[Travel] Flooded petrol engine - what’s the damage?

[Fungus]

Sister drove her Merc through a flood the other day, and in her reasonably knowledgeable opinion, the engine is “f***ed”. She nursed it the few miles home, and it’s been towed away.

I was trying to explain to my wife the consequences of water in an internal combustion engine, but wasn’t much more eloquent than my sister.

Can someone explain it better? And is it an expensive replacement job?

 

[dazzer6666]

Sister drove her Merc through a flood the other day, and in her reasonably knowledgeable opinion, the engine is “f***ed”. She nursed it the few miles home, and it’s been towed away.

I was trying to explain to my wife the consequences of water in an internal combustion engine, but wasn’t much more eloquent than my sister.

Can someone explain it better? And is it an expensive replacement job?

I guess worst case will either a need a rebuild or replacement engine.

Decent article here https://do-it-up.com/vehicles/engine-transmission/car-went-through-water-and-died-how-to-fix/

 

[Flounce]

https://thefloodhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/FT-Q-R95-Driving-in-Flood-Water.pdf

 

[Weststander]

£4,999.99.

 

[surrey jim]

Put it in a bowl of rice

 

[sparkie]

It pretty much kills the car.

 

[Fungus]

I guess worst case will either a need a rebuild or replacement engine.

Decent article here https://do-it-up.com/vehicles/engine-transmission/car-went-through-water-and-died-how-to-fix/

She’s gonna get a big bill, isn’t she?

 

[beorhthelm]

file under "it depends...". a lot of the problems are with the electrics, components shorted, makes modern cars more vulnerable to water damage.

 

[Fungus]

It pretty much kills the car.

Yeah, a colleague’s BMW was written off a few years ago…

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Depending on the car, it's potentially a write off.

Then again her insurer would generally reject any such claim in the first place due to the fact that driving through floodwater is an entirely avoidable event.

I guess it will come down to whether she wants to pay for a new engine, or a new car.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I followed a few cars through a flooded part of the road just past Deanlands on the way to Ripe where my parents lived a few years ago. Although other cars sailed through, I was unlucky enough to have a Ford Mondeo which apparently draws air from very low, so ended up with the same problem. The engine was wrecked and I bought a reconditioned engine, which was still expensive but a lot cheaper than new. I can't remember the price, but it was thousands. It was pretty annoying and upsetting. I hope you find a good solution.

 

[Official Old Man]

Shove it on the drive and wait for a flood somewhere, then go and 'park' it in the flood water.

 

[Bry Nylon]

5 minute job

 

[Flounce]

5 minute job

More like a 5k job

 

[Springal]

Try insurance company. Were there other cars around that maybe created a bit of a ‘tide’ driving through which could have caused her car to ingest water ?

This happened to a relative of mine by a 4x4 going through some standing water quickly, damaging 4 cars

 

[Bry Nylon]

More like a 5k job

I should imagine that Mercedes dealership labour rates mean the two aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[HeaviestTed]

More like a 5k job

And you get a brand new engine!

 

[Fungus]

Try insurance company. Were there other cars around that maybe created a bit of a ‘tide’ driving through which could have caused her car to ingest water ?

This happened to a relative of mine by a 4x4 going through some standing water quickly, damaging 4 cars

No idea, but she’d already done a long detour to avoid known floody roads. She’s in deepest Dorset; we’ve avoided stopping there on our way back home - we’re fully electric, but I still wouldn’t fancy it.

 

[Winker]

I'm surprised no one has suggested turning it off and turning it on again.

 

[Muzzman]

For the price it's gonna cost to get a Merc fixed, she may as well get one of these...