Maintenance Tips for Flooded and Hurricane-Damaged Vehicles
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, although September tends to be the busiest time for named storms. By October, wind shear on the ocean typically increases, which cools the surface temperatures. This makes it harder for storms to develop, especially in the eastern Atlantic, where the majority of tropical storms and hurricanes form. The Pacific hurricane season officially runs from May 15 to November 30, but Pacific hurricanes rarely hit the continental U.S. For the most part, Hawaii is one of the few states affected.
However, that’s not to say that an October or November storm on either coast is out of the question. In addition, a hurricane doesn’t need to be passing through in order to create flooding. Nor’easters on the East Coast are common from September through April, and you never know when a slow-moving, torrential downpour can cause flooding and water damage just about anywhere in the U.S.
With that in mind, we have some tips and advice for what you should do if your commercial vehicle is involved in a flood or if you need to drive through deep water to get yourself to safety. While heavy rainstorms and hurricanes disrupt logistics and cause problems for drivers, you can still prepare and come up with a backup plan. If you are an independent operator and you don’t have the tools or don’t feel comfortable tackling one or more of the following suggestions, a certified repair center should be able to provide you with everything you need.
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What To Look For
If the engine has been submerged, either by driving through high water or while the tractor is parked and flooding occurs, do not start the vehicle. Even after drying the entire engine compartment, if there is water in the pistons, it cannot be compressed like air. What that means is, if you try to start the engine, it will cause something known as hydro-lock, which can bend connecting rods, and damage pistons, heads, and the engine block.
Even if you ignore that advice and turn the engine over, if it starts, there could be water and dirt in ALL of the other components of the engine. Both can cause accelerated wear—especially to precision parts, such as bearings—and hidden damage that you likely won’t discover until later.
A flooded engine will also mean that all of the fluids and filters need to be changed out. Water in any of the filters can damage them to the point where they won’t be effective. Water in the engine oil and transmission fluid can cause both to turn into a thick sludge that won’t be able to easily travel through either system, potentially causing other serious issues.
Electrical System Damage
Electricity and water can be a dangerous combination, so the first thing you should do if your engine compartment incurs flooding is disconnect the battery, if you’re in a safe place to do so. Water in the engine compartment can cause shorts that could be dangerous while assessing the situation. While wearing gloves and a mask to protect yourself from any contaminants, clean the engine bay as thoroughly as possible and wipe down all components to prevent corrosion from occurring later. This is not a cure-all procedure, but it will help to keep things from getting worse while bringing the truck back to eventual operation.
Pro Tips
In the event you experience a flooding situation, we highly recommend you have your rig towed to a trained service professional who knows what to do with a flood-damaged engine. However, if you decide to take on the task yourself, here is an abbreviated list of things you can do.
- Replace or thoroughly dry all of the electrical components, such as the starter, alternator, and wiring harnesses.
- Check for water in the engine block, then drain and clean as needed. Do not steam clean the engine, as that could damage fragile electrical sensors.
- Drain and clean the fuel system and replace the fuel filter and add fresh fuel.
- Drain and flush the engine oil, transmission fluid, radiator fluid, and any other fluid systems. Once everything is clean, replace all of the drained fluids with fresh, clean fluids, following the manufacturer’s recommendations found in the operator’s manual. Also be sure to replace all of the old filters for each system with brand-new filters.
- Inspect the air brake system. Drain any water found, blow water and debris out of hoses with dry compressed air, replace any compromised components, reposition the ABS wheel speed sensor if it has been displaced, replace the air dryer, and lubricate the slack adjusters.
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Move On
Bringing a waterlogged vehicle back to life is a long and methodical process. Inspect your fleet after flooding, even if there aren’t obvious issues right away. If you don’t have the time, tools, and/or knowledge to do it yourself and you’d rather not invest in having someone else do it, you can always sell your truck to someone else who might be interested in having a project to work on. Either way, buying or selling, check out the selection of new and used vehicles to choose from when you need to make a replacement or add to your fleet. We’re here to get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Barrett Baker
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