water-logged 66
The recent spring snowmelt and subsequent heavy rainfall created an awful sight around my neighborhood and my '66 sb - though she was garaged - was not spared. The resultant 3ft rise in lake level brought the water to just over the top of the side exhaust pipes. I was able to jack the car up and put it on blocks but the bottom of the car was definitely sitting in water. After the water receded I was able to change the engine oil before pushing her outside in the sun. The motor finally got started and actually ran quite well - all things considered. However, I am concerned about the transmission as I had a heck of a time just moving the 4sp shifter around. I tried to move her back 'n' forth under her own power but I kept hearing noises every time I let the clutch out. Is there a way to check / change the transmission oil or drain the water that's likely inside, or do I need to have it towed to a garage for an transmission overhaul?
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Re: water-logged 66
Kevin,
BUMMER!! I bet all that water had an adverse effect on more that just the corvette
- I hope all goes smoothly with the insurance.
One question that came to mind was, how long did the car sit in the water at the level you described?Rob
'66 327/300 Regional Top Flt
'08 6 speed coupe -
Re: water-logged 66
Hopefully the water affected the clutch only and not the transmission.Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
You know, thanks to all the excitement and fast-paced activities of dealing with rising lake waters, sump pumps, chest waders and row boats I can't quite remember how long the car sat in water where the pipes were covered. I know that it was more than several days but probably less than a week. I had put cinder blocks under the tires which elevated the car up but the bottom was still immersed. The worst was when I peered inside and saw several inches of water on the floor boards. Sometimes when I'd walk inside I'd see little fish swimming around. The carpet smells something awful and I can still feel dampness on the carpet where the feet rests.
Ok. Can I have an OK transmission but a wet clutch? I don't want to create more problems by trying to move it under its own power but I can't afford a $3K - $4K transmission overall, either.
Almost can't wait for next spring!Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
i have never been in a flood but my question if you know the flood is coming why did you not move the corvette to higher ground since it sounds like it ran ???Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
Jim - that's a tough one to answer. The plastic drain pan that was used itself was found floating in water at various times, so it could of had some water residue left on it. I watched the oil drain out and didn't notice any water or discoloration, but the bottom of the drain pan had a very thin layer of milky oil. I haven't heard any unusual noises inside the engine when it was running. The exhaust pipes blew out quite a bit of steam and as the engine warmed the frame rails began steaming. I started her up several times since and haven't seen any more steam leaving her.
Clem - when the flooding began the garage / house was sealed off from escape. I couldn't drive it away even if the garage floor itself was perfectly dry. Next, the flood waters were rising at ~ 6" every day. I had two homes, a young boy, wife and 86yr old mother-in-law to take care of, plus trying to find dry areas from which I could move out all low lying objects/possessions, not to mention the attempts made to erect temporary barricades and other water control devices around my home to prevent structural damage to property. So getting the car elevated was a much lower priority (sorry folks) than taking care of my family and homes.Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
Kevin, I would drain and refill the motor, trans, and rear end a couple of times to make sure all water is out. Water mixed with any of the fluids would appear milky.Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
I know and understand that your main concern at this time is the mechanicals, but .....
Pull out the carpet (seats will have to come out first). If it hasn't been wet too long putting it out in the sun to dry might save it. If it has silt in it a thorough cleaning before drying would be an advantage. Separate the jute underlayment from the carpet and give it the same treatment. It may take several days of sunshine to dry all of it. After drying a good carpet shampoo may bring it back to life. If it is not original all this effort may not be worth it -- just tear it out and replace it in that case.
Edit add: Depending on how deep the water got you may want to turn the seats over and put the bottoms facing the sun. Lubricate the seat tracks and operate them from time to time to keep them from rusting up.TerryComment
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Re: water-logged 66
One of the problems is mold under the carpets . It would be best to pull the carpets . Clean them and throw the padding away.Also turn the seats upside down and let them dry out.There are some clear product made by Eastwood you could spray on all the bare metal parts of the seats. Or maybe 3M Rustfighter . It is tan and you would be able to see it.They will start to rust right away.As well as all the bare metal parts under the dash and inside the doors.The Transmission should have a drain.When you drain the grease if water comes out or the grease is milky. You may have to fill and drain it several times .Run it in nuetral each time with the clutch out but not for very long. If the water got that high there is waster in the rear end .It to will have to be drained and flushed .You should repack the front wheel bearings.They are sealed but should be checked.All the brake parts front and rear will start to rust. The emergency brake especially.If there is insurance involved they should address all these items.It would also be a good idea when the frame has dried out to get some 3M Rustfighter come in a spray can and spray the inside of the frame. This would be good to spray on all bare metal parts .Caution it is a wax base and messy.RUST and corrosion will be a very large problem in the future .Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
Sorry to hear about your water damage.
First take lots of digital photos with the date/time stamp turned on before you do anything. May help prove your insurance claim.
Having had one of those "P" cars get submerged over the door sills in the 1977 Kansas City Brush Creek flood I can tell you the quicker you get everything dried out and removed the better. You received some good advice to change all the fluids at least twice, run the engine and change the oil/filter a 3rd time. Recheck to see if milky. Repacking the front wheel bearings is also a good idea. Rust inhibitor on all the metal items under the car.
FWIW my Porsche dripped water for six months.
Gary
....NCRS Texas Chapter
https://www.ncrstexas.org/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565408483631Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
Kevin, sorry to hear of your damage. IF you have any soft parts you can reuse ServPro has a spray that inhibits mold and mildew. I can attest to it working
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SteveComment
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Re: water-logged 66
Kevin, sorry to hear about this.
You should have removed your carpets long ago. The moisture that is now under the dash and in the seat foam, as well as the instruments, will haunt you for a long time. Not to mention the smell from mold and mildew that you will get very soon. Get the carpets out, tonight. Before you take the seats out, drive the car for a little while. That is the only way to completely dry the exhaust. When you take the seats out, take them outside and let them spend a few days in the hot sun, and I would spray mold and mildew cleaner underneath them. As far as the transmission and rear end are concerned, they should be OK, unless the water was deeper than you told us. However, it's good a preventative measure to change the fluids. Don't sweat this too much, remember that these units are exposed to water when you drive it in the rain, and they are designed to keep fluids in and water out. During WWII, the Navy would go through a process of running gear sets that were exposed to salt water (from battle damage) in warm salt and fresh water baths before putting in new grease. Some of those ships ran another 50 years after they were damaged.
PaulComment
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Re: water-logged 66
A day in the hot summer Kansas City sun will dry out a foot of water! Except for maybe this week.
Terry and Dan are on track, though if original carpet I'd try another technique, essentially the same as carpet cleaners use.
Get a high power vac and suck the water out of the carpet. Some of the top carpet cleaners can do cars too. Then there are chemicals that will kill the mold problem or you can use more natural tricks.
I have done this in 100* weather and the carpet was dry three days later.Comment
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Re: water-logged 66
Wow! Lots of good responses and great advice. Too many people to respond to so I'll just give an update of what I did / saw.
Last Friday, June 18th, I removed the seats and pulled the carpets and underlying mats. The weather was warm and dry and no water over the garage's crecrete pads so I could leave both car and parts in the sunshine. (The previous Sunday I was able to roll the car out and start it up after first changing the oil )The carpets under the seats looked gross, to say the least. The underlying mats were almost saturated. Over the course of several days I would put the mats and carpets in the sunshine. As of Tuesday, June 21, both the mats and carpets were dry. I could still smell a faint moldy odor from both. I think I'd like to replace the carpets now that I now know how they came out. I'm going to try and make my own mats using the one's I pulled as templates. Not sure what to do with the fiberglass flooring / shell. Can I spray that surface with a mold/mildew killer or retardant? The seats were removed several years earlier and looked no different - rusty and in need of serious repair. I'm not sure if the vinyl can be saved - certainly reupholstering is needed - and the metal rails are rusty indeed. Can someone tell me if the carpet is one-piece or two? I removed carpet sections, from both the driver's and passenger's side. Not sure if the installer did it correctly but that's how I found it. How best should I get the carpet replaced, and by whom, if I wanted the original look / style?
Good idea on changing the all the fluids several times. I planned on having the wheel bearings repacked before hitting the road for any distance, too. How do I change the rear diffential fluid? I didn't notice any drain plugs.
Just to recap, the water depth in the garage was about knee high for several days at its worst while the car was elevated ramps in the front and jack stands under the rear springs. The soft top was on, windows were up and this persisted for about 10 days. After 10 days I folded the top back, opened the door and aired out the garage best as possible even though it still had several inches of water. The battery was not connected, nor did it get wet.Comment
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