Rain water in exhaust...

OldFarmall450 · May 23, 2017

My gas 450 was parked in the yard at the farm. A storm had tore off the barn roof last year, haven't fixed it yet. It rained about 3 inches of rain Saturday.
I went there yesterday, a tree limb had somehow fallen and knocked off the 5 gallon can AND a small limb held the rain cap ajar. I'm sure some water got down the exhaust; how much, not sure.
Not wanting to ruin anything my plan is to pull the plugs, turn motor over to flush out water, put a dab of ATF in to lube the cylinders, then see if she'll crank.

Anyone have a better idea?

old · May 23, 2017

If it where me I would just spin it over and see what happens. Many times there is not enough water in them to hurt any thing. I need to go out and check my W Speed patrol since rain seeps into the exhaust if I park it out side and so after a rain I start ti up and let it run 10-15 minutes and all is fine

David G · May 23, 2017

I would pull plugs and crank first, no sense bending something, then get it running warmed up good and forget it.

old · May 23, 2017

The starter is not strong enough to bend or break a rod but a push rod yes but not likely that a valve would stick. I just fired up the W speed patrol and got a little bit of water out of the exhaust and let ti run a few minutes to make sure it was dry

Goose · May 23, 2017

Had the same problem with one of my H's a couple of times. I pulled the plugs and stuck an air hose in each cylinder to blow any water out.

Took off and ran OK.

Janicholson · May 23, 2017

I have seen an unfortunate event in which a piston came up on compression and there was just enough water in the chamber to lock it when it was almost TDC. It didn't bend a rod, it blew a 1/2" chunk out of the head gasket. I rarely differ with you but on this it can happen. Jim

old · May 23, 2017

Well I have done it many times and have yet to ever have a problem. Now ya if a head gasket is weak or some other thing like that it can happen but it would happen sooner or later any how and you would just find the problem a bit faster. My Oliver 77 got enough water in it one time to hydro lock and I pull the plugs spun it over to clear the water out and it fired right up and ran just fine after a few minutes so as to dry out the cylinders with the most water

mattofvinings · May 23, 2017

Just mark or label the plug wires as they are all removed at once.

Tom Dowling · May 23, 2017

my ex brother in law got mad because I wouldn't let him play on the tractor (caught him pullin wheel stands on it) so I pulled the rotor after I parked it. came back 2 weeks later to find the garden hose laying next to the tractor. Turns out he filled the engine completely up with water! Had to pull the plugs to crank out the water, drain the carb and change the oil. Luckily she fired right up. That was in 1982 and she still runs good.

Dave S. · May 23, 2017

Before you even try to turn the crank I would loosen the pan drain plug to see if there is any water there, if there is let it seep out first. Then take the plugs out just to be safe, it isn't hard to do and doesn't take that long might save you a lot of grief.

banjoman09 · May 23, 2017

Sounds like you have it covered....your doing the right thing.....

CenTex Farmall · May 23, 2017

I don't know if they all have it but most of the exhaust manifolds on M size tractors have two weep holes that allow incidental water to drain out. The very bottom of the exhaust side is slightly below the exhaust port as well. I can't remember if the LP manifolds have them. The only down side is that a lot of the holes are plugged with crud after decades of use.

Pull the plugs and look each cylinder with a bright light. Rotate the engine until you can see each piston at TDC. Any water will be evident. If there is some, whatever doesn't drain out of the spark plug hole at TDC can be gathered up with a long strip of rag stuffed in through the spark plug hole.

teddy52food · May 23, 2017

I think the pressure is greater when it is firing under load than that of a starter. The gasket was about to go anyway.

OldFarmall450 · May 23, 2017

Thanks everyone for the replies. Its always good to get a 2nd...or 3rd opinion.
This reminded me of several years ago my Dept. had bought 2 new Crown Vics, and they were distributed to officers. A sudden torrential downpour hit the city and the streets quickly flooded. Both cars were drowned out and motors damaged by the water.
The dealership took the cars back for repairs and their mechanic reminded us that water doesn't compress and he said a teaspoon of water could wreck a motor. So, I'm gonna pull the plugs and give her a spin. I know a small amount of water has seeped in from the exhaust pipe before, but not this much.

OldFarmall450 · May 23, 2017

(quoted from post at 17:46:48 05/23/17) Before you even try to turn the crank I would loosen the pan drain plug to see if there is any water there, if there is let it seep out first. Then take the plugs out just to be safe, it isn't hard to do and doesn't take that long might save you a lot of grief.

Dave S, that's a good idea. I'll check the plug first.

BarnyardEngineering · May 24, 2017

If it helps you sleep better at night, go for it. I'm with old on this one, though. Just crank it; it'll be fine.

Oh and the guy that said a teaspoon of water could wreck an engine is full of... something. Maybe placed in the perfect strategic spot and left long enough, but not sprinkled down the muffler in the form of rain drops.

OldFarmall450 · May 24, 2017

To be fair, the mechanic was talking about water sucked into the air intake while the motor was running...i don't know how much, but I promise you it bent a valve. My Lt. was not happy, he kept it on his desk for a long time.
The take away for me was... water doesn't compress... and I don't wanna take any more chances. My thinking is if enuf got in and ended up In a cylinder it could be bad. So I think I'll play it safe... for once, and pull the plugs.
Thanks everyone for the advice.

old · May 24, 2017

Teaspoon or water wreck and engine is just plan out and out a lie. Shoot years ago to remove carbon build up in an engine people would take a mist of water and spray it in the carb as the engine was running to break up carbon and then have it go out the exhaust and that never hurt any of those engines. I have had engines with enough water in the cylinder to hydro lock and I pulled the plugs out spun it over and every thing was just fine.

Janicholson · May 24, 2017

You have not taken into consideration that if a piston is 3 degrees from TDC on compression, and being cranked with a charged battery, and a slug of water or oil is taking up all but a tiny (way compressed) bit of air, the pressure can approach 4000 or more PSI. Imagine if a non waterlogged piston fires first before the one in doubt clears! It is just prudent to pull the plugs! Jim

robgIN · May 24, 2017

a Diesel engine can be damaged by a very small amount of liquid in a cylinder but an old gas tractor engine has a lot of CCs in the combustion chamber with piston at TDC .
pulling the plugs and cranking over is a good idea but you could try starting it first and if it hydro locks then pull plugs. The main thing is to do it asap before the water
damages the cylinder. Let it run and warm up so all water is evaporated out of exhaust and the residual heat will dry it out so it doesn't rust internally and the cylinder walls
will get re oiled by the process of running.

rustred · May 24, 2017

ha ha, engines seize up so tight just from condensation. any moisture on shiny bare metal and time forms rust. rust makes pits in the metal.and also glues the rings to the cyl walls. honing the cyl's does not remove pits, neither does running the engine once rust has formed. its there forever. so i go with the mechanic's advice! and misting in water on a running engine is totally different synario. the john deere D operated with a water injection system for heavy pulling as a factory thing. i have pulled engines apart that were siezed up and freed up and run and have seen what moisture does to the cyl's.
and if you never take the engine apart you are non the wiser. of course they will run.

D beatty · May 25, 2017

You can suck a little water through air intake and do no damage to engine. Years ago use suck a little water into warm engine to crack carbon
and change oil right after wards. John Deere used water injection on the old John Deere D.

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