Volkswagen Fan
Got caught in flash flood over the weekend with water up over the bonnet!
Engine konked out and took 30min of trying to get going again.Now the engine has an awful 'valve tapping' type noise.
Does anyone know how serious this could be? Car is being towed today. Haven't driven it after limping round the corner home when it happened.
RIP!2007 Passat 3.2 4Motion Black Sedan | 19"s | AVC-9000 | Audi A3 Sportback 2.0TFSIQ
Volkswagen Enthusiast
After fitting a CAI last week, I feared the worst driving back from Canberra in the Monsoonal rains, but thankfully I made it through without a cough!
Hopefully yours isnt terminal like the member in WA, but by the sounds of it, yours didnt spit engine bits.
'03 Bora V6 4motion ~ CC Flash ~ Neuspeed F&R ARB ~ .:R optioned - Bilsteins,Springs,shifter,steering ~ Tyrol Brake kit ~ EVOMS CAI
Volkswagen Fanatic
Hope it's OK... keep us posted!Originally Posted by 3Putt
Volkswagen Fanatic
why did you try to restart the car if you knew it had injested water?? wouldnt it have been better off to call a tow truck/insurance company instead??
84 MK1 GTI
01 DC2R
Super Moderator
VWwA Super Moderator
Better yet, why drive through the flood water in the first place?
Volkswagen Enthusiast
Water in an engine is very bad news. Since water isn't compressible, if it enters the cylinders it can easily bend/break rods or screw up valves.
If it's making a constant knocking noise I'd be a bit concerned. Even if it's running I'd go have it properly checked out ASAP.
Last edited by kryten2001; 08-02-2010 at 11:25 AM.
Volkswagen Fan
Thanks for the 20/20 hindsight fellas.
No, I shouldn't have gone thru such a deep puddle. Problem was, it looked shallow enough to get thru.
No i shouldn't have restarted it. Problem was, I didn't know how bad the injestion was (still don't), so i persisted. I was just round the corner from home, after all.
Now anxiously waiting for diagnosis. The tapping at idle from the head area is very loud - suspect valve damage unfortunately.
RIP!
Super Moderator
VWwA Super Moderator
Just so you know, insurance and warranty will almost certainly not cover you in this instance.
I believe insurance for flood damage is only valid if the car was not being driven at the time as apparently it is against the law to drive into flood water which voids your insurance claiming ability.
Bit of a bugger, let us know the outcome.
Volkswagen Fan
Absolutely untrue - Insurance will cover this.
Confirmed Global Warming Sceptic. No Longer a VW Owner -Loving my new 2011 Range Rover Sport - bought as VW unable to provide info on the new Toureg despite it being released overseas 12 mths ago. 2008 R36 Wagon, 2006 GTI and 2004 R32 - Gone. Sorry VW, you make great cars but until you improve your customers' experiences you will lose customers
Volkswagen Fan
When I had the GTI I Drove through a puddle, which came over the bonnet (I didnt realise the depth). The car didn't quite konk out, but did shudder.
Performance was shocking afterwards. I did it in Gosford and had to drive home. Usually the car would sit in 6th gear all day long on the highway, but after the water went in it couldnt get going at all. I would lose about 50km/h up most hills. I thought the turbo was buggered, but just outside of sydney it all came good- Like there had never been an issue.
I took it to VW to be safe, and they changed the filters and said all apppeared fine.
Perhaps because you actually stopped the engine, you may have more damage than I did.
Hope all goes ok for you.
Confirmed Global Warming Sceptic. No Longer a VW Owner -Loving my new 2011 Range Rover Sport - bought as VW unable to provide info on the new Toureg despite it being released overseas 12 mths ago. 2008 R36 Wagon, 2006 GTI and 2004 R32 - Gone. Sorry VW, you make great cars but until you improve your customers' experiences you will lose customers
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