Hit deer and ran truck into deep ditch - might have engine damage

[c5dura]

I was driving home after dark in the rain when this deer jumped out in front of me. I tried to avoid him and ended up in a very steep ditch as a result.

I was high-centered and the front bumper was pushed in and up. I attempted to get free myself by going into 4x4, but I was hopelessly stuck despite trying quite hard to free myself.

Well, after a little while the engine shut down and the batteries were dead. I popped the hood and found that the serpentine belt was in pieces and the pulley had come off the power steering pump.

Since the alternator wasn't connected, the batteries were run down, and I guess this is what shut the truck down, or it could have been that it got too hot since the waterpump wasn't connected either.

At any rate, I had the truck towed to the dealer the next morning (yesterday), and they have a new power steering pump and serp belt on order.

The really bad news is that they just called me to let me know that it looks like I sucked in some muddy water when I tried to get myself unstuck (water thrown up by the right front tire). I run a K&N AirCharger without the outerwrap (I know, I know), and I also removed the metal 'base' that the stock housing mounts to for maximum flow when I installed the K&N. (I was going to install the base plate and get an outerwrap before winter), but figured I'd be ok for now. I mean, my vette runs a K&N about 4 inches from the ground and I've had 36k+ trouble-free miles running that way.

They pulled the K&N off the truck and said they saw dried mud on the turbo blades. The tech thinks the engine might be ok as he believes the dirt got trapped in the intercooler which he is going to inspect next to see if there is a drain on it somewhere.

My concern is that even if they clean the turbo and intercooler real good and are able to get the truck running again, I feel that the life of my engine might be seriously compromised.

Other than a $500 dedictable, the insurance is taking care of the bill, but they don't know about the K&N yet and the possible engine damage. It would totally blow if they decide not to cover any engine damage due to the K&N.

Should I just wait to see if they get it running and go from there, or?

I only had 3700 miles on the truck. This sucks big time... :( :(

[hoot]

The water pump is gear driven.

The turbo will also be suspect. At the speeds the turbo runs, any dirt could compromise the blades.

I find it hard to believe large dirt particles got through the air filter so I'm not so sure you have ant damage at all. I would look at the intake pipes that go INTO the intercooler. Are they dirty?

It's a tough call as to how far you want to go to be sure.

Depends on what got through the filter.

What caused the belt to come off?

I think once this gets repaired, you'll be in good shape.

[ 10-18-2002: Message edited by: hoot ]</p>

[mackin]

First off at least you didn't get hurt ...... Don't worry about over heating the water pump is gear driven so pop the serpentine belt off any time you like....I'm still wondering why the power steering pulley fell off and the belt tore apart????It shut down for lack of electrical current.....

If muddy water got by I'm thinking even the stock paper wouldn't have held it back so well either....I would let them get it running and see what its like....My money is on it will be fine ...... Good luck and I hope all turns out well.

[c5dura]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys! Good deal on the gear driven water pump.

Yeah, I hope the 'mud' the tech is talking about is just colored water that dried up. When I popped the hood in the daylight, I did notice a few muddy water splashes here and there on the K&N, but didn't really think it would have made it past the filter.

I'm not really sure how the serp belt and ps pulley came off, but I suspect the front bumper might have been pushed far enough back to interfere with the accessory pullies somehow, or there might have been a rock or something that got pushed up into the engine compartment when I got high centered.

[chuntag95]

Glad you are okay and sorry about the truck. It sounds like hitting the deer might have caused less damage. Natural reaction is to avoid as I have done it several times myself. I agree with Hoot and Mac, the engine should be okay. You can get water through the paper just as easy. I don't think the insurance can say anything about the K&N. There is that act about aftermarket stuff that protects you. You pay the insurance on the vehicle as is and I don't think they are like GM as far as warranty. They only give you what that specific vehicle is worth, so they can't really say much. Hang in there and I hope you get it back soon. It seems like forever when you get stuck in some midget rental. :mad:

PS - How big was the deer? :D

[Kennedy]

It's stories like this that make me cringe. I think of the "rolled my truck when a deer ran out..." type of story. While I don't know the circumstances involved, it is always my suggestion to use only enough evasive action as possible and still stay on the roadway and out of oncoming traffic if present. Had the truck rolled into a ditch full of water the results could have been much worse, even fatal.

I'm not trying to second guess your actions, only make a suggestion should a future encounter occur...

FYI, You cannot see the turbo blades unless you pull the inlet casting or have a borescope, and I highly doubt unless the water was up to the filter that any serious damage resulted.

[Timberline]

Glad you are fine and I am sorry your truck isn't. :(
The one thing we all can learn from this is HIT THE DEER! and the damage will only be sheet metal. My brother runs the body shop at a Chevrolet dealership and preaches this to me every time a vehicle comes into his shop in this same condition from trying to avoid the deer.
Hang in there atleast you get to exercise the C5 Vette. Awesome back up car!

[Paintdude]

Glad you are Ok..and like others here ..I do not dodge for animals..I will brake but that is about it..

My brother used to come home with Dads car and say, "I was dodging a dog in the road."

Dodge and dog in the same sentence..LOL! :D

[SoMnDMAX]

Glad you're OK. The truck is a material posession, and can either be fixed or replaced. Human life cannot be.

Whe I see deer in front of me, I say "yum" (right after "OH S***"!!! If I hit it, I get it, and put it on the table. Venison is good stuff!! Sure can be easier than trudging into the woods to get one..... :rolleyes:

[ 10-18-2002: Message edited by: SoMnDMAX ]</p>

[gardnerteam]

I do a bit of night driving in Eastern Oregon and Nevada and hit 3 to 5 deer a year at speeds up to 85. They usually have been spooked by something and run from the trees or brush and hit the highway at speed. I hate hitting and killing deer, but I would like to live to a ripe old age. I NEVER swerve or try to miss if it happens suddenly and I never have any sheet metal damage. Readers on this page laugh at the large Reunel and Ranch Hand type winch bumpers and their extra weight (mine with 15000 Warn weighs over 500 lb), but they really do the job no matter what part of the bumper hits the deer. I hit one a couple years ago on Hwy 97 at night dead center and it stayed jammed on the bumper and grill guard until I got stopped and pulled it off - no damage to vehicle. These bumpers also work well for fending off rice burners without studded tires or chains sliding on the highway ice and ending up on the wrong side of the highway in your lane at excessive speed. Yes, I do give up a little MPG, but it is well worth it. Can't stand those aluminum foil front and rear bumpers GM has. Bugs can go right through them at 45 mph. I also like my 1/2 plate rear bumper when someone rear ends me at a stoplight - usually totals their car and requires my bumper to be painted. Don't laugh, has happened 3 times.

[JEBar]

two post listed very close to each other involving hitting deer/moose :confused: as a driver who has been through two deer/vehicle encounters, I can only echo the above ... certainly glad you are OK, your D'max can be fixed or replaced...hopefully will come back even better.... Jim

[c5dura]

I agree that I should not have made a drastic correction to avoid the deer and I tried not to. However, when I cut a hard right, and being that I was on a small mountain road, my left tires were now in the wet grass/mud shoulder, and when I attempted to straighten back out, there was not enough traction left to persuade the ~7500# to get back on the road, and down the ditch I went.

This was my first experience having to make a drastic course change in a truck this size, and if there is a next time (which I'm sure there will be since we have soo many deer around here), I'll not be making a sharp course correction again, but break only or just make a minor correction that will not result in loosing control. Of course this is always easier said than done, but I know the limits of my other vehicles quite well, just haven't got the experience in the 3500 yet.

I must say that this truck is a whole different beast than a light auto once you get in a slide. It takes a lot of traction/room to get back on course again, especially during a downpour.

But, I'm certainly glad that I'm ok, the truck can be fixed.

Btw, I spoke to the dealership again, and they informed me that the reason the pulley came off the power steering pump, is that the pump seized up. They say the whole thing was fused together and that is what caused the pulley to snap off after tearing up the serp. belt.

Apparently they have seen this before, and claim it to be a known issue? They thought this is what caused the accident, but I didn't notice loss of steering during the incident, but things did happen very fast. My guess is that the PS pump siezed as I tried to get myself loose since the right front tire was locked in place.

It also turns out that my right rear fender is cracked, so that will have to be fixed or replaced. Since this is a composite material, I wonder if it will need to be replaced?

The water was at least 3 feet below the intake, so the only water that reached the filter is what was thrown up by the tire. I think that perhaps they only pulled the filter off and noticed water spots on the inside of the black K&N tube and assumed that some might have made it up to the turbo. Its hard to say from just talking to the tech on the phone. I'll propably roll down to the dealer next week to take a look for myself.

Anyway, it will be at least two weeks before the truck will be back on the road again, so I'll have to drive the gasser in the meantime. At least its another Chevy. ;)

[ 10-19-2002: Message edited by: c5dura ]</p>

[JEBar]

c5dura
"It also turns out that my right rear fender is cracked, so that will have to be fixed or replaced. Since this is a composite material, I wonder if it will need to be replaced?" ===&gt; rear quarters are 1 piece units ... cracked mine shortly after buying our 3500, local body shop ordered a new one and had it painted before I ever too the truck to their shop...took them less than 3 hours from the time they started on her to have the replacement completed...literally a bolt off/on operation .... Jim

[Kennedy]

Outerwears or not, water/silt will go through a K&N filter. How do I know? Mud racing in a small town called Mocqua WI. Red clay makes it look like calamine lotion splashed on the air plates of the old Quadrajet...