Can anyone help please... Driving home this evening and I got caught in a real heavy rainfall. Part of the road became flooded and I had no choice but to drive through. Anyway, I thought I cleared it but just towards the end (about 50 yards) the engine started to shudder and the oil level lamp came on. It got me home but with a lot of smoke at the back and a lot of shuddering. She is now tucked away in garage. Whats the prognosis?????

 

was the air filter "wet"???

was there a presence of water on the oil? (milkish color).

 

Hi sleepwalker, the air filter was soaking wet. Whats the worse is that I have a hole about 2 inches wide at the bottom of the sump - it looks as though it has just been peeled back with a tin opener. I am having my insurance check it out - luckily I am covered - and they will decide whether they can fix it (recon engine I suppose) or pay me the value of the car. I am gutted to say the least.

 

seems you must have hit something in the water to tear a hole in the pan. I suspect you fried the engine due to lack of oil, major rebuild time. I doubt you sucked any water in the system. Diesels tend to come apart rather violently when water is sucked into a cylinder {personal experience}

 

most probably the connecting rod was broken in half... the broken half which is attached to the crankshaft face downwards as gravity rules it...and hit the oil sump.

 

Sleepwalker you have it in one! Con rod damaged thus knackered sump (not to mention the engine). The insurance have stated that it is not economically viable to replace engine so have written her off. I am hoping to be able to buy her back. Having made further enquiries, there are a couple of local specialists that will take the engine out, strip, rebore etc and have her back (better than before I hope) for approx £2800. They are offering a 12000/12 month guarantee. I am tempted as the car has only covered 67k and in very good condition. Does anyone have any experience with recon engines? ie how have you find the vehicles after, are they better or worse? Good or bad experiences welcomed.

 

if no damage or deep scratches on cylinder wall which the piston ring travels.... no problem.

you may use the same engine block.

just replace bent conrods since the will produce vibrations.