Flooded
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Flooded
Hey, I have a 1976 vette. L 82 four speed. I had the car in storage. It was in a flood couldn't get her out. Water was up to the dash. I got it out of storage the next day. Dragged through three feet of water to a dry garage. Got water out of everything. Dumped all fluids. Got it running and mobile. Dumped all fluids again. Parked to work on interior. Started up and moved once a week to make sure everything still moved. Last time I tried moving her. It was locked in reverse. Monkeyed with it. Started up to see if it would move. Engine ran for a couple of seconds then just quit. Tried starting it and there was nothing no clilck click. No sound at all. Yet my lights, radio, signal,wipers everything except my power windows. I think the windows are a problem with the water.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Ron
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Ron
Pro
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 745
Likes: 66
From: Hutto Texas
Let's start with the engine. The engine needs air, fuel, and spark to fire. Is the engine spinning? If you take a plug out and ground it to the exhaust does it spark? If so are you getting a consistent fuel source (fuel pump, filter is not clogged, etc)? If there is no spark your distributor might have been damaged by the water since it was so high. Is it possible there is an obstruction preventing the engine from getting air? Answer those questions first and then we can trouble shoot more. On your power windows not working, fuse, wires, motors, its one of the 3 are a combo.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Flooded
Thanks for your reply. The engine was running fine. Used to back it out of the garage and up and down the driveway. It was running fine for a few secs. then just quit. I would always have to charge battery after running for awhile or doing anything that required the key to be on. I don't think the alternator is working. Although after being charged the battery would start and run the car. Now nothing just everything else works.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,064
Likes: 104
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
if you turn the key and get no starter action, start there. there are a couple of fusable links in the main cables leading to the starter motor and solenoid. check to see if you get continuity past them (the simplist way is to stick a couple of pins in the leads, one on each side of the link and see if you get any current passage. it it possible that even with the battery recharges, it is bad. put a meter on it. if it doesn't read at least 13 volts chances are it's bad. it will power lights, radio, gauges, etc, but it won't turn the starter over. use a meter and see if you are getting power to the solenoid. if you are, the other choice is the solenoid is bad and is preventing the starter to get any juice and turn over. i believe you can take them to an autozone store and they can test them for you. personally i would start there. if either are bad, you can't get the engine to turn over.
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 5
From: Sacramento California
If the car was under water.. then I would check the grounds first, there probably corroded. First the battery connections, then the battery to frame ground, then the battery to the starter and the engine to frame grounds, Most likely there.
As for the stuck in reverse, I would open the hood and grab the reverse lockout lever and make sure it still moves, it is possible the cable is now foozen in the sheath. PB blaster is your friend.
As for the stuck in reverse, I would open the hood and grab the reverse lockout lever and make sure it still moves, it is possible the cable is now foozen in the sheath. PB blaster is your friend.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
My 71 went through Katrina down in New Orleans. I bought the car back and am in the process of a body off.
Was the flood water muddy? If so there could be residual mud and dirt on everything. You started off right swapping the fluids. I would also ask if you drained all the diff fluids? When my car flooded everything had water in it, engine, trans and diff. All the wiring and connectors have corrosion on them and there is dirt everywhere. Additionally, you would not believe how many bolts have partially rusted into place. I have been using almost every method I can think of to get stuff undone to replace it.
Was the flood water muddy? If so there could be residual mud and dirt on everything. You started off right swapping the fluids. I would also ask if you drained all the diff fluids? When my car flooded everything had water in it, engine, trans and diff. All the wiring and connectors have corrosion on them and there is dirt everywhere. Additionally, you would not believe how many bolts have partially rusted into place. I have been using almost every method I can think of to get stuff undone to replace it.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Flooded
Thanks for info.
The water was dirtynot real muddy. Yeh Drained any fluid that was normally in the car. I'm hopeing that most of my problems are corrosion and bad connections. Thanks for your ideas and good luck with your car.
The water was dirtynot real muddy. Yeh Drained any fluid that was normally in the car. I'm hopeing that most of my problems are corrosion and bad connections. Thanks for your ideas and good luck with your car.
