Hydrolocked 3.8 Help?

So a few things first:
1 The engine is no longer locked so I'm not sure if this can still be a hydrolocked thread.
2 I'm having some issues still and I have no idea how it became locked(shipping company).
3 Bayshore Chrysler in Houston, Texas sucks!

Issues:
Feels like power loss not much though, over heating slightly, temp gauged was between 3/5ths and 3/4qtrs the whole way from Texas to Alabama. It has never gone beyond half way before. Also a very rough idle, maybe a hint of a ticking, idles at 500 to 600 rpm now.

Bayshore changed the oil notified my insurance and me it was running like "new", makes me very hesitant to buy "new" from them.

Back story:
Arrived Jun19th to pick up my JK from shipping and it wouldn't start, they figured dead battery so they tried jumping, that didn't work. So then they hooked up a 24v jumper, that didn't work but now they assumed my started was bad, which was from 24v pushing it.... their mechanic recommended i get a new starter so I did(old one tested barely passable) figured screw it and ill get a new battery too. Come to find the german parts store sold me one that didn't have the recommended amps, that explains a lot. So install new battery and starter, go to crank and click, hmm that can't be good. So they try jumping the starter to bypass ignition, we hear it spin and nothing. 6pm screw it hotel time. Next day my dad shows up takes a breaker bar to the crank bolt and it freezes at about 3/4 spin, pull the plugs and by golly they're soaking wet on drivers side back and middle. Pull all the plugs and shoot water out the engine, tasted chalky(not salty like sea water would have naturally) so I'm wondering wtf is fresh water doing in my freshly shipped engine. Pull off the air box housing and my entire snorkel was filled with water... call my insurance( will probably cancel them soon from how helpful they were.) then drain snorkel and engine. Get new plugs and an air filter, switch oil and she cranks right up driving to change the oil again and get gas she dies. Screw it tow it to the dealer let insurance handle it.

Get a call 3 days later saying the engine is hydrolocked and the bill will start at $6500 from a just a glance inspection, Thursday I get a call that they changed my oil and it runs like new. I call the dealer and checked they said its good to go, test drive pass and all. So I then get a rental and drive from Alabama to Houston and back today. Jeep is running rough and just wondering if any of you guys have brought a 3.8 back to life like this. An LS3 is on the list but I simply can't afford it right now. Trying to avoid doing a rebuild or swap, wondering if maybe a sensor is bad since it just went 550 miles in one day at 70 to 75 mph. Rough starts and idle but she is moving again just a little hot.

Oh I'm assuming they joy road threw a large puddle or small lake.

seems like someone took it for a joy ride...I'm guessing you didn't record the mileage when you dropped it off or picked it up.

They can be brought back but it make take a couple of flushes to get all the water out. I'm wondering if the dealer actually dropped the oil pan to let all the water drain. if they just pulled the plug then there is still water in the engine.

Does the oil look milky? ask the dealer if they replaced the head gasket as well. you will need to pull the plugs again and drop the oil pan.

you might run some seafoam in it - follow the instructions and then do another oil change.

Last thing you want is for rust to start forming, once that happens it's rebuild time.

jeeeep said:

seems like someone took it for a joy ride...I'm guessing you didn't record the mileage when you dropped it off or picked it up.

They can be brought back but it make take a couple of flushes to get all the water out. I'm wondering if the dealer actually dropped the oil pan to let all the water drain. if they just pulled the plug then there is still water in the engine.

Does the oil look milky? ask the dealer if they replaced the head gasket as well. you will need to pull the plugs again and drop the oil pan.

you might run some seafoam in it - follow the instructions and then do another oil change.

Last thing you want is for rust to start forming, once that happens it's rebuild time.

Click to expand...

I did record the mileage only 2 new miles. They absolutely didn't do anything besides the oil change, checked this morning and oil looks beautiful. So I'll probably get the sea foam and re do everything again. My brother is going to do a compression test as well, and check the fumes that cycle through the radiator(tells if head gasket is blown.)