I think I killed my baby

I live in Savannah GA, it's difficult to stay away from water at times. I got myself into a mud hole that was deeper than I anticipated. Needless to say I got stuck, but I winched myself out. While winching out my truck shut off while still in the water. Water was not over the hood, but it was up to the bottom portion of the doors. Winched myself out and it wouldn't start. So I let it sit for about 10 mins and then cranked it a few times to push out the water in the exhaust. After another 10 mins it started. But was very sluggish. I figured it was just water and needed to dry out and have a little tlc done to it.
Next day I changed the oil, changed the oil filter and changed out the spark plugs. And cleaned the air intake filters, along with also putting in some Heet to the gas tank to burn off possible water in the engine. It started up great.
Drove around town and it drove about 80-90% of normal. I thought it was just needing to burn off water maybe? The oil light would flicker when in idle, but not when driving or pushing the gas. Then u tried to take it on the free-way. I got it to 45 and had to push the gas more than normal to accelerate. It got to 50 and just shut off. I rolled over to the side and it wouldn't start.
Next day I took it apart with a friend. Changed the oil again, it had a little water in the oil still it looked.
Checked if it was getting spark and fuel, which it is.
It's getting air, spark and fuel. I'm worried it's a combustion/pressure issue and a possible head gasket.
It sounds like it wants to start but won't. It will turn and you can hear it try to finish the start process but it gets to about 90% and won't got further.
Has anyone fixed a similar issue?

 

Do a compression test

 

Good luck brother, sub'd for outcome.

 

Did you ever remove the plugs to pump the water out?

 

They don't like water. I've taken the truck swimming a time or two. I avoid it like the plague now.

 

Was there a lot of water in the oil when you did the first changes?

What point of entry into the engine is there if water was only to the bottom of the doors?

 

Open the intake box and clean it

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but can't you take the plugs out and crank it over for about a second or two to push the water out of the cylinders?

 

It's what your supposed to do

 

Yes, that is the preferred method.

 

x4 Yup

 

x2

 

What happens, can the water damage a ring or gasket or something?

 

his symptoms point to low compression. Its possible the muddy water scored the cylinder walls

It's extremely easy and worth checking.

 

If there was water in the cylinder and he ran the engine without pulling the plugs to make sure the cylinders were indeed clear there could be piston, ring, crankshaft, or piston rod damage.

Or there is the possibility of a valve that is screwed up.

 

I've actually hydrolocked my engine before because I sucked water into my URD intake. Got towed to a friend's house, took out all the plugs cranked the motor over shot all this water out sprayed some wd40, ply all the plugs back in, cranked and cranked for a while, then it started up very rough, but eventually started to run fine again.

These engines are tough. Start off with a compression test, and work from there.

 

werd, took mine swimming one time and the next day it was in the shop for a new alt, and crank seal. Now I don't touch deep water

 

That doesn't look like it was deep enough for the engine to ingest water. I had my old pathfinder in much deeper water than plenty of times and never hurt it.

 

Kinda what I was thinking, but I guess its possible. I had water about an inch from the bottom of the windows and all the way over the hood for bit and no water was sucked up

 

Sounds like you've done a bunch of good stuff already.

Only thing off the top of my head that gets messed up in water on the driver side is the alternator. What voltage does your battery have? I'd be surprised if that's the culprit but easy to rule it out.