I was doing some offroading at night and I went into a mud hole that I couldn't get out of. The water came into the passenger side while I was struggling back and forth to get out and eventually the water got to my 95 4runner . :cry: After I was winched out, she would not start. It would turn over and sound like it was going to start but it never made it. I thought to leave it overnight to dry up, but that didn't work because she behaved the same way the next day. I then opened the distributor cap to find that it was bone dry as well as the air filter and so I'm thinking that I didn't get water in the engine (I'm hoping). I also checked all of the fuses and all were OK, then I proceeded to spray down all the spark plug cables with WD-40 and it still behaved the same way.
After 2.5 days waiting for it to dry and trying to figure out the problem, I threw in the towel and had it towed to a local mechanic. After some diagnosing he said that my timing was slightly off and that they had to replace the timing belt. I agreed to have it done and after I left he called and said that they found that the ECU was covered in mud and that maybe that was the problem so they are going to leave it to dry overnight.

Has anyone had any similar experiences or any suggestions?

TIA
Joe

Picture of the lost battle.
http://www.onemoreclimb.com/waterWoes.jpg

 

i dont get how ur timming would get out of wack going through a mud pit...tell him to not change ur belt yet and fix the ECU ...that can make it seem like the timmming is wacked..i think

 

Could indeed be the ECU, sounds like to me. It's all circuitry in there and water will short it out. Give it time to dry and I bet it'll crank.

Man, that picture SUCKS!! Sorry that happened to you...

 

i bet the mechanic just looked at the mileage on your car and decided that your timing is off becuase it is a common problem with toyota v6s and usually they are a pita to fix and can be pretty pricey. I bet your ecu got wet or you might have sucked a little water in the intake. But i wouldnt really worry about the timing until you find the real problem.

 

Holy shiznits --bet you won't do that again. I also do not agree with the timing belt.

 

whoah. i'd have cried.

 

Your problem has NOTHING to do with the timing belt. Maybe it is time to be replaced, but it wasn't caused by water.

Why not change mechanics, or make sure he fixes the PROBLEM first, then start with maintenence.

 

Let the ECU dryout (maybe even put it in an oven at a very low temp for a short period of time, yes i'm not kidding) Then if it still doesn't start go the timing wroute. I did the same thing a couple years ago and my timing slipped two teeth. It ran like crap but still ran (I could run next to it floored). Lucky for me my engine isn't a valve bender (not sure about the 3.slow) and once they moved it back two teeth I was on my way. I feel your pain man... :pat:





My other suggestion is that you take all the seats out and carpet clean all the carpet otherwise you'll never get the smell out. Then start replacing as you go. My alarm was the first to go (notice the parking lights on) Looks like we were both lucky enough to keep the intake side on the high side

 

i gotta say it man, sh$t thats deep dude what were u thinking? thats some knarly mud holes, in cali im lucky for a puddle

 

If that water level continues into your cab, then you ECU is definatly the problem. Water and computers dont mix.

 

Anybody ever see that episode of Trucks! where Stacey does a fuel injection conversion on this Jeep. The kit that he had came with an ECU that he mounted RIGHT in the bloody engine bay. He mentioned that you had to seal it completely up with silicone, but I kept getting these mental images like what the two of you have shown above..

Thank Gawd Toyota had the foresight to at least mount the ECU in the freakin' cab!!!

 

holy crap guys, do you go driving with scuba gear???

 

Man, I haven't seen pics like those since the old days when I would take my Jeep CJ5 mud bogging. Of course, it had NO computers on board so it was much easier to dry out. Good luck!

 

The ECU is behind your pass side kick panel, so it defo got dunked. Bummer. Very seldom can you dry it out and make it work, but I would try. Usually something fries in it. Before the next dunking, waterproof that sucka!

For all you guys who don't live in wet country - you're missing out! That shiznit happens all the time!

 

Don't forget to change the tranny fluid, gear oil in the diffs, and transfer case fluid as a precaution.

 

i have an ecu for a 22re and 3vze, if you find out yours is toast, let me know if you are interested in one of them.

lee

 

You guys were right. You All rule!

They let the ecu dry out overnight and said that they brought it to the dealer and it passed all their diagnostics, now I just have some heavy duty cleaning to do. I even have to take the door panels off since there is a mini-wave sound coming from the door when I stop or start the moving.

I'll probably be a little shy next time I see a mud hole but that wont be long lived and I am wondering what I did wrong that I wasn't able to get out.

My memory dump goes as this,,,
I went into the mud hole while I was in 4xlow gear then I start going back and forth trying to get some ground then Ilene (my girl) says that the passenger side is getting flooded that’s when panic set in and I put on a pair of neoprene booties that I happen to have in the truck. (Yes bulldog-yota). I then jumped out and Ilene took the helm. As I tried to jam logs under the tires, she would give it gas. The one thing that really strikes to memory is that one time I had a really good board under the left front tire and when Ilene gave it gas, the other tires spun except the one I wanted to spin.... a minute later I would be doing the "march of shame" to get help from a tow truck.

Maybe if I had a winch I might have tried to do a dead man since there was a lack of trees or maybe I should have a set of 3' steel ramps?

Again I'll say, Thank you all!

J.

 

hey turboale, where was that at, did it happen at kemp road? cause that mudhole looks like some of the ones at kemp, i saw a hummer hydrolock in a deep mudhole out at kemp road in durham

 

http://www.nc4x4.com/messageboard/vi...olocked+hummer
there is the link to a post about the hummer being stuck i believe it has pics included, the post was started by a guy that owns cricket 4x4 and has a recover team

 

Exactly what I was thinking.... might wanna start looking for used ECU's
Good Luck!