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**jim34** · **anybody had bent rods from flooding?**

Im working on a guys truck (95 dakota 3.9 magnum) who says to me that when he parked the truck it was running perfectly but when he came out of the store it wouldn't start.
so i got it home and looked it over and the coil resistance tested bad , put new coil on and what do ya know nice bright spark I cranked it a couple of times to see if it would fire up and it sound horrible when cranking almost like there were no plugs in it checked compression and his average reading was 30-50 psi with one cyl in the back at 0 .could he have flooded it so badly that he bent all six rods ?

turbovanman · 12-05-2006, 01:09 AM

Yes, but not fuel, probably sucked in some water and he's not telling you the whole story.

When I was at the dealer, a Tracker was towed in, was told it "just started running funny" did a compression test and two cylinders were low. Pulled the head and sure enough, those pistons were sitting down. I then checked the air filter housing, its on the side and you dont' need to take off the lid to remove the head, the filter looked like it was soaked and then dryed out. We confronted them and then the kid confessed to driving thru large puddles and didn't want his dad to find out.

**jim34** · 12-05-2006, 05:24 PM

It does sound weird he swares it was running good and his passenger said the same but who knows It doesn't have compression is all I know. guess I will have to tear into it.
it couldnt be the timing chain slipping could it ? are these 3.9 v6 good motors ?

turbovanman · 12-05-2006, 05:26 PM

The timing chain is more of a reality, as if it slips or breaks, it will bend the valves not the rods.

Its a good engine, just a 318/360 with 2 cylinders missing.

**jim34** · 12-06-2006, 01:03 PM

well it was the timing chain, the gears are stripped is it possible the valves could be bent ? I have no idea if this is an interference engine or not

88_Pacifica · 12-06-2006, 01:08 PM

Unfortunately, if I'm not mistaken, it is an interference engine.

turbovanman · 12-06-2006, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim34

well it was the timing chain, the gears are stripped is it possible the valves could be bent ? I have no idea if this is an interference engine or not

Yep, all SBD, SBF and SBC's are valve benders when the chain breaks or the gears strip.

**jim34** · 12-06-2006, 01:46 PM

thanks simon and 88 pacifica It looks like its not gonna be cheap fix no matter what. Im gonna put a chain and gears on and do a compression test but Im afraid the valves are probly bent

88_Pacifica · 12-06-2006, 01:53 PM

Unfortunately, I can almost guarantee they are bent. The big concern will be the condition of the pistons(shortblock) though. Before you put gears on it and keep "troubleshooting", pop the valve covers off and check the pushrods and remove the rockers. Then go get you're reading on the compression. See, if the pushrods or rocker arms are bent, or you are going to be chasing more than a few bent valves. I know it sucks, but I would start there... Simon may have another idea too tht might help, but that's one of the downsides of V motors... the whole "interference" thing..

**jim34** · 12-06-2006, 02:04 PM

great idea might be some bent pushrods in there man my memory sucks I guess 5 screaming kids will make you forget a lot

88_Pacifica · 12-06-2006, 02:09 PM

yep, livin' that dream myself. You may get even luckier and see those glorious stamped rockers with a nice "hole" in them where they got "punched through" with the pushrods. Man that sucks.. I've seen that too. However, the most common is definitely a few bent valves(usually on the exhaust side-IIRC) and some very, very "slightly " bent pushrods and of course a few collapsed lifters... since they're hydraulic of course...

turbovanman · 12-06-2006, 02:55 PM

Good idea on the pushrods, but yeah, I bet you have at least one bent valve.

Piston damage is extremely rare, I personally have never seen it and I have never heard of it, the valves are so soft they just bend over.

88_Pacifica · 12-06-2006, 03:04 PM

^+1 yep, they're designed that way and also to do that so iif it happens, it's not totally terminal. That is why they typically don't "wreck" pistons. The only damaged piston I saw this occur with in a street driven application was when the builder had "cheaped out" using a "junk" hypereutectic piston that essentially shattered because the CR was ridiculously high(read- small quench area).