What happened here?

[SpikeyBush]

Late at night after the heavy rain. Driving slowly through the floodwater. It gets deeper and before I know it the water is above the bonnet and the engine dies. This really worries me as the car is a turbo-diesel and I am now expecting garage bills to replace bent conrods. After the engine died I coasted out of the worst of the floodwater and pushing it the rest of the way got me wet only to my knees.

Tried firing it up. Span a bit and then gave the impression of a siezed engine. Did the same over and over again. Finally fired up in a big cloud of smoke smelling strongly of diesel.

What confuses me is why I escaped without writing off the engine after driving through water of this depth, and what made it stop yet letting me be able to start it again with nothing but persistance and foul language?

[Ann]

Where was this Spikey? Sounds awful ..........

[Buenchico]

Diesel engines don't like water in the exhaust pipe. Other than that though I can't see that 'water over the bonnet' situations should be any great worry. I've driven through a couple of floods like that, with a diesel car, without any problems at all.

[AlBags]

Diesel cars create such a suck in the engine intake .. that they will hoover up water into the cylinders immediately. Usually intakes are fairly high and protected to a degree behind panelwork that 'might' create a temp air pocket.
You need to .
1. Check/look inside air filter box to see if filter is wet .. if so you should do a cylinder compression check .. and replace engine oil and filter.
2. If ok .. it needs a long drive to get rid of any water .. including from exhaust.

[SpikeyBush]

It was in Northern Ireland after the heavy rain last week. Interior of the car is soggy and destroyed and smelling of cow stuff but at least the CD player still works.

[ChuckFickens]

"Usually intakes are fairly high"

Except on Vauxhall combi vans, where the intake is just below the front bumper! so they don't like being driven through about 1foot of water!

One new engine later a lesson was learnt,What a bloody stupid design.

[AlBags]

Yes .. there are a few crap exceptions!

[SpikeyBush]

I remember Watchdog running a feature on this a few years ago, which is why I nearly crapped myself when the engine died. Her Annieness featured, if I remember correctly, the Renault Clio and Ford Transit which had air intakes much lower than they could have been.

[derrynoose]

I have a friend who drove through a flood up to the lights last week.(Northern Ireland again!) A Good Samaritan waited for her in a 4WD at the other end. She had a 10 year old BMW Coupe and suffered only the loss of a small protective flap under the car in front of the rear wheel. It was desperation time as she was travelling home at midnight and wouldn't have risked it otherwise. Very lucky!

[SpikeyBush]

Carpet still soggy. Any suggestions on how to dry it out?

[Dodger666]

I think you'd do best by removing the carpet and dry it thoroughly. You wouldn't want the floor panel rusting.

[Pumbah]

I had a Triumph Spitfire soft-top in 1960's. Left the roof down one day when it rained. Carpets, and soundproofing, were soaked. Only answer is to take all carpets out (and any soundproofing - on bulkheads, etc) to dry. Took me 3 days.