Ran through a big puddle, car died

[pogiskier]

Just to clarify a little Hydrolocking is when you suck a bunch of water into your engine and because water does not compress is will break stuff like rings and some times a rod. if you find your self dead in water DO NOT TRY to START YOUR CAR! first tow it out of the puddle then check the air filter if wet then you have water. so next remove all sparkplugs with them all out then try to start your car this will turn the engine over and hope fully push any water out of the cylinders. If water comes out in significant amounts then take your car to a shop. If it turns over fine and no water comes out then put new sparkplugs in and hopefully all is well. that is replacing the wet air filter first and making sure the air pathway is also dry. Sense you said that your engine still turned over There is hope. When I drove my 4runner through a puddle 3 ft deep it dyed and after removing all plugs i still could not get the engine to turn over even by trying to pull start it. It was dead and that was the end of my offroading.
Good luck to the OP.

[pogiskier]

By pull starting I mean, being pulled by a truck.

[Scott@Bjorn3D]

Yeah I was thinking for doing the ADM scoop for my CAI Industries. But a couple weeks ago I got forced into a big puddle and when I open my hood when I got home the inside of my intake box had water on it and there where water drops on the filter.

That told me no scoop for me, why would I want to chance throwing more water up in there.

[garcmol]

Member Goliath seems to have a similar issue in the below thread. Specifically the service stabilitrak and the car won't start. No mention of a puddle, I don't think you locked the engine up, but sounds like something with stabilitrak got jacked up on the car. He refers to a ticking sound like your hearing too.

I thought the issue was fix by reflashing the ECM by the dealership 2 weeks ago. Again, it came back on Saturday night and I had to call a tow truck. The relay fuze was making a loud ticking noise, but the engine won't crank. After the tow guy dropped my car off to the dealership drop-off point, he started the car back up. WTF!!! ...This has been the 10th time the car won't start and start back up normally after 1 hour or so. I'm sick and tire of the run around that excuse "I can't fix your car issue, unless it break down for real." What happen when my warranty runs out?

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133398

[Padre]

Originally Posted by garcmol

Member Goliath seems to have a similar issue in the below thread. Specifically the service stabilitrak and the car won't start. No mention of a puddle, I don't think you locked the engine up, but sounds like something with stabilitrak got jacked up on the car. He refers to a ticking sound like your hearing too.

+1. I had something similar happen though when the fusebox in my van got wet. Fuses get wet and short, then dry out and it runs, and if the source of the leak is still there, it happens again when it gets wet again.

So, check your fuses and fusebox.

BTW, I have a Fastlane Pipeline intake that draws from below the headlight. No worries so far even after yesterday's big storm. Though I am a little more careful with it.

Padre

[Russell James]

It's going to need a technician, scanner, and service manual.

I'd first check the air filter, if it's wet, remove all spark plugs and check for water in motor.

If the filter is dry, check for codes with the scanner. Then go down the diagnostics in the service manual for whichever condition it has. There is different diagnostics depending on whether it cranks over or not, and depending on which codes are in the system.

Without a scanner and service manual everything else is guesses. Unless of course water comes pouring out the spark plugs, then that is pretty easy - call the insurance co.

[iBMV6]

Thanks for the quick responses guys! Checked the air filter today and it did have some water in it, but luckily the engine still turns over. Gave a call to insurance and they'll be down to appraise the damage tomorrow afternoon.

[CFD]

If the engine turns over then it is not hydrolocked, some of the electrics are most likely wet and preventing it from starting. If there is a substancial amount of water in the filter some may have gotten into the motor, if that's the case removing the plugs will reveal this.

[2010SLVRBULIT]

ingen is like a vacuum, no?

[KnightRiderSS]

Originally Posted by iBMV6

Thanks for the quick responses guys! Checked the air filter today and it did have some water in it, but luckily the engine still turns over. Gave a call to insurance and they'll be down to appraise the damage tomorrow afternoon.

Could you wring water out of it? Did you see moisture in your intake after you took the filter off?

If your engine is turning over I doubt it is locked up...

[KnightRiderSS]

Originally Posted by CFD

If the engine turns over then it is not hydrolocked, some of the electrics are most likely wet and preventing it from starting. If there is a substancial amount of water in the filter some may have gotten into the motor, if that's the case removing the plugs will reveal this.

+1

Sorry didn't see your post

[garcmol]

Originally Posted by 2010SLVRBULIT

ingen is like a vacuum, no?

Nah, I have the long tube intake. The filter is right behind the left fog light. I did put on the hydroshield over the filter and haven't had a problem yet. Plus the fender liner and front fascia keep water from bombarding it.

Now you're absolutely right if it was in standing water, it would suck it right up. Let's just hope that never happens.

[SSLarry]

Lets say your an automotive engineer and you are designing a car. You don't design to defeat a 8" of water?

Subscribed.

[toesuf94]

This has been a common problem with a lot of newer cars for years...the intakes are usually routed low, say below a headlight to keep the 'sucking noise' out of the interior.

Was at a BMW dealer back in '89. Guy had a BRAND NEW BMW 750iL V12 that he drove through a puddle. The guy was pissed that BMW would not cover the engine failure...and they were quoting him $24,000 +!!


Good luck to the OP.