How can water enter the engine?

[Strizzo]

The tailpipe was never in the water. And it never stalled. I left it running for a minute or two and decided maybe it's better to shut it off. But it sat there idling with no hesitation whatsoever. I started it back up to help with the tow and same thing, ran fine. After pulling it out, I got a charging system warning. At first it ran ok then stuttered a little bit, that's when I checked the dipstick and yeah there was water in the oil. Immediately went for filter and oil and changed it. But I didn't run it after that, towed to a indy service station who changed oil, flushed it, and changed it again. Dealer did the TSB on the alternator and let it go back to the indy. It started running bad after it warmed up and he checked oil, found metal sheen in it, changed oil again and it seized up.

I do have pictures showing the water level below the headlights, a couple inches over the bumper. I need to measure another sasquatch to see if that's less than 33.5".
Thanks for your time and input.

how long did it sit after it wouldn't start? did you try pulling the plugs and turning it over? the engine siezed up while running after the oil change?

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[broncabilly]

Yes the engine seized up after changing the oil several times and flushing it once and changing it again after the trip for the alternator (about 20 miles). The whole period from the event to the seizing was probably 4 weeks. Took a while to get the alternator in.
Side note tow service managers at Ford said they thought it should be covered but it’s up to Ford corporate. Ford customer service says it’s up to the dealer. Round and around I go

 

[Jonny way]

The tailpipe was never in the water. And it never stalled. I left it running for a minute or two and decided maybe it's better to shut it off. But it sat there idling with no hesitation whatsoever. I started it back up to help with the tow and same thing, ran fine. After pulling it out, I got a charging system warning. At first it ran ok then stuttered a little bit, that's when I checked the dipstick and yeah there was water in the oil. Immediately went for filter and oil and changed it. But I didn't run it after that, towed to a indy service station who changed oil, flushed it, and changed it again. Dealer did the TSB on the alternator and let it go back to the indy. It started running bad after it warmed up and he checked oil, found metal sheen in it, changed oil again and it seized up.

I do have pictures showing the water level below the headlights, a couple inches over the bumper. I need to measure another sasquatch to see if that's less than 33.5".
Thanks for your time and input.

Off Roadeo rep said Sasquatch Bronco fording limit was top of the bumper; and tire.
Sas 33.5, Everglades is 36.4, Raptor 37.

 

[m.e.144]

I have a '23 Braptor and it died going through water. It had less than 2,000 miles on it - 800+ off-road dirt, mud, you name it - the engine died. Changed the oil, changed the air filter. The modules / boards managed to get corroded and muddy from all the fun I was having. After changing out many of the modules, it was an $8K bill. There was water in the turbos, hell it had water and mud throughout the entire vehicle! I thought it was toast and somehow the dealership was able to get it better than when I bought it.

The tail pipes never reached the water - are you sure about that? Do you like to go through puddles? any water that goes in the front grill will cause headaches - part of the reason I was ready to sell mine, but my daughters love it - so I am keeping it. I haven't checked the vented or plastic vents on the top and sides of the vehicles, but that could be another spot for it to get in there.

I would like to get L'oren Healy's rig or maybe the BRONCO DR as this one won't likely make it a few years of what it was intended for. My Polaris Pro does a better job than this thing on the dirt.

But then again, this is also meant for the street, but it shouldn't be allowed to be a mall crawler.

 

[BadlandsA51]

I have a '23 Braptor and it died going through water. It had less than 2,000 miles on it - 800+ off-road dirt, mud, you name it - the engine died. Changed the oil, changed the air filter. The modules / boards managed to get corroded and muddy from all the fun I was having. After changing out many of the modules, it was an $8K bill. There was water in the turbos, hell it had water and mud throughout the entire vehicle! I thought it was toast and somehow the dealership was able to get it better than when I bought it.

The tail pipes never reached the water - are you sure about that? Do you like to go through puddles? any water that goes in the front grill will cause headaches - part of the reason I was ready to sell mine, but my daughters love it - so I am keeping it. I haven't checked the vented or plastic vents on the top and sides of the vehicles, but that could be another spot for it to get in there.

I would like to get L'oren Healy's rig or maybe the BRONCO DR as this one won't likely make it a few years of what it was intended for. My Polaris Pro does a better job than this thing on the dirt.

But then again, this is also meant for the street, but it shouldn't be allowed to be a mall crawler.

Getting water in the engine through the exhaust would be really a long shot unless the truck was in up to the exhaust ports in the head(s). Otherwise it would have to go uphill and water ain’t good at that. How fast was the engine running when it went into the water? There is a good chance it bent some rods if it was running fast enough to suck in a big gulp of water. If it did ingest water through the intake, Ford will refer you to your insurance company, they won’t cover it.

 

[BadlandsA51]

Getting water in the engine through the exhaust would be really a long shot unless the truck was in up to the exhaust ports in the head(s). Otherwise it would have to go uphill and water ain’t good at that. How fast was the engine running when it went into the water? There is a good chance it bent some rods if it was running fast enough to suck in a big gulp of water. If it did ingest water through the intake, Ford will refer you to your insurance company, they won’t cover it.

If the water was deep enough to get in through a PCV hose or some other hose or tube on the engine, it would have been up to air inlet depth. And if any charge tubes, crankcase vent tubes, etc. we’re off or loose, there would have been a Check Engine Light on.

 

[Bmadda]

Yes the engine seized up after changing the oil several times and flushing it once and changing it again after the trip for the alternator (about 20 miles). The whole period from the event to the seizing was probably 4 weeks. Took a while to get the alternator in.
Side note tow service managers at Ford said they thought it should be covered but it’s up to Ford corporate. Ford customer service says it’s up to the dealer. Round and around I go

So to clarify, you had water get into the oil pan somehow, but NOT the cylinders? Oil came out looking like a wendy's frosty kinda? Or did you have to pull spark plugs to clear hydrolocked cylinders?

 

[cashe3]

I'm not an engine/intake expert by any means, but if I were on a jury and saw that picture I would assign you 99% of the blame. Just saying.

 

[m.e.144]

Getting water in the engine through the exhaust would be really a long shot unless the truck was in up to the exhaust ports in the head(s). Otherwise it would have to go uphill and water ain’t good at that. How fast was the engine running when it went into the water? There is a good chance it bent some rods if it was running fast enough to suck in a big gulp of water. If it did ingest water through the intake, Ford will refer you to your insurance company, they won’t cover it.

not fast enough to produce a wake.

 

[BadlandsA51]

All sorts of ways. I’ve seen water enter an engine through the spark plugs for example.

This is why you should never pressure wash an engine bay without driving it afterwards.

If water goes in around spark plugs, they are loose enough to fall out. Engine wouldn’t run far enough to get into water.

 

[Aonarch]

If water goes in around spark plugs, they are loose enough to fall out. Engine wouldn’t run far enough to get into water.

Not instantly. Water pools and collects, then seeps through.

 

[BadlandsA51]

not fast enough to produce a wake.

The only possibility I can see is a leak in the tubes going to and from the charge air cooler. It was under water if the water was over the bumper. If a tube was loose or off, the engine should have been a dog and CEL should have been on. How did engine run when you first started it? Did it run funny at all driving home? If water got into CAC, it would have laid in there until engine was loaded and running at a higher RPM, then the higher air flow would have drawn it into the engine. If CAC has a leak, it would be covered under warranty and so would engine as consequential damage. Leakage at the CAC also would not have gotten the air filter wet.

 

[ultimateone]

I'm not an engine/intake expert by any means, but if I were on a jury and saw that picture I would assign you 99% of the blame. Just saying.

Yeah but people who drive thru mud and puddles intake can look like that.

 

[broncabilly]

I'm not an engine/intake expert by any means, but if I were on a jury and saw that picture I would assign you 99% of the blame. Just saying.

Thanks for your opinion. Based on what, for real? A couple drops of water in the air box? If water that dirty was high enough to get past the filter, wouldn't there be a water line in the box?
I would bet that many Bronco owners have boxes that look like that. The paper on the air filter is pristine. Could I have changed it? Sure, but I didn't.

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