Smoking and loss of power after hydrolock recovery on my 7.3L

[crazy_canadian]

As some of you may have seen my other thread, I accidentaly hydrolocked the truck in a pond the other week. I need help trying to figure out what's wrong with it, some here's a list of what's has been done and checked :

Original Thread link

1996 7.3L Powerstroke, Manual 5 speeds.

Water got in engine. Didn't restarted. Got home and removed the glow plugs, cranked her up, dried, reassemble and flush oil and oil filter.
Then drained the fuel filter and started her up.
Since, it's pouring quite a good amount of white/blue-ish smoke out the tailpipe anytime, cold or hot.

- Every test passed on the OBD II scanner (at a reputable diesel shop)
- Running on 8 cylinders
- Loss of power in low rpm range
- Lots of smoke
- Does NOT consume any coolant (and does not have bubbles in coolant tank)
- Oil dipstick shows nothing wrong (water or wierd debris)
- Not any knock that I can hear
- Starts as usual, no longer cranking time
- All 8 glow plugs are working

Today after work I removed the driver side valve cover to take a closer look. While engine is running, all 4 injectors are dripping oil, and if I unplug one the engine wants to die like it should.
All pushrod seems to move correctly.
But I noticed a little bit of smoke (was getting dark, didn't see the color, but it was a light smoke) coming up from the valves holes, and up the oil filler cap (when removed) on the other side.
I will remove the other VC tomorrow to check the other side.

I'd like to take a compression test, but I don't have the meter, and I don't know how.
I don't need to drive the truck now, but will at the end of may, so I need to fix it.

Thanks for your help!

[crazy_canadian]

Bump!
Anyone ?

[ianstew]

Bump bump bump

a compression test will tell you what is goin on. i got mine from autozone. cost about $150

[crazy_canadian]

Little update.
I found out that cylinder 5 and 7 drip close to nothing of oil by the oil return thing.

Originally Posted by crazy_canadian

Little update.
I found out that cylinder 5 and 7 drip close to nothing of oil by the oil return thing.

did they pass a buzz and cyl cont test??

[crazy_canadian]

Originally Posted by wriott

did they pass a buzz and cyl cont test??

Yup! it passed both tests. I was right beside the truck and I heard it too.
Maybe dirt got somewhere and is jamming things up?

[gmsmith36]

Compression test?

[elibenson]

You need a compression test.

My theory is that one or more rods are bent, and the pistons are running out-of-true. This is causing the rings not to seal properly.

I know what you were told in the other thread about the rods not bending, but I just don't imagine that a rotating mass will be able to come to an abrupt stop and not give at the weakest point. Think about this: water is uncompressable. If the crank is rotating around at even an idle RPM, it doesn't want to stop moving. If one of the pistons won't go to the top of the travel (i.e. hydrolocked) and the crank won't stop moving quick enough, some thing has to give. Either the piston, the head bolts, valves, or the rods. The most obvious thing that would give here is the rods. Just because they are forged, it doesn't mean they are impervious to anything. If it had been a Powder Metal Rod, it might have just shattered. Instead yours bent.

Anyway, just my SWAG (Scientific Wild *** Guess

[alaskan9294]

the compression test will be your best bet to figure out what's going on internally. I would really be surprised if somethings not bent. to take the test the glow plugs have to come out insert the proper adapter for the eng. and you have to kill the fuel supply then take your readings. good luck and let us know what happens