Arse! I've killed my V8S!
Discussion
Hydralock or Hydrolock? One of them anyway! 
Basically I filled the engine with water thanks to < 10 yards visibility and a 6 inch deep and 30 yard long flood encountered in fog at about 11.45 last night. I hit the water at about 10mph and rather than be stop and be stranded in what seemed the deepest bit with water rising, I dropped it down to first, kept the revs up and tried to keep going. 5 yards further on, the engine stopped. It's a strange feeling sitting in a sportscar in the dark with rain lashing down and hearing water lapping against the bodywork, not knowing if it's rising or not.
I tried to start the engine twice thinking it might be wet electrics (obviously) but the engine would not turn over so I left it.
Long story short, got my brother out who literally pushed me out of the flood and I had already called the AA who asked a local outfit (Bride Valley Motors
) to attend and they arrived about 15 minutes later. There then followed lots of spark plug undoing, after which we turned the engine over and forced the water out... quite a lot. Plugs back in and the engine was turning over and almost firing but not quite, and the dizzy cap was then opened and dried and sprayed with WD40. Still the same. In the end it went on the truck and now sits sickly in the garage. Unfortunately, to get it onto the truck we had to move the car on the ignition far enough up the ramp to attach the winch.
I'm told that there could easily be damage to the engine - head gasket, conrods, etc. As it turns over without any really nasty noises and almost tries to fire, I'm hoping major damage has been avoided but I haven't a clue.
Apparently, because the chap took the hose off (the one that runs to the [I can't remember what it's called] from the air filter), there is very little draw of air into the engine that he could feel by holding his hand over the end.
The thing that really hit home about what happened was looking into the solid metal tube part of the air intake hose which was almost full of muddy standing water.
So now I'm going to have to call a few places and get some quotes then approach the insurance company to see if they can help. Oh joy.
Me
Insurance Company 
I'd be very interested in hearing of similar experiences and how the car was fixed and how much it cost!
Oh and can someone tell me what the name of that new independent is that broke away from Peninsula? [something] Autos. Website? Phone number?
Thanks!
Graham
Basically I filled the engine with water thanks to < 10 yards visibility and a 6 inch deep and 30 yard long flood encountered in fog at about 11.45 last night. I hit the water at about 10mph and rather than be stop and be stranded in what seemed the deepest bit with water rising, I dropped it down to first, kept the revs up and tried to keep going. 5 yards further on, the engine stopped. It's a strange feeling sitting in a sportscar in the dark with rain lashing down and hearing water lapping against the bodywork, not knowing if it's rising or not.
I tried to start the engine twice thinking it might be wet electrics (obviously) but the engine would not turn over so I left it.
Long story short, got my brother out who literally pushed me out of the flood and I had already called the AA who asked a local outfit (Bride Valley Motors
) to attend and they arrived about 15 minutes later. There then followed lots of spark plug undoing, after which we turned the engine over and forced the water out... quite a lot. Plugs back in and the engine was turning over and almost firing but not quite, and the dizzy cap was then opened and dried and sprayed with WD40. Still the same. In the end it went on the truck and now sits sickly in the garage. Unfortunately, to get it onto the truck we had to move the car on the ignition far enough up the ramp to attach the winch. I'm told that there could easily be damage to the engine - head gasket, conrods, etc. As it turns over without any really nasty noises and almost tries to fire, I'm hoping major damage has been avoided but I haven't a clue.
Apparently, because the chap took the hose off (the one that runs to the [I can't remember what it's called] from the air filter), there is very little draw of air into the engine that he could feel by holding his hand over the end.
The thing that really hit home about what happened was looking into the solid metal tube part of the air intake hose which was almost full of muddy standing water.
So now I'm going to have to call a few places and get some quotes then approach the insurance company to see if they can help. Oh joy.
Me
Insurance Company I'd be very interested in hearing of similar experiences and how the car was fixed and how much it cost!
Oh and can someone tell me what the name of that new independent is that broke away from Peninsula? [something] Autos. Website? Phone number?
Thanks!
Graham
I'm really sorry to hear of your misfortune Graham - I hope you have avoided serious damage, and the fact that your engine still turns over is a positive sign.
I did a similar thing in a Triumph Vitesse, with 2litre 6 cyclinder engine many years ago - as a result the engine would not turn over because two conrods bent and had jammed in the cylinder. I replaced the two conrods with a couple from a breakers yard and the engine ran fine, there appeared to be no damage to the crankshaft.
With luck you'll get your engine running when it has dried out.
I did a similar thing in a Triumph Vitesse, with 2litre 6 cyclinder engine many years ago - as a result the engine would not turn over because two conrods bent and had jammed in the cylinder. I replaced the two conrods with a couple from a breakers yard and the engine ran fine, there appeared to be no damage to the crankshaft.
With luck you'll get your engine running when it has dried out.
Ouch - sorry to hear about your problem...
IF there is a path for the water to get into the air intake and from there into the bores, then it may not be a pretty picture.
A colleague of mine drove his Pug 306 through a ford a while back. Water was forced into the air intake and found its way into the cylinders. Because water is incompressible, the end result was bent conrods and a hole in the side of the block...
I really, really hope that your V8 hasn't suffered terminal engine damage. Looks like some more diagnostic works may be required..
Fingers crossed..
IF there is a path for the water to get into the air intake and from there into the bores, then it may not be a pretty picture.
A colleague of mine drove his Pug 306 through a ford a while back. Water was forced into the air intake and found its way into the cylinders. Because water is incompressible, the end result was bent conrods and a hole in the side of the block...
I really, really hope that your V8 hasn't suffered terminal engine damage. Looks like some more diagnostic works may be required..
Fingers crossed..
Engine turning over is a good sign; bent conrods etc would mean that you cannot do that.
Don't know what the insurers think to such things, but fingers crossed for you. Very nearly did the same thing myself a few months ago; sharp dip filled with water after some heavy rain. If I'd not seen a duck landing on what I thought was the road but obviously hitting water, I'd have probably gone straight in..
Don't know what the insurers think to such things, but fingers crossed for you. Very nearly did the same thing myself a few months ago; sharp dip filled with water after some heavy rain. If I'd not seen a duck landing on what I thought was the road but obviously hitting water, I'd have probably gone straight in..
Sorry to hear this Graham. All too easily done. Hope it turns out ok.
With that large foam filter element up front the water hasn't been forced in from travel speed, so I guess it got submerged and sucked in. That V8 certainly develops a strong suction, so it is understandable.
Keep us informed.
With that large foam filter element up front the water hasn't been forced in from travel speed, so I guess it got submerged and sucked in. That V8 certainly develops a strong suction, so it is understandable.
Keep us informed.
I've drowned an engine in a flood and got away with no damage, so fingers crossed you may be OK. But the more abruptly the engine stopped, the more risk that it bent something. If you have an 'S' shaped con rod it may not have bent far enough to prevent the engine from turning over and running, but can still be severely weakened. At a minimum, you want to get a compression check and drop the sump for a visual inspection of the bottom end. Incidentally the AFM is very sensitive to contamination and even a splash of water on the element can be enough to stop it working. So once you've had the engine inspected and assuming everything looks OK, replace all the HT components and if that doesn't do it try disconnecting the AFM.
Hi all,
Latest news is that Dulford Autos are coming up to trailer it down to their place this afternoon to do all the checks and I should then know what needs doing and what it's going to cost.
I'm wondering whether to phone the insurance company now to get an aye or nay on whether they even cover this kind of thing, but part of me just doesn't want to know yet!
Apparently a lot of people go through their insurance companies if they flood their diesel vans, but whether that's usually on a commercial insurance policy I don't know.
Latest news is that Dulford Autos are coming up to trailer it down to their place this afternoon to do all the checks and I should then know what needs doing and what it's going to cost.
I'm wondering whether to phone the insurance company now to get an aye or nay on whether they even cover this kind of thing, but part of me just doesn't want to know yet!
Apparently a lot of people go through their insurance companies if they flood their diesel vans, but whether that's usually on a commercial insurance policy I don't know.
Hello again - thanks for all the sympathy, but no-one brought any grapes! 
Car picked up at about 3.45 this afternoon.
I have posted a few pics on webshots taken on my phone - too dark to take many:
http://community.webshots.com/album/5
Oh and this afternoon, when pushing the car out of the garage ready to be picked up, I noticed about 2 or 3cm of standing water behind the seats. It's muddy so I assume the floodwater has found a hole, but I don't think it's the footwell grommet because the footwells are dry. Could be the seat mounting holes as my car has had modifications to the standard fixings.
Car picked up at about 3.45 this afternoon.
I have posted a few pics on webshots taken on my phone - too dark to take many:
http://community.webshots.com/album/5
Oh and this afternoon, when pushing the car out of the garage ready to be picked up, I noticed about 2 or 3cm of standing water behind the seats. It's muddy so I assume the floodwater has found a hole, but I don't think it's the footwell grommet because the footwells are dry. Could be the seat mounting holes as my car has had modifications to the standard fixings.
GI said:
about 2 or 3cm of standing water behind the seats. It's muddy so I assume the floodwater has found a hole.
Sorry to hear sbout your trauma
The water may hsve arrived behind the seats from seatbelt fixing holes, or your rear screen cloth has become waterlogged (when was it last weatherproofed ? ) and the water has soaked down through the carpeting to the lowest point. If the parcel shelf carpet has become wet, it may feel stiff and crisp as an indicator ?
Hi all,
Latest news is that the engine is running again so nothing is bent or damaged internally, but the compressions are down because basically the bores have been washed.
Apparently Richard took 14 litres of water out of the sump. And the oil was 5 inches higher than it should be on the dipstick.
Some of the ancillaries are going to need replacing, and probably the injectors too. I'm of the belief of getting it done properly and completely, instead of half a job and hoping for the best... so it's best if it stays at Dulford and the whole lot is done now.
Need to speak to insurance comp later.
Graham
Latest news is that the engine is running again so nothing is bent or damaged internally, but the compressions are down because basically the bores have been washed.
Apparently Richard took 14 litres of water out of the sump. And the oil was 5 inches higher than it should be on the dipstick.
Some of the ancillaries are going to need replacing, and probably the injectors too. I'm of the belief of getting it done properly and completely, instead of half a job and hoping for the best... so it's best if it stays at Dulford and the whole lot is done now.
Need to speak to insurance comp later.
Graham
gorvid said:
On the piccy it (the water) doesn't look too bad, I think many people would have been caught out in your situation.
Hi,
This pic: http://community.webshots.com/photo/5
shows the water the next day when it has shrunk quite a lot. I am taking the picture from where the edge of the flood was, and the water extended the same distance the other side. I was stranded about where the car is.
The water was 6 to 8 inches deep approx where the engine stopped. Almost welly-overflowing depth as my brother found out
Latest news is that a claim has been put in with the insurance comp. Richard kindly made up an estimate and faxed it through to them.
From never being called back at all by Peninsula (and I'm STILL waiting for a paint stick from them a year later), it's extremely nice to be dealing with someone who seems genuinely interested in his customers.
From never being called back at all by Peninsula (and I'm STILL waiting for a paint stick from them a year later), it's extremely nice to be dealing with someone who seems genuinely interested in his customers.
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