Mud Puddle - Now what?

[Kernopelli]

I wish I had a picture of when my tractor went in the pond. As my wife says, my son's life was saved twice in 5 minutes...... God spared it when it went in the pond and she saved it ( from me) when I realized what he did!

Mine went in deep enough to hydrolock the engine. I pulled the glow plugs and bumped the starter to let pressure/ water off the pistons then took the oil filter,valve covers and oil pan off. I drained anything ( oil or water) that would come out. I poured 5 gal of diesel through the top end to help flush it then put a new filter and valve covers and pan back on. I filled it with fresh oil and she fired right up.....was 1 hour exactly after I'd pulled it out of the pond. I let it idle for 5-10 min. and changed the filter and oil again. Ran great for next 5 operating hours but since it was still smoking slightly, I had to tear it apart..... sure enough, it bend a rod when it hydrolocked.

Your engine didn't lock up so (at most) probably needs a good flush and couple of oil changes.

 

[stuckmotor]

Ouch...how long did it stay like that?

It's getting close to 30 years now. I hope to get it unstuck before I die.

 

[40_acre_mule]

Well, I was able to get a friend to come pull the machine out after only about three hours.
My son-in-law, a diesel mechanic, also said to pull the glow plugs instead of the injectors.

As to the how...
There's a gully running across the property that normally has about 6 inches of water in it. After a heavy rain, it reaches 2 feet. The spot where it run under my fence tends to clog up with logs and branches. Many times over the years, I've used the FEL to push the clog under the fence.
We've had a lot of rain the last two weeks. Apparently, the gully got blocked real good. The water had to go somewhere. It cut a new hole under the fence three feet over from the original.
So here I come driving over ground I drive over all the time. I pull up to the gully and start to lower the bucket. Next thing I know the tractor does a slow motion slide off the right side into the new hole.
Live and learn.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I feel your pain, many years ago my grandfather put perimeter ditches around all of our fields for drainage, they can be deceiving as to their water content, especially after a wet winter/spring. I've gotten stuck mowing around them on more than one occasion. If I could only afford a boom mower, life would be so much simpler. I always dreaded the walk back to tell my Dad I got stuck and needed a hand. I miss those days, I can still hear him every time I get the tires spinning.

 

[Dozernut]

My apologies, they are correct in telling you to pull the glo-plugs. I didn't even think about that option and I have pulled glo-plugs several times before. I just didn't want you to crank the engine in case there was water in the cylinders. Pulling the injectors would have worked, but that would have been a whole lot more work. I will put my dunce cap on and go set in the corner.

 

[skyhook]

Your quick thinking on shutting it down may have saved the day.
It looks like it was leaning more on the 'injection pump' side, I'm not familiar with
where the air filter is located on your machine, but it looks like it was above the water line.
The injection pump may have received a 'shock" from the cold water however,
but other than that, I think you should be fine,
Keep us informed.

 

[C4Ranch]

The air filter is at the front upper area of the hood.

What does your air filter look like? Can you see any evidence of water in the cleaner? That will dictate next steps. There is a water drain on the bottom of the filter. You may not need to do anything.

I would also drain and refil front axle along with regreasing everything.

There is also a water drain on the belly.

 

[cre10]

Good lord, were you drinking?

 

[jrdepew]

Good lord, were you drinking?

If not, he probably started right after!

 

[cre10]

If not, he probably started right after!

Or texting and driving? :laughing: