Water in defender engine - help!

[dan9090]

Hi,

Help needed please!! I've got a 1989 Defender 90 pick up 2.5 turbo diesel. Went off roading for first time last weekend and went wading a bit too deep.....

Water must have only just breached the air intake but i think some did go in as symptons are as follows:

1) Lots of white smoke/steam from engine and exhaust immediately afterwards but ran fine for 30-40 mins then went to go home......

2) Started up fine and sounds normal.

3) At low revs sounds and drives normal.

4) Once past what i guess is about 2000 rpm you get no more power from her - if you press the accelarator then no change in engine noise but you do then get black smoke from the exhaust (more you press the accerator the more smoke you get).

So she's now very slow and tops out at about 35mph. She got me home but what do I do next - I'm no mechanic. Helpful suggestions about whats gone wrong and what I should do next ... please!

Cheers

Dan

[sgnas]

Good starting point would be to look if the air filter is wet or looks like it has been wet.

Then have a short run without the air filter.

Report back

[Gromit]

but you do then get black smoke from the exhaust (more you press the accerator the more smoke you get).

Black smoke would be unburnt diesel, probably cause it's not getting enough air to burn completely, because of your blocked air filter.

[Guest diesel_jim]

1) Lots of white smoke/steam from engine and exhaust immediately afterwards but ran fine for 30-40 mins then went to go home......

2) Started up fine and sounds normal.

3) At low revs sounds and drives normal.

4) Once past what i guess is about 2000 rpm you get no more power from her - if you press the accelarator then no change in engine noise but you do then get black smoke from the exhaust (more you press the accerator the more smoke you get).

So she's now very slow and tops out at about 35mph. She got me home but what do I do next - I'm no mechanic. Helpful suggestions about whats gone wrong and what I should do next ... please!

for a 2.5 turbo that sounds like a good state of tune...

(sorry, wasn't very helpful...)

[JimAttrill]

Sounds like low compression, could be caused by bent con-rods.

[dan9090]

Thanks for all your replies.

Went to get it out of garage last night and take it to mechanic and handbrake stuck on. Not enough room to rock it back and not enough power left in engine to pull itself off. Going to try pulling it out with a 7series BMW later this morning.

Garage now covered in black soot (plenty in my lungs too from trying last night). Fingers crossed for this morning

[LandyManLuke]

If all else fails remove a rear drive flange, only 5 bolts a side. handbrake won't stop you then.

If you're going to tow it on the road, and still can't get the handbrake off, best remove the rear prop.

[Dommo]

I did the same with my 2.5TD engine... lots of white smoke, even pure water coming out of the exhaust. Well, dirty water. Had to clean out the air filter but other than that there were no adverse effects. I suppose the cheapest place to look is the airfilter, followed by the turbo, then the insides?

[dan9090]

Update: combination of winch and a 7series pulled it out of garage and got handbrake off. Then I actually had nice surprise.... no more smoke and a lot of the power is back!!! (although not all) ... air filter must have dried out a bit.

Now with mechanic getting a well deserved service and all fluids changed, maybe new injectors? Will keep posted on final outcome.

If anyone knows Avon Dassett off road quarry - be careful of the lake at the back of the site where the 8ft reeds are... it can get deep - look whats happened to me!