2310D Submerged Underwater

[kfin]

We had a flash flood here in MO, the water came up 16 feet overnight and submerged my tractor.

I found a little information in the archives by searching...but have a question or two.

I plan on draining the hydraulic fluid, front gear box, gas tank,and engine oil. Changing the air filter, oil filter and fuel filter. Grease all certs. Anything else?

Before starting, I have read that I should do something to take the compression off and get the water out of the cylinders...How do I do this?

Any and all other tips welcome. It just happened last night so I am taking tomorrow off to work on it.

 

[California]

Don't crank it over until you find the compression release!!!

Water is incompressible so cranking it would likely shatter a piston.

Aside from that real risk, it will probably be as good as new after you replace the fluids & filters.

I would also flush every cavity, behind the headlights, under the instrument panel, etc with a gentle flow of water from a garden hose to get rust-causing sediment out. And you might have lost some electric components like the ignition switch due to sediment. This is probably not very expensive.

The compression release on the earlier models is three levers (on a 3 cylinder engine) that stick up out of the valve cover - the top engine cover. The three levers attach to a horizontal shaft. Then there is some sort of lever or cable reaching from that upper shaft to the driver's area. The 3-lever compresion release mechanism is visible in this picture: YM1610 engine and this diagram, parts 55, 56, 59.

Look it over, then pull on the driver's end of that control to release the compression.

If I were doing this - I would release compression then turn the engine with a socket and ratchet on the front pulley nut to be sure any water gets expelled cautiously. And recognise while doing that, there is a slight risk of starting the engine so think safety - throttle at zero, out of gear, fingers out of the fan, etc.

 

[kfin]

Thanks California. Mine is a 3 cylinder. So is the way to release the compression on the engine to pull the "decomp knob"?

If so, after changing all the fluids and filters, if I pull this knob and rotate the crank by hand a few turns, will this be good enough?

If there is water in it, where will it go when I pull the decomp knob and turn the crank by hand?? And how will I know when it is all out?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[California]

I would verify that your 'decompression knob' is actually attached to those levers, if you never needed it before. Just in case someone neglected to reconnect it along the way.

There is probably water in the muffler, ready to run down into the cylinders. Remove the muffler and pour it out. Blot the water out of the exhaust side of the head using a sponge. Likewise on the intake side, remove any water in the intake tubes and that got past the air filter down into the manifold. Then maybe dry the passages on both sides with a hair dryer.

Then with muffler and air cleaner off try cranking the engine. First with the rachet to verify the cylinders aren't blocked solid by water, then cranked with compression released to drive the rest of the water out of the passages. I wouldn't attempt a real start until it quits spitting water vapor.

I would change the oil before the first start then a second time after it has been thoroughly warm (to drive the humidity out).

Good luck with this!

 

[kfin]

Thanks and yea...it should be an interesting day.

 

[dieselfuelonly]

Good luck, hope everything turns out OK!

16 feet... thats scary!

 

[kfin]

YES!! We went out today, used 2 atvs to pull the 2310D to high ground. Drained all the fluids, refilled, changed all filters. Then we took the injectors out and spun the engine several times until the water stopped coming out. Tightened everything down and it started right up!!

Thanks California for the help. I will break down the starter tomorrow and clean it out good.

There is still water 90% of the way up the guages and headlights, but that can be rectified easily enough. I ran it for about 20 minutes really easy. Tomorrow I will run it for an hour or so....drain everything again and refill.

Tough little machines.

 

[California]

YES!!

GREAT!!!

 

[shimp]

glad to hear the machine is good

remember, most of these have been in water via the rice fields in japan

 

[phatgemi]

Once when I was much younger, I put a M farmall in a lake. Complety submerged. Wrecker winched it out. We drained all the fluids and let her set overnite. Replaced everything, spun it up and ran just fine for years after that. You just reminded me of the whole story!!!!!