I drove my T4wd through 3 feet of water...

[emmahumpfritter]

...for a good couple of miles, having a blast and completely amazed at what these cars can do--then got home and she won't start. I turn on the key and all the lights come on, and I can push start her (even drove to the store tonight) but the starter won't turn, sort of like having a dead battery, only its not dead. Any ideas wise ones?

I should say, this is my "beater" T4wd...not my yellow beauty. All the same, great car I plan to use this winter (heater works awesome)

Brenton

[xirdneh]

Three feet of water would submerge the starter. Maybe some of that water got inside the starter.
Were you sitting in water? Did your butt get wet?

[takza]

Solenoid or battery cables? Hope you don't have the air tube to the carb attached at the front by the headlight.

[splatterdog]

Does the starter even click? Solenoid contacts wearing out are fairly common on old Toyota's.

[Petros]

you could have gotten something in the contacts that corroded the contacts. I would check all the external connections, and than spray some LPS1 inside the starter, it will displace moisture and improve electrical contacts. IT always works for me.

[emmahumpfritter]

I've pulled her up to the shop and hope to flush out the isue based on advice from all of you (thanks BTW) my guess is the starter...somehow. Q: Is there a fuse somewhere that could have blown. Yes my feet, all the way up to my knees got wet. Must have pushed enough water out of the way to not suck it through the breather. Smells like wet dog in there now. Carpets coming out as well.

Splatter: It does NOT click, turn the key, press the clutch, dash lights dim a little, like a dead battery, but no clicking. Does that say something to you?

Brenton

[takza]

Yea...I'd say you were in deep water. Next time just RTV the doors shut so they are sealed and get it to float?

[splatterdog]

One afterthought. I hope the shifter boot on the trans is OK.

"Normal " driving puts a lot of moisture into the shift box when they are torn.

[emmahumpfritter]

Success!



I pulled the starter apart and cleaned/blew in out with compressed air. Starts like a champ again Changed the oil and cleaned out the inside while I was at it.

Thanks once again to Splatterdog for taking my phone calls and always good advice. Same to the rest of you who sent me down the proper path via this thread. This site should come standard with every T4wd sale.

Brenton

[hberdan]

WHERE ARE THE SUBMARINE PHOTOS?

[splatterdog]

Don't forget to check your gear oils for water content!

That reminds me, my suburban's front axle was submerged overnight recently.

[emmahumpfritter]

how about I bring silver down for the redline treatment soon?

[takza]

One of our earliest members trashed a trans by getting water in it...and he was using redline. Water and oil do mix...they call it cutting fluid?

[Dryfry]

You could expect the wheel bearings to go noisy .Just like mine when pulling a boat out of the Swan River