I drove in a flood and my engine is flooded now

[Manaz]

it was at pretty low spead... 35km and it was at headlight hight so im hopping there is some luck on my side... otherwise 2nd hand engine looks to be the worsted case.... good to here the ecu should be okay...

Speed's largely irrelevant unfrotunately - your pistons compress whatever's in your cylinders at ~10:1 regardless of road or engine speed.

[Beaker]

Petrols can take a bit of a drink and still live (diesels can't - a capfull of water into a diesel will bend all the rods).


First check the oil, see if its cloudy, if it is change it and the filter - that goes for gearbox etc as well.

Pull the plugs out, pull the piping off the intake/turbo/intercooler etc and make sure there is no water in there, the last thing to want to do is suck more in, and turn it over on the starter motor, if you see water spitting out the plug holes its had a drink, keep turning it over untill its not spitting anything out, put the plugs in and have a go starting it with the aircleaner out (that needs to go in the bin if it got wet).

If it doesn't start, but turns over happily its quite likely you've sucked water into the electronics and its just a matter of waiting for them to dry out, if its making noises, chances are you've bent a rod and its going to be expensive.

If it starts but doesn't sound right TURN IT OFF and take it to a mechanic, an engine with a slightly bent rod can run, but at the slightest rev can snap and punch a hole in the block (I've seen it happen with my own eyes).



If its had water over the level of the ECU chances are the insurance co will write it off regardless.


Thank your lucky stars its not a diesel, that WOULD be dead, this might be ok if you are lucky.

[Golf88]

Petrols can take a bit of a drink and still live (diesels can't - a capfull of water into a diesel will bend all the rods).


First check the oil, see if its cloudy, if it is change it and the filter - that goes for gearbox etc as well.

Pull the plugs out, pull the piping off the intake/turbo/intercooler etc and make sure there is no water in there, the last thing to want to do is suck more in, and turn it over on the starter motor, if you see water spitting out the plug holes its had a drink, keep turning it over untill its not spitting anything out, put the plugs in and have a go starting it with the aircleaner out (that needs to go in the bin if it got wet).

If it doesn't start, but turns over happily its quite likely you've sucked water into the electronics and its just a matter of waiting for them to dry out, if its making noises, chances are you've bent a rod and its going to be expensive.

If it starts but doesn't sound right TURN IT OFF and take it to a mechanic, an engine with a slightly bent rod can run, but at the slightest rev can snap and punch a hole in the block (I've seen it happen with my own eyes).



If its had water over the level of the ECU chances are the insurance co will write it off regardless.


Thank your lucky stars its not a diesel, that WOULD be dead, this might be ok if you are lucky.

please please please hope this is the case... so cant dry the air filter out?

[JustCruisn]

A paper filter would probably be stuffed. If you have an after market cotton filter, POD etc, then you should clean it and if required re-oil too.

[Manaz]

The reason diesels are so much worse is they run much higher compression ratios - which just amplifies the issue that you simply can't compress a cylinder full of water.

Driving a car through water at headlight height, given the air intake position directly behind the headlights though, I'd guess it probably copped more than just a "bit of a drink". The R32 (owned by "r32 uberwagen") that recently died is proof that you can indeed kill a petrol engine this way.

Regarding the air filter - it's a $20 part, $40 if you try get it from a dealership. Given what's happened, why risk trying to reuse it?

If you're not sure, get the car towed to a mechanic and get it checked out.

[Golf88]

its not looking good... done most of this stuff but it just wont turn over battery is charged and its on jumper leads....

[83_SUS]

just a question wat was going through your mind to even consider driving through flood waters?

[Golf88]

just a question wat was going through your mind to even consider driving through flood waters?

well it was flash floods so i wasnt like i pulled out into the street and it was flooded. i was driving down a street i knew and just underestimated the height of the water

[Blitzen]

well it was flash floods so i wasnt like i pulled out into the street and it was flooded. i was driving down a street i knew and just underestimated the height of the water

What is it doing when you try to crank it over? Can you hear anything from the starter motor?

[r32 uberwagen]

well, out of my little experience, if your car still cranks over you might be ok- mine wouldnt even turn, and once i got it home, taking off the engine covered told the entire tale- if any bits off alloy or iron come tumbling out, (or a bearing case in my instance) looks like youll just have to find a new engine.

driving round in the wild weather last week had me freaking out, and i saw more than a few cars on the side of the road with the tell tale oil leek underneath...