ok..... we just got an a$$ load of rain down here and i decided to go play in it...... to make a long story short i ended up in 4 feet of water.... the truck died a few times and was probaly in the water for like 45 min.... but in my truck's defence.... it did make it out of the water.... but only made it amile down the road.... started backfireing and died... but ne way..... we goit it running again today (sorta) i fried the starter and am replacing that tomarow..... it WILL push start and run fine. and now finaly for my question.... what all should i check over and or replace before resuming my normal driving habits?

 

Holy crap. First of all, you should NEVER have turned it on after going in water like that, let alone several times. The more you drive, the more damage you are causing. Stop fiddling with it, get it towed to a professional, and let them tell you how you owe them a few grand to get it fixed.

Good luck!

 

Standard list:

Tranny
Transfer case
Diffs
Any sensors and/or computers that were under water.

 

Very lucky you didn't hydrolock it pulling water into the airbox. All your fluids need changed to start off.

Adrianspeeder

 

Well I agree that it wasn't really the best idea to drive it, but taking it to a mechanic may be asking for other "problems" to crop up. Start by changing all of the fluids and go from there. If it's still running, just drive it easy, any problems with sensors and things will come up if they are a problem.

 

Ya, starting the motor while still in water was a mega-bad idea, you got hella lucky the motor didn't suck water, hydrolock and bend a rod or worse. While it is a good idea to get the motor running again ASAP to "dry out" the crankcase. These aren't marine engines, they aren't sealed and water is not their friend. Worse, they're 4 stroke. I've seen 2 strokes pulled from the bottom of a lake after sitting there for a week(sunken jetski) and it was running again within the hour, no problems whatsoever.

Before you run it again, change the oil. Almost guaranteed water got in there. After you drain it, run the motor for a sec or two to get as much oil as possible out. I'd put the plug back in, put a quart or two of cheapo oil in, and run the motor again for a bit. Drain that, change the filter for sure.

Since you said it will "push start" fine, I assume it's a standard which I guess is better than an auto in this case, less stuff to go wrong. I wouldn't worry about the tranny for now, if you start to notice hard shifting then change the fluid it's probably contaminated.

Once you get it running I wouldn't freak out about it though and go **** checking every last inch. Drive it kinda easy. If something will go wrong water-related, it will show itself fast. The motor's heat will dry all the underhood components out quickly. Even if the CEL comes on but it seems to be driving fine, replace the sensors, they probably got fried. Pull the codes, but most likely the O2 sensor which was submerged died or a little water messed up the MAF sensor, those things are super-sensitive to anything.

Flooded motors are not dead motors. While it's certianly not beneficial to the motor, it won't hurt it either.

I did this ONCE to an older 4 stroke carbureated engine after it got hydrolocked(fortunately when I tried to start it the starter wouldn't even crank). After I cleaned it all up and got it running, I put a very small amount of 2 stroke oil in the gas. Something very low, like a 100:1 ratio(weedeaters use about 32:1 for comparison). So in a full 20 gallon tank, put about 20 ounces in. Synthetic ones burn incredibly clean and at that low of a ratio won't smoke at all. I don't know if it helped the motor but it didn't foul the plugs at all and the jets didn't gum up or anything, but I felt better knowing there was a little extra lube in there. I don't know if this would krap things up on super precise FI motors with more sensors than you can count, I'm just tossing it out there.

 

My single aquatic adventure resulted in a tranny (E40D) full of water, the vent tube on mine was disconnected, it was underwater for about a half hour. Water was also in the transfer case and front diff, none in the crankcase though. Not a pretty bill, compounded by an idiot tow truck driver, but that's been discussed elsewhere.

 

i checked the oil before i started it back up (the push start) and again when i got it home..... i didnt see any water..... oh and the air intake was only under water once and only for a few sec (my foot sliped of the cluch and it jercked foward and water went a little over the hood) i know i have to changed the oil in the rear end ( its way over due anyway)..... thatx for all the help guys.... ill post back is something pops up in the next month or so

one things for sure.... im NEVER getting rid of this truck now

 

i had an old chevy, and i used to go mudding a lot.
dont forget the differentials. i got mud in mine and it looked like a cream color coming out.

i also fried a starter, as did my two friends the same day.

also ruined a 700R4(a chevrolet tranny).

the list goes on and on..

basically, like everyone else has said, change everything. just because it its sealed so the fluids dont get out doesnt mean water doesn't get in.

sadly i discovered its to much money and work to be replacing parts on my daily driver, sold the chev, and ive never taken the ford through mud. let alone off road like i used to.

we submergerd a 94 nissan in a pond. the fuel pump stayed on even while the motor was off, till we disconnected the battery. and the ecm was fried. i we had to run a few new wires from destroying them and i think a mass air flow sensor. also some thing went wrong inside cuz it sounded rough from then on.

dont be surprised if electrical problems arise.