Hurricane Ike Damage

[mikeybob2@msn.com]

My 94 D90 got trapped in Galveston TX in the garage during Hurricane Ike. My house has never flooded in it's 100 year history so I felt safe leaving the car there and I ran out of evacuation time. Since it sat in 3' of salt water I am worried that I am going to have some major issues. I was finally allowed to go home yesterday after 13 days of waiting to get back onto the island. The house is raised and had no major damage. I was thankful that it was only 3' of water but the Defender sat in the closed garage for almost 2 weeks. The interior is already covered in grey mildew and I'm sure I can get it cleaned up pretty good.. I don't think water got into the engine but I do see a puddle of transmission fluid in the mud below. I know the exhaust must be trashed. I had limited fresh water pressure but I hosed off the underside, footwells and battery box. I cannot get it out of the garage yet due to debris in the driveway and street.
I'm kind of stressed over all of this but I want to do all I can to save my favorite vehicle. I would really appreciate any advice on how to handle the situation.. I don't want to ever sell it so I want to do it right.. Thanks, Mike

[evilfij]

Where is the water line on the truck?

This will largely determined how screw up it is.

First thing you need to do (after you call the insurance company) asap is drain and change all the fluids that have been contaminated (including the gas if water got into it) and park it out in the sun with the doors open to let it dry out and to kill the mildew.

[JSBriggs]

Man, that sucks.

File an insurance claim, and buy it back. Its going to be a long slow road.

If its been in 3' of salt water, I wouldn't trust the wiring harness. Drain and replace all of the fluids. Pressure wash it, including the inside of the frame rails as best as you can.


-Jeff

[JimC]

Oh man, big suck. I guess the insurance company will probably total it, and in addition to a salvaged title, you'll get a flood-area tag on the carfax report. At least you'll probably be able to buy it back very cheaply and use the payout to fix it up.

I'm thinking that at 3 feet, your computer has been sitting in water, so it would be good to take it out and inspect it. Most of the important wiring in a defender is above the level of the dash tray, so it shouldn't have been underwater. The tail lights and wiring to the fuel tank would have been under water 3 feet deep, so there's probably going to be problems in those areas.

I'm sure the truck is salvageable as-is, but what a great opportunity for a galvanized chassis swap and a good freshening up!

[cellulararrest]

Looks like the water line in the front footwell is about halfway up the tunnel? If so I'd be wary of the bottom half of your bulkhead sitting in salt water like that.

[130Tdi]

get yourself a pump sprayer and mix white vinegar and water and spray the hell out of anything you think got wet. Water and vinegar are supposed to neutralize the salt. Thats what they do to tournament fishing boats to minimize corrosion. I would flush all fluids and get fresh in asap. The other thing is to get it running asap. The longer it goes before you get it running and the systems dried out the worse the damage from the salt will be on electrical connectors, inside starter, alternator etc.

[evilfij]

If it was not salt water, that would be a normal day in the pine barrens. I know it is counter intuative, but if it were mine, I would hose everything down with lots of fresh water and then let it dry. I would also park it on a steep incline and run the hose into the frame so it washes out the inside of the frame (if the salt water got that high). But definately change all the fluids now. As far as flood trucks, a D90 is one of the only ones I would even consider owning.

[mikeybob2@msn.com]

Thanks for all of the advice....

The salt water backed in from Galveston bay (13 blocks away)and the Gulf (4 blocks away). It included sewage, fish, debris, gas, oil, etc.. The muddy residue is a nasty mess.. The water line is just below the bottom of the rear door and did not get into the bed. the floorboard in front got about 1/4" so the frame did get soaked but I think the computer is dry. I hosed off the undercarriage as best as I could with water and I will try the vinegar / water when I get back home on Saturday. I called the Rover Shoppe in Houston and Vic said that after I tow it in, he will change all of the fluids and let me know what is damaged.. Wish me luck.

[mikeybob2@msn.com]

Just an update for anyone interested..

Thanks to the advice on here I saved the Defender..As soon as I got back to Galveston I was able to push it into the driveway slope and really blast the undercarriage and frame with water . I then sprayed it with a vinegar and water mix, then blasted it again. As a quick fix, I got WD-40 onto any exposed nuts/bolts, etc,, I also sprayed the entire interior with a Consans Triple Action 20 solution. Man that stuff is fantastic...the mold just disappeared and left no spots and NO odor whatsoever.
After my day of cleaning I had it towed to Houston.

I got the call today that it is running great!!.. They only had to replace the starter, o2sensors, unstick the clutch, and of course, change all of the fluids. The frame looks good (for now) and we'll keep watching for rust. The muffler and cats are ok but I'm sure they will need replacement before to long (I forgot to get the water out of the exhaust and only realized it when it was on the incline) Man that was some nasty rusty water that came out of there.

This weekend I'm replacing the stock BFG's with a new set, new side marker lights and rubber mats from Rovers Down South just to freshen it up again.

I'll post some pix when it's 100%...

Thanks again for the advice

[woldd90]

Great news... That has to be a real relief.

[Neil McCauley]

:clap hooray I've seen videos of diesel D90's in England driving into the water up to its windshield in salt water IIRC and drive right back. I'm sure it'll be alright. Besides, no non-galvy LR chassis last forever anyway so if it ever does rust it gives you a good reason for a new spine.


Neil

[CDeWan]

Mike,
Great news. I would check NAPA for the side marker and front turn signal lights which is where I grabbed mine.

[Stmpede]

That is great news. I would suggest taking apart any electrical connections you can and cleaning them up. Put a little dielectric grease on them before putting them back together too. Sounds like a good time to upgrade to Mike's LED tail lights! haha

[mikeybob2@msn.com]

That is great news. I would suggest taking apart any electrical connections you can and cleaning them up. Put a little dielectric grease on them before putting them back together too. Sounds like a good time to upgrade to Mike's LED tail lights! haha
I was thinking the same thing. I've always (since it was new) had problems with lights.

[newfD90]

That's great news Mike! Glad to hear she's on the road again.

...and thanks for your help too! :)

[130Tdi]

since you know the frame got submerged in salt water get yourself some of the spray cans of the clear waxoyl. The stuff is designed for cavitys. Spray it in ever single hole you can find in your frame to prevent rust from the inside out.

[evilfij]

:)

Ron

[JohnsD90]

Nice, im mean that you got it back to Rover working order.

[mikeybob2@msn.com]

Nice, im mean that you got it back to Rover working order.
Thanks John.. It's great having it back together.. I sure do appreciate all the help I've received on this forum.. Amazing what you can learn here....