Car Died After Driving In Flood

[ClareQuilty]

My old '82 Corolla died out on me for the first time tonight. I was driving it through a very deep flood and I suddenly noticed that it was TOO DEEP.. the car began to sputter. So I drove upon on the embankment - sort of muddy strip along the road - and made it out of the flood, but within another 50 meters the car died and wouldn't start. I got a lift and came back 2-3 hours later, and the car started and drove fine. I had been afraid it would take a sunny day to dry it out, but between 7 pm and 10 pm it was dry enough. What do you fellows think it was? Water in the distributor or?? Anyone else have driving-in-flood stories? We have to do it all the time here in Isaan.

[MikeyIdea]

Driving-in-flood stories; 92' Honda Dream outside Indra in 1995, went in shopping, very heavy rain, surprisingly long too, finally finished and I went out to find the bike parked in the middle of a lake, most of it under water - the engine and carburettor were some 15 cm under water. Surprise surprise, didn't start, had to walk to Din Daeng until I found an open shop, cleaned carb, drained the engine of water and put in new oil, new fuel. Perfect until Fortune Town, then it would only idle, the slightest throttle and it died. Finally got someone to push me home, didn't want any money for it, thanks. Cleaned the spark and got 500 meter before it would only idle again, same as the day before, cleaned the spark again and got another 500 meters. Where does the blo_ody water come from? Found it - the engine ran perfectly after I wringed the water out of the sponge in the air filter too - This is a true story, I still have the bike

You were lucky, dried out quickly. Older cars tend to be more sensitive to water and humidity. I would look at replacing old wiring, from spark caps to distributor, and generally try to protect sensitive electrical areas in the engine from water. I know it's pretty expensive but I find that after-market stuff have half the price and half the quality, I'd buy original directly and save the time and money of replacing the new half-decent quality stuff I bought with good quality original stuff - this is a mistake I have already done once and I'm not going to do it again - you get what ou pay for

Good Luck

[culicine]

Some water may have gotten into the distributor. My old mini was prone to this, until I cut the fingers off the ends of a rubber glove and put it over the distributor! Worked great. Carry some WD40 or other water dispersant in the rainy season.

[Deeral]

THe reason we have roads is the cars are not designed to drive in water - if you want to do that get a boat.

All vehicles diesel or petrol will give up the ghost given enough water as it either interferes with the electrics or gets in the fuel system or fills up the exhaust pipes.

Cars can be modified to go through deeper water but this is really for off road enthusiasts.

If you find yourself in deep water do this........

Keep the engine revs up

Move SLOWLY - so put the car in a LOW GEAR

DON"T STOP!

Keeping the revs up helps to repel water from the exhaust and the important parts of the engine.

Driving slowly reduces thee amount of water that splashes up over the cars internals. If you think you can CHARGE through the chances are you'll drown the electrics etc and end up sitting in the middle f the flood.

Don't stop! - If there is a car in front let them get on with it first - don't follow them as if they stop so will you! and you may get additional water splashing up from their wash.

In theory diesels are less likely to have problems but they can still get water in the fuel and exhaust systems and now with everything being "chipped" or computerised etc. their electrics are vulnerable too.

Edited September 15, 2010 by Deeral