strapp44

Hey everybody. long time reader first post.

I think my LS may be dead. Possibly seized.

I recently added a K&N filter to my car just before a 700 mile roadtrip and everything was fine most of they way. From reading several of the threads I added the filter but not round housing to cover filter. I also removed the back cover of the headlight to allow cool air into the engine bay.

During the end of my trip I travelled threw a massive rainstorm. After stopping for food the car would not start. The starter would turn but the engine would not engage. I left the car over night and went back the next day. the car would still not start. I pulled several of the engine fuses and it started back up. I then drove it the 100+ miles back home. after turning the car off it would sometimes start up no problem and sometime it would fail to turn on. unfortunately my shop could not get the car in for several days and i continued driving it. This morning when i tried to start the car the starter turned half a crank and then stopped. Now the starter will not even move. All i hear is a loud click.

I have a new alternator and there is plenty of juice in the batt. I dont think it is the starter either. Is it possible that water entered the cylinders and continued into the oil? There are no visible leaks or puddles. Could it be a blown gasket?

What could have happened? at this point i'm expecting to need a total engine rebuild or a new engine.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for the help!

BTW. Do not use the K&N in the same manner as I did! oh regrets!

python

iTrader: (4)

get a breaker bar and a socket and see if u can turn the engine over by turning the bolt on the crank, that will tell u if the engine is seized or not, i highly doubt that it is, also going through water will not get into ur engine unless u traveled through some huge puddles that came up as high as the bottom of ur doors or higher....
next, check ur oil to see if there is water in the crank case, also pull off the oil fill cap and look at it, check for a milky substance...report back any and all findings and ill tell u what to do next

strapp44

Thanks man. No white residue, the dip stick looks ok from what i can tell.

after the driving threw the storm the air filter was extremely wet. And driving at hwy speeds I am almost sure the engine would have ingested a large quantity of water.

It's getting towed to the shop monday. I'll have them try the breaker bar test as that I cannot.

the worst part is I bought new wires rotors and Iridium plugs but did not have a chance to install them before my trip. or maybe it was good cuz they would have been ruined.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

My thoughts: Possibly a couple issues. If enough water got through the intake, it may have saturated the sensors. Any water getting into the combustion chamber on a healthy motor will be burned off and exit the motor as steam. It may not run right but it will still run.

By removing the seals around the headlight, you may have exposed your alternator to the water. This should be temporary as it dries out but in the remote chance, it may have caused some other issues. The battery will be strong enough to run the car for a bit but if the battery got drained due to the dead alternator... Have to do some battery tests to determine.

Seems to me the starter may be suspect also.

I doubt you blew a HG. Most my buddies who kill their car that way overheat them or have had their heads improperly torqued. The car will still run, you'ld just lose oil and coolant.

strapp44

Well I guess thats good news RA40. Thanks.

My plan is to change all fluids, clean the throttle body and do the tune. I can only hope its something as simple as starter.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

something's wrong but no blown HG.

never heard of one on the 1UZ, EXTREMELY rare, andyou dont have the traditional overheating/"milkshake" oil situation either.

python

iTrader: (4)

traditional overheating? mine hasnt overheated or gone above 1/2 on the gauge....not once! these cars have exceptional cooling, 2 huge fans plus a clutch fan also, keep ur radiator and cooling system flushed and coolant changed when its supposed to and they should never overheat

Photoinc

Totally sounds like your starter died. My 93 acted similar to yours. When it was hot, it would not start, just click. Once it cooled down, it would start, then it died. My 98 the starter just died and never showed any sign of life once it went, other than the clicking sound.

If the motor turns over by hand, look at the starter.

python

iTrader: (4)

i think i misunderstood pure drifter

trukn1

Sounds like the starter is dead. Would also suspect that your MAF sensor got saturated since you stated that you did not seal the filter properly. As others suggested, use a breaker bar to see if the engine can be turned by hand; is so engine is not dead. I first thoughtthat you hydro-locked your engine from all of the exposure, but you stated that it started once again after the initial shutdown. No milky/white residue on the dipstick means that your headgasket is not blown (is very rare on these cars), and/or you did not crack the block.

strapp44

Well after all that I feel like a complete Tard. Turns out it was a loose battery terminal cable. The clamp was not tightened to the terminal post.

I pulled the cable off to the reset the car.

I was getting power but apparently not enough to start it.

This was not what was happening originally when the starter would turn but the engine would not start.

Basically I think water got into some of the electrics.

Just got it out of the shop and put in about $700 worth of tune up work.

I'm going to create a firewall and add slats into the headlight Gasket.

Living here in Oregon I have to deal with 7 months of rain.