click. I had the Explorer towed back to my house

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So far this is what I have done to fix but have had no sucess...

Tested battery and is fully charged
Replaced Starter and started cylonoid
verified all wires are connected and not damaged
has about quarter of a tank of gas
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Please any ideas would be very helpful.

 

make sure the crankshaft will actually turn. Engine could be seized or hydrolocked.

 

I was thinking that would be my next step to look at. By any chance you would not know what size socket I would need to turn the Crankshaft pulley? Also how screwed would I be if the crankshaft won't turn?

 

well, did water go up in it for sure? look at the air filter and see if water soaked the thing through.

if water did go through there then chances are you did hydrolock the engine. the damage could be from nothing to bent and broken rods.

that knock you heard though is a bad sign of a rod clanking. if the noise was a rod.

hopefully luck has it that its just electrical.

how much water was it? i wouldn't think that water splashing would do that, if so it must be one cheap filter or something, but even then, the cheapest filters have some sort of standards to them. splashing water though looking like a lot, in my opinion would not be close to enough to actually penetrate the filter and hydrolock the engine.

 

The puddle was about 2 foot deep from how much the suv dropped when he cut me off. I have a regular Fram air filter. I have not checked to see if it was wet. Right now the weather has been holding at about 32 degrees. So it is probably safe to say that if the filter is still wet, then alot of water went through it. I hope that it is not a rod as well.

 

well, if so then i beleive this is something that is not right. a dang car, not alone an suv should be able to get a nice water spray in the front.

not talking water crossing trips, but a splashing.

i think i am going to beef up my filter then if that is the case.

if it is the rod, you are looking at some dollars for sure, maybe your insurance can cover? or the city?

 

********UPDATE***********
Ok went outside today to turn the Crankshart pulley with my pops. He got under there and said he was able to turn it a little but somthing was catching. I tried to start it and instead of getting the single click, the starter is working but it fails to turn the engine. My dad thinks that the timing chain is broke Any ideas with this update as well as any issues with 02 Explorers and timing chains?

 

might want to post on maybe the general automotive forum because there are a lot more gear heads that frequent there then on the explorer forum.

 

I suggest pulling all the plugs out and try to spin the engine with the starter. You could have a hydro lock situation. Have you looked at the oil for signs of water in it?

 

************UPDATE**************
Took it to the shop yesterday and they called today stating that I might need a new engine. They found Anti-freeze in my oil pan. Possible cracked engine head or cracked engine block. They are saying that I need a new motor. They will be calling back after they see if there is any other issue. What am I looking at in spending?

 

The shop needs to be more specific. There is a big difference between needing the heads done versus the bottom end of the engine. Ask them specifically what it needs, and how they determined it. You might also want to consult your insurance company if the problem was caused by someone else throwing up water that somehow got into your engine. It's worth a call.

 

Agreed!


Most shops will make the immediate leap to "new engine" when it may just need some reworked heads, etc. It's much easier for them to plop in a new engine. Make them work. Be sure you fully understand what and how they find. If they are unccoperative in any way - walk. Find another shop.

Good luck.

CMOS