Tractor in pond question (long)

Today I started up the Ford 2610 diesel to warm it up to change the oil. I pulled it in front of barn and thought I set the parking brake. Then I did the same with riding lawnmower. I went in the barn and moved a few things around and then noticed I could only hear the lawnmower running.

I looked outside and the Ford took a nose dive into the pond while running at about 1200 rpm. The water was about 4 ft deep in that area but it was enough to suck water in and kill the engine.

I pulled it out right away and put it in the barn and started tearing the engine down to pull the head and pan off because I could see it had blown the head gasket out when it sucked the water in.

One I got the head off I moved each piston to TDC and used a straight edge and feeler guage to measure height from deck to piston. #1 and #3 are both the same (about .008) and #2 is about 45 thousandths lower.

I would assume that means it has a bent rod. It still turns over fine, but I am wondering if it would be safe to run it that way or did it weaken rod and lower compression too much?

Sorry no pics. I had it out of the water in less than 5 minutes and knew it wasn't going to be a moment I wanted to remember.

neighbor did that with his new M ran good untill he tried to back it out of the pond,

That cylinder will be low on compression and may not run at all. Even if the rod does not fail, the journal may have smashed the insert. Replacing the rod is advisable, and you are already partially apart! Jim

You could and might get away with it. But you have the head off, you're more than half way there. Go ahead and fix it right.
Ron

I agree with the others. You're most of the way there,
replace that rod and at least check the bearing.

IMHO--if it hydro/locked bad enough to instantly blow out a head gsk., I bet you got more damage. not only lower end, but valves, head need checked

It stinks but disassemble and inspect lower end.

when I had my construction company got a call one day down to a dairy.
They used the manure to spray on the fields and a tractor with a really long paddle thing on the PTO to aerate the pond.
Somehow the brakes failed and it rolled into the pond, totally submerged .
I said "I have the chain but you will have to hook it up", the owner paid one of his hands $100 to do it, never will forget the sight of that guy coming back out of the manure pit

45 thousandths don't sound like a lot but it is for a diesel. That 45 thousandths might cause it to come thru the
block if you decide not to address it and just run it. Like most of the folks here are saying,you are more than half
way there fix it one time and be done with it.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I took the piston and rod out and it is just barely bent.

I will replace the rod and bearings for sure. I think I will do the piston too, just because of the pressure it was under to bend a rod.

If that fixes everything it looks like I will get out of this situation for under $250.