water engine knock

lukas44 · 09-03-2008, 08:11 PM

i'm here 'cause i really need some help with my '99 ford ranger. its a 4.0 and mileage is 112133. this last weekend i drove it through an unusually deep creek and my ignition got wet. the vehicle stalled and i had to have a gentleman pull me out. after letting the car dry out, i started it up and immediately heard a tick in the engine. it responds to my rpm's meaning when i'm at idle it ticks slower and when i throttle up it's faster. i don't think its a rod or a serious engine problem because i did not stress the engine at all when the knock started. i did however have to drive it thirty miles to change the oil (it was very slightly milky). but even after that i still had the tick. i then drove it sixty more miles home. and i still have the same tick. does anyone know if it could be a sensor? or has anyone else had this problem?

theoldwizard · 09-04-2008, 02:44 AM

Well, I think you probably ingested some water and bent a valve or rod.

doug 351 · 09-05-2008, 07:27 PM

Is it in the left bank of the engine?

khooper · 03-31-2009, 05:27 AM

The causes of engine knock are many and varied. Generally it is caused by high pressure inside the engine. As fuel is compressed it gets hot and this can cause it to ignite. Occasionally it may be caused by a misfire of the spark but this is unlikely.
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rear bumper

blue beast · 03-31-2009, 09:32 AM

Driving a hot engine through a cold stream can do alot of damage!! Your best COA would
have been to drain the oil and refill it right there before restarting!! But too late for that.
I would do all the fluids now before tranny, x-case, differential damage starts causing
you alot more money!! I would also pull the charcoal canister off and let it dry out in the
sun for a few days, Since water can get in there and on start up you are sucking in a bit
of water each time. If you plan on doing stream crossings remount the canister higher
up, add extra hose to the diff vents to keep them out of water(put a cheapie mower fuel
filter on the end) Dielectric grease every wiring connector, put dilelectric grease on the
bottom of the cap where it mates to the disty and of course on all the plug wires.
I would change out your motor oil again and this time use a 5w20 and a quart of Marvel mystery oil
and then after a couple hundred miles do it again with your normal oil. You need to take
it on a long highway drive to get everything hot enough to turn any water that is still in
there into steam(after the fluid changes of course)