Hydrolocked

The only explanation I can posit for why I didn't bend/break/pistons/rods, is that no internal combustion, beyond idling, was occurring when the water was going down the intake? If such is the case, it was because as soon as the water came over the hood and hit the windshield, I reflexively(?) let off the gas.

 

Even at ideal things would have broken or bent.
Water doesn’t compress enough to “not” cause problems.

My theory is you had a lack of air flow and or a contaminated / bad sensor signal.
Which, in turn stalled the engine. Maybe the MAF Sensor coupled with a lack of air flow?

 

So far, this makes the most sense. However, should that be the case how would the engine have filled with that much water? Because, as you can tell from the pics, the intake was well above the water's surface. The only opportunity the intake would seem to have had to bring in water was as the front of the truck entered the creek and with what splashed up afterwards?

 

I just now seen the link to the video. Missed it earlier.
That was a lot of water. I really don’t know you got that much water in the cylinders.
You definitely got lucky.

 

Want to hear the crazy part? -- Before hitting on venting the pcv valve, I removed the intake manifold covers and let it sit for a day in the sun with the oil filter, cap, and drain plug removed to dry out the residual moisture. I did this with the additional intent of finally installing the exhaust cam gears I got last December - is how much I like working on vehicles. At any rate, when removing the exhaust cam gears to be replaced, check what I discovered: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/missing-exhaust-cam-tensioner-bolt.720194/
The mentioned stealer, if not id'd therein, is the newer one of the two in N'ville. That aspect may yet have legs?

 

Next time you talk to this "Tech" ( I use that word lightly ) ask him to define what a "miniature/mini hydrolocks" is exactly and please post it back here.

 

See my thread I referenced in the last post ^^^. I went back to the same stealer afterwards to get a quote for repairing the damaged exhaust cam tensioner, and, unlike the tech you mention, the official estimate did not suggest replacing the entire engine as the only solution. In addition to saying it would cause mini-hydrolocks from the parts counter - he was wearing a tech shirt and appeared to be filling in at the parts counter towards the end of the day? So I assume his advice was on the DL? However, he also seemed clear that due to the fine metal particulate ground from both the exhaust cam tensioner and exhaust cam floating around the engine, that alone, and separately from the mini-hydrolocks was going to cause inevitable catastrophic engine failure. His only solution was to replace the entire engine. Should the official estimate have reflected the same, it would be important in case I decide to* get my law degree involved?

 

Your staid opinion seems in line with what that of the relatively senior tech (opinion based entirely on his demeanor, appearance, and that he was at the parts counter and additionally therefore presumably speaking on the DL? In other words, he may have been a total dweeb, but he sure didn't seem like it.) - namely that engine failure is inevitable. I actually passed last October's California bar exam, however I am not yet licensed. Moreover, as all of the above occurred either in Tennessee or Texas, even were I admitted as an attorney in California, I could not practice in either jurisdiction. Hmm, good looking out.

 

I’d question the advice of a parts guy, in need of a laxative, working at a dealership where they left an exhaust cam tensioner bolt out. Call me skeptical, but I’d get a second opinion.

 

He said he had one of these URD True Cold Air Filters on it, and it was wet. Post # 14.

 

Total guess here.
In the photo below, the rear looks deeper than the front.
And the truck was going down hill. Maybe the front sucked up water on entry.
Stalled the engine, and the sucked water in just at the right time/speed to not cause damage?

I don’t know, he definitely got lucky.

 

Two totally separate dealerships - the one that replaced my headgaskets in '18 and thereby the last ones to have the valve covers off. And the second, here in Texas, with the parts counter guy in '21. He also said that the headgasket-replacing-dealer had not followed the factory manual when replacing the headgaskets because, if they had, they would have included the step in which the exhaust cam tensioner bolt is replaced.

 

Yes, Most of the time when this happens someone is buying an engine...

 

If any internal engine damage occurred it happened immediately as soon as the water entered the cylinder(s). That's a pretty big squirt in the video. You can pretty much assume a hydrolock event happened regardless of how normal it's running afterward. Whatever messing around you did with the pcv system is not going to reverse the volume of water that already made it to the cylinders and got hammered

You may have gotten lucky, maybe issues will develop, who knows.

Bearings may end up getting washed out, head gasket creep, compression issues... You'll find out sooner or later

 

I’d drive it until it quits.
With what it’s been through already, and is still running, it might go forever?
My father has a 96’ ranger that is nothing but neglected, it’s got 270k on it.
It just keeps going. I’d be afraid to do any “regular” maintenance on it. Lol

 

Yikes ! Hitting water at an angle with that intake has water aspiration written all over it .....

 

That sucker would take in water on a humid day driving down a paved road.

 

That CAI is a horrible design in the worst location. Just asking for trouble driving in rainy or dirty environment(yea, like texas) If you want proven hp, you have to trade for the hood with the skeewp.

 

Smashes through water of unknown depth with a front mount intake.... smart. If you went through that crossing at just a few mph you would of crawled right through without a single issue.

Also PCV venting to atmosphere like that. LOL.... unless you detached the other end (pre throttle body) the pcv valve would do its job as a one way valve and hardly let any reverse flow of air. You would of been better off keeping it hooked up to keep fresh air actually circulating through the crank case to actively pull water vapor out of the motor.

 

This makes a LOT more sense now if you dove down deep then settled where those pics were taken you definitely could have submerged the air filter.