I went wheelin' last night in the F-150 ('83 stepside with a 302 and 4 speed). I got a little too ambitious when we got to the part where everyone one-ups the previous guy. So I ended up nose-diving into a huge rut and my truck became more of a submarine than a truck. Water about up to the top of the distributor.
As the truck was filling with water I was trying to get out of the rut by rocking back and forth and almost had it, but the water got too deep and I didn't want to destroy my engien by sucking water in so I gave up and got dragged out. Drained about two gallons of oily water out of the engine, put new oil in, whacked the starter a few times to free up the gear, and she fired right up. Slight tap at idle now and oil pressure gauge is lower than it had been (in middle of "NORMAL" range on the stock gauge).
Today I'm gonna change the oil and filter (didn't have a filter with me when I was out in the woods), grease everthing, and change my differential and tranny gear oil. Hopefully nothing is too badly damaged. I ahve a feeling one weeekend soon I may be putting new bearings in the 302. Thankfully not terribly expensive, but a pain in the arse nonetheless. I also have another
302 laying around that I could use, so that is an option too. We shall see.What are all your thoughts on the damage done. Anything else I should do considering how deep the truck was in the water? Also, how about thoughts on sealing off the crankcase to prevent water from getting in there to begin with. Where can water enter the crankcase? Valve covers, dipstick tube... Anywhere else?
Cory