Learnt two new things today

[solarman216]

Had a good hour at Slindon then got into deep water and bellied so had to winch, no problem good winch and going along nicely on a rout not been used for a long time (have to do it don't you) after 20 odd minutes I notice some oily stuff floating on the water, put it down to the over greasing of the winch after the last strip down and rebuild, then when I got back in the motor to try and give the winch some assistance as the wheels were getting on something a bit more substantial I noticed the temperature had gone right down, ODD, but carried on then a little while later the oil light came on, stopped engine and carried on winching but battery dying and not out yet, still 30 feet to go, so not happy, I like to be independent, and not need to ask for help, but I am stuffed and am a long way from my road going motor and trailer, not in distance but difficult terrain, as luck would have it there were a couple of motors near so applied for help, and I have to say Paul in his Defender was absolutely ace, not only did he winch me with a lot of mud ploughing on the front but he towed me over very difficult terrain back to the car park (I was very impressed) my motor was dead I even struggled to steer with no engine but he just dragged me though it all even when (cos I could not steer) I tangled with a tree, I just had enough battery to winch side ways off the tree and we continued, so what did I learn?

1. that the crankcase breather sucks as well as blows, this is how my engine sump became full of muddy water, the breather was under water for a long time, and it is the only way that the water (and mud) can have entered the engine, and it was running on this mixture for some time.

2. I was completely convinced that the engine had to be shot, before we left Slindon I pulled the sump plug, the resultant grey sludge covered an area of 2 sq mtrs plus, however on getting it back home I removed the filter and fitted an old one and refilled it with old engine oil, started it up and lo and behold it ran, but more than that it did not rumble on the bottom end, it sounds just great apart from a loud tappet (hydraulic tappets so one is blocked) easy replacement, so this makes this engine absolutely top notch in my estimation bearing in mind that this is the one that came with the off roader to start with and it rattled on start up so outed it, but later refitted with just new big end shells, now this, I think this makes it almost indestructible.

But I would appreciate thoughts on how a crankcase breather can suck water into the engine when its purpose is to discharge crankcase pressure?????????????
have been in the motor game for all my life and cannot figure this one, Rick

[rayf3262]

Originally Posted by solarman216

But I would appreciate thoughts on how a crankcase breather can suck water into the engine when its purpose is to discharge crankcase pressure?????????????
have been in the motor game for all my life and cannot figure this one, Rick

A mad guess but, at low engine rpm's rapid cooling of the sump/block by immersion in cool water may for a short time have overcome the positive pressure from the normal blow by, creating negative sump pressure thus allowing water to be sucked in?
Boyle's law may apply here? pressure vs. volume at a constant temperature......
In any event, good to hear the motor survived.

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by rayf3262

A mad guess but, at low engine rpm's rapid cooling of the sump/block by immersion in cool water may for a short time have overcome the positive pressure from the normal blow by, creating negative sump pressure thus allowing water to be sucked in?
Boyle's law may apply here? pressure vs. volume at a constant temperature......
In any event, good to hear the motor survived.

Thanks Ray, that does make perfect sense, I had ignored the effect of all that cold water and the engine was immersed up to the distributor, Rick

[Kamsin]

you had to be towed out by a Landrover Oh the shame of it all

And then you posted it on here, . You could of said it was another Terrano or something, anything other than a Landrover

Up side though, the old girl is still running.

[stinka]

Great to hear another adventure from you rick another great story of resilience from Terrano !

[stinka]

I think an oil catch tank would help your breather issues, or just raise the breather ?

[solarman216]

Had not hit the deeper water yet, chassis sitting on the hump in the middle, got some pics but having trouble resizing them as not taken on my camera, yes very sad to be recovered by a Landi but no choice, still I did recover 4 Landies and a Frontera at Boxgrove a couple of weeks ago, so think I must be forgiven, It will not happen again, Rick

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by stinka

Great to hear another adventure from you rick another great story of resilience from Terrano !

I must say I am utterly amazed that the engine was not destroyed, it had to be running on idle for 20 minutes with at least 50% water in the sump, but as said before this is the original engine from this truck and the air filter when removed was sodden with mud and evidence of mud in the throttle body all from the previous owner, that is why when we removed it to do the clutch, after pulling the sump found the big end shells gone (worst I have seen short of engines that have throw a rod out the side) so stuck the engine one side of the workshop, only for it to be bought back into service after my road going motor stuffed itself, and all I actually did was sort the timing chain and replace the big end shells, and after this last abuse is still running fine, reminds me of a Whiteways Cider lorry with a Gardener in it with a big end gone, rang the company in Somerset on a Friday afternoon and their fitter said bolt the sump back up and remove the injector and send him on his way and not to do more than 30 mph saw the same driver some time later and enquired how he got on no problem was the reply, Rick

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by stinka

I think an oil catch tank would help your breather issues, or just raise the breather ?

Lessen learnt here, breather will be high and no where near water, all I need now is a good method of waterproofing the distributor, any ideas, Oh and alternators do not like being submersed as both of mine stopped charging but after out of water resumed OK, Rick

[dollywobbler]

I know the alternator one after some major fording here during the floods. Felt the output drop as the heater blower speed dropped.

This makes me wonder about axle breathers. Do our trucks have them and where do they vent?

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by dollywobbler

I know the alternator one after some major fording here during the floods. Felt the output drop as the heater blower speed dropped.

This makes me wonder about axle breathers. Do our trucks have them and where do they vent?

no problems here Nissan did a good job, they all terminate at a pipe near the brake servo, just check that all the pipes are still connected if you go off road a lot, I have torn the rear diff one of before now, Rick

[solarman216]

Well still learning about these motors, had a good look at one of the dismantled engines I have in the workshop, and found that the inlet manifold is connected via some sort of valve direct to the timing case/crankcase, cannot say how the valve works yet as it will be destroy it to get inside, but the day will come, what this means is that the breather on the rocker cover sucks slightly not blow as was normal in my day, I guess this is something to do with emissions, so now know for sure how the water got in the sump, this little breather will either be sealed or raised high, I cannot say if this applies to the diesel version that most of you have but it is easy to test, remove the pipe and place it on a sensitive part of your body (ooh) like your wrist and you will feel if it is sucking or blowing, (no more naughty suggestions) , Rick

[kitchenman]

Rubber gloves good for keeping water out of distributor, 5 leads 5 fingers.

Pull the glove on as far as possible,

about a penny each

Take the plug caps off leads make small holes in fingers, thread leads through, put caps back on job done

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by kitchenman

Rubber gloves good for keeping water out of distributor, 5 leads 5 fingers.

Pull the glove on as far as possible,

about a penny each

Take the plug caps off leads make small holes in fingers, thread leads through, put caps back on job done

Oh thanks kitchenman, I like that, cheap too, Rick