zf underwater

I'm no expert on ZFs, so this is just an opinion, please others, let me know if wrong. But even salt water will have had a hard time getting anything to rust inside since everything is covered in oil. So maybe just change the oil/water to fresh oil and see what it does?

But wait until others agree/disagree?

Regardless, I would get any water out asap.

(Had a blown marine engine once, bust the head gasket, salt water in the oil. And since this was a boat, I couldn't just stop the engine, I had to use it to get to the harbour, with more and more salt water entering the oil. Same day, out of the water, home, valve covers off, removed all mayo I could see. Changed the oil 4 times that day. After 2 changes, I used a drill on a redone distributor that only ran the oil pump, so that the new oil went through the whole engine and turned engine by hand. Every time the oil that came out was more oil and less mayo. Put engine together again, and raced till the season ended. When the engine was taken apart over winter I found only one area, about half a square inch that looked rusty. Maybe a slight spot where the oil normally doesn't get to. It was a gamble, that time it paid off)

drain, replace, run, repeat.

If the car is drivable, you should be able to drain the oil, re-fill it drive it (several miles at least) drain and re-fill , repeat several times . You should be fine . The longer you wait, the worse it will be.

Ron

Hello Everyone:

I was going to ask if I could just simply drain, refill several times but didn't want to sound cheap / stupid. But considering the fact I purchased the zf around 4 or 5 yrs ago and knowing it couldn't cost any more if it were a solid chunk of gold makes me feel very relieved and confident that 3 people suggested the same thing..."The simplest cheapest thing"
Thks. All..

quote:

Originally posted by rodman:
Hello Everyone:

I was going to ask if I could just simply drain, refill several times but didn't want to sound cheap / stupid. But considering the fact I purchased the zf around 4 or 5 yrs ago and knowing it couldn't cost any more if it were a solid chunk of gold makes me feel very relieved and confident that 3 people suggested the same thing..."The simplest cheapest thing"
Thks. All..

Before you drive the car get that oil drained out of the ZF and refill it. Same thing with the engine. It is certainly cheaper than a rebuild and may work. Sorry for your loss.

When you drain the oil look if there is water comes out first when you open the drainplug.
When there is no water coming , only refill whit fresh oil.
Simon

quote:

Originally posted by JFFR:

quote:

Originally posted by rodman:
Hello Everyone:

I was going to ask if I could just simply drain, refill several times but didn't want to sound cheap / stupid. But considering the fact I purchased the zf around 4 or 5 yrs ago and knowing it couldn't cost any more if it were a solid chunk of gold makes me feel very relieved and confident that 3 people suggested the same thing..."The simplest cheapest thing"
Thks. All..

Before you drive the car get that oil drained out of the ZF and refill it. Same thing with the engine. It is certainly cheaper than a rebuild and may work. Sorry for your loss.

Yes, I agree. going to drain "all" fluids, some several times, take out spark plugs, turn engine over manually install new starter and alt. cross fingers and see how the electrical system deals with me..By the way, at least it was fresh water...
thks.

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles .. it sounds like it could have been worse but it could have been better too. I think the advice here is sound. Good luck.

Glad you didn't have worse trouble. I assume the ZF was in the car? If yes, I would pay a lot of attention to the rest of the car. If salt water is now in the frame channels, body and door panels, etc., do what you can to get the salt out (no small order). Just like driving on salty roads the salt is not something to take lightly. I had a pickup truck that was submerged in salt water at the beach up to the bumpers only for about an hour. I sold the truck and years later I saw it numerous times, the salt had started to eat from the inside out many parts of the truck. And unfortunately Pantera's already have some rust issue. Good luck.