FR-S Rod knock

[pozer]

This is so frustrating I don't even know where to start.

Story: I came up on a snowplow salting for a storm coming later that night and he was doing 45mph so I pass the AT downshifts revs to 7K redline and shift when it does it feels very soft but I think nothing of it because I’m already doing 55MPH and just keep cruising for another 2miles or so. I come to the next stop sign and when I stop the idle dips down the car almost died but then recovers.
I continue forward but have lost all power and I hear a knocking from the engine so I pull over and it’s knocking for sure so I have it towed to dealer and I explain to the customer service rep what happened. At this point he starts to add to my story and say SO the snowplow splashed up snow or water onto your car as passing, I said no it was dry and explain they were salting. The next day I get a call from Smart Toyota telling me I Hydro locked the motor and this will not be covered under warranty. I was so surprised since the car is spotless with no water inside the engine bay ever. So I ask if they found water inside my intake or my engine they say no but did find moisture on the throttle body. ??!@@#

I ask if they found water in my oil because I assume if I hydro locked a motor the water will have to run past the pistons after bending said rod and then sit in the oil but the oil is PERFECT the dealership just changed it when they installed the new fuel pump. Next they told me a regional rep will stop by and take a look at the motor and give his opinion so I get another call and he agrees this is a hydrolock based on moisture in the TB. ..... IM so frustrated because it’s CRAZY there is no water in the engine and never has been.

I took a video the day it happened and from the video you can clearly see that the engine is clean I live in Wisconsin and right now the roads are covered in salt so any water sucked into the engine would of left a salt residue even if the water went away. I did not expect to be accused of hydro locking the engine so I had no idea to take better pics and video.

I spoke with Scion CORP and was told they will investigate but normally the regional rep is the last word but they will speak with him.
I’m at a loss from the beginning I had no customer service just them accusing me.

Video from the day it happened.

[ame]http://youtu.be/2kwOID-BNLo[/ame]

[White64Goat]

That to me does not sound like a rod knock, sounds more like a problem with the timing chain(s) or valve timing? With all the stock intake in place it would be pretty damn hard to hydrolock that thing unless the air filter box filled up with water.

[Sargy]

[pozer]

About 3mo ago I had the ECU replaced because of a timing error....

[whtchocla7e]

Originally Posted by pozer

About 3mo ago I had the ECU replaced because of a timing error....

Did they also replace the timing gears?

The way they jumped to conclusions quickly and tried to pin it on you, tells me they know something. Maybe the botched the job.

[blkwrxwag]

Didn't you drill multiple holes in your airbox? I'm not saying that's what caused it, but I can see how a lazy dealership/technician will use that against you.

[KSC]

If there's nothing modded in the intake/airbox region there's absolutely no way this can be pinned on you.

[pozer]

Yes All the holes are on the inside of the engine bay... I also removed the resonator so the large hole on the right side of the box is open but this would still mean I would need to fill the engine bay with water and it would also stop the lower part of the stock air box from sucking up any water in since it can't complete a vacuum.
.
BTW I completely agree had I hydro locked the engine they should not cover it but this is not the case..

[Porsche]

Was your air filter soaking wet?

Can water bypass the air filter to gain entry to the engine? If not, then it should be soaked, I'd think. Is it?

Are our engines "bottom feeders?" If not, how could this happen? Even so, with all the plates covering the bottom side of the engine bay, I'm still hard-pressed to understand how the engine could ingest a significant amount of water.

Might the engine have simply over-revved (despite the rev limiter) when downshifting and accelerating hard while the drive wheels run over a patch of ice, and then BAM! grab clean pavement?

I don't know, just speculating.

If an owner plunged into a "puddle" of unknown depth, then maybe he might be held responsible. What you've described sounds like -- whatever happened -- it should be covered under warranty.

Let us know the outcome, won't you?

Edit: Ah, I see Post #8 went up while I was composing mine, so some questions are answered, but not all.

[supramkivtt2jz]

sounds like a bearing. or lack thereof

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsCb0auCDWI"]ROD KNOCK!!! What it looks like inside the engine. - YouTube[/ame]

[pozer]

Everything including the filter was completely dry and free of any salt residue that would of been left with any water going through it. I agree this is a bearing but how do you get them to acknowledge it.

[supramkivtt2jz]

Originally Posted by pozer

Everything including the filter was completely dry and free of any salt residue that would of been left with any water going through it. I agree this is a bearing but how do you get them to acknowledge it.

i called blackstone labs for you and they said they can possibly determine the health of the oil and give their input on the findings. they will state specifically if there is moisture in the oil and excessive tin and copper from the bearings.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

for $25, i think theyre your best bet in trying to fight the dealership.

[jeebus]

This is the most ridiculous thing I think I've ever heard. Hydrolock? With a basically stock intake? I mean, I've seen instances of it happening with really low cars that have CAIs that go down low into the bumper, in extreme downpour/flood storms....but that's really it. If they don't back off from this accusation like ASAP, you should run this through the media chain, jalopnik, etc.

[White64Goat]

How many miles were driven on that thing with it knocking? That's SEVERE right there...........