#1: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: Mkajuma, Location: KenyaPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:32 pm ---- Have tried searching but either it's not on or I'm simply too impatient. So thanks to the fantastically drained roads here and very heavy rains, wound up going through what I unfortunately assumed to be a not so deep body of water. Car stalled in the middle and wouldn't start. When I came out to push the car, water was to slightly below my knees. Pushed it to an apartment right next and left it for the night. Just checked it, the filter is drenched. Car still won't start even with the filter out. Makes a sound like a flat battery. But battery is fine all electronics and lights working fine. Any ideas as to what monumental damage I may have done? What a f*****g mess.
#2: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: ExoVyper, Location: Waiting for the tugboats to push me into port (Whitehaven)Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:51 pm ---- sounds like it's sucked water in and hydralocked
providing you havent bent anything trying to start it take your spark plugs out and turn it over it'll fire the water out, then let it dry out and try again later
#3: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: NICKST, Location: Little hulton (worsley)Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:33 pm ---- Remove the filter and plugs try to fire it up if it up
As said above.
Replace plugs air filter oil and oil filter. And also check for blow fuses. Hope fully you haven't bent any valves.
#4: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: Mkajuma, Location: KenyaPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 3:19 am ---- Thanks guys just nipped off way from work wanna give it a go....
#5: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: craigy00craig, Location: surreyPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 3:55 am ---- Just below your knees?!?! That must have been like hitting a brick wall
#6: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: MrrNoName, Location: UKPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:11 am ---- The cylinders are Hydrolocked meaning that they have water inside of them. As water doesnt compress, when you try to start the car it wont crank over. Making it seem like a flat battery.
How hard were you revving at the time? if an engine is hydrolocked at high revs it can easily write it off. (bent piston rods etc)
As said above you need to remove the water from the cylinders. The best way of doing this is to remove all of the spark plugs and crank the engine over, water will be forced out of the spark plug holes.
If it doesnt crank with the sparkies removed then somethings badly bent.
If the car does crank freely then you should change the oil filter, air filter, oil and replace the plugs, then it should start.
#7: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: Mkajuma, Location: KenyaPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:17 am ----
craigy00craig wrote:
Just below your knees?!?! That must have been like hitting a brick wall
Not really went in very slowly....after I watched a Toyota Corolla drive through and gained confidence.....the worst part is I had a choice of like 3 roads to use to get where I was going...this was the shortest. *regretful sigh*
#8: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: Mkajuma, Location: KenyaPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:26 am ----
MrrNoName wrote:
The cylinders are Hydrolocked meaning that they have water inside of them. As water doesnt compress, when you try to start the car it wont crank over. Making it seem like a flat battery.
How hard were you revving at the time? if an engine is hydrolocked at high revs it can easily write it off. (bent piston rods etc)
As said above you need to remove the water from the cylinders. The best way of doing this is to remove all of the spark plugs and crank the engine over, water will be forced out of the spark plug holes.
If it doesnt crank with the sparkies removed then somethings badly bent.
If the car does crank freely then you should change the oil filter, air filter, oil and replace the plugs, then it should start.
Was in 2nd, very low revs as was entering slowly...Fingers crossed taking out the plugs now to try...
#9: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: MrBSI, Location: What's it to you? ? ?Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:44 am ---- If you have the standard air intake system on the 1.4 then it takes deep water to get sucked up in to the engine.
#10: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: E5GDM, Location: EssexPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:10 am ----
Mkajuma wrote:
Was in 2nd, very low revs as was entering slowly...
You should have been in 1st & kept the revs high & slipped the clutch (on a manual to drive slowly) to reduce the chances of water going into the exhaust. This might have been what caused your problem as the exhaust is usually lower than the air intake.
#11: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: pug206lx, Location: Taking a gearbox off somewherePosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:17 am ----
Mkajuma wrote:
Makes a sound like a flat battery.
Hydrolocked. Guarantee something is bent.
#12: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: Seb, Location: Under your bedPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:40 am ---- Remove sparks, crank for a bit, change air filter, check for other signs of damage. Sparks in, give it another go.
With that engine it's cheaper to just try that and at least know if it's fecked than worry about breaking something. If something is buggered it will have to be removed anyway, and much cheaper to just put in another engine if that's the case.
#13: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: Mkajuma, Location: KenyaPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:35 am ---- Update: So sparks out, cranked it, now off to grab new plugs and filter then give it a go. Got a mate who worked at Marshalls to come and have a look as well, he jacked the car driver's side and turned the wheel several times, the timing belt turned. He said the engine should be ok....
#14: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: pug206lx, Location: Taking a gearbox off somewherePosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:57 am ---- Did you crank it from the crankshaft pulley or did you spin it on the starter? Any knocking noises? You'll soon know when you've changed the plugs.
#15: Re: Drove through water, car stalled now won't start Author: MrrNoName, Location: UKPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 6:30 am ----
E5GDM wrote:
Mkajuma wrote:
Was in 2nd, very low revs as was entering slowly...
You should have been in 1st & kept the revs high & slipped the clutch (on a manual to drive slowly) to reduce the chances of water going into the exhaust. This might have been what caused your problem as the exhaust is usually lower than the air intake.
I disagree, he said the air filter was soaking wet which indiates that the water entered through the intake. I doubt that water could make its way all the way through the exhaust and up into the manifold when the engine is running, before being sucked through the stock intake. Also if the engine hydrolocks at low revs it doesnt always cause damage, at high revs it almost always bends/breaks things due to the force of it comming to an instant stop.
Keep the revs as low as possible in 1st gear if your driving through water and think a hydrolock might be possible
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