got stuck in a flash flood

freddielong

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The island suffered a ridiculous amount of rain over the last few days which culminated is a biblical deluge yesterday.

I was driving to get my son from his grans, when the wall gave way on the right side of the road and the car was hit by a tidal wave of water, it never made it inside the main cabin but the engine stopped and wouldn't restart.

After much faffing about I got back to the car a few hours later and managed to start it and have driven it about today, but it just doesn't feel right. It seems to be lacking power and there is a lot of blackish smoke when I change gear.

It's a diesel car but anyone have any ideas what may be wrong with it.
 
Lots of flooding in Cumbria last night with 8 inches of rain forecast night plus gales.
Great!
 
The island suffered a ridiculous amount of rain over the last few days which culminated is a biblical deluge yesterday.

I was driving to get my son from his grans, when the wall gave way on the right side of the road and the car was hit by a tidal wave of water, it never made it inside the main cabin but the engine stopped and wouldn't restart.

After much faffing about I got back to the car a few hours later and managed to start it and have driven it about today, but it just doesn't feel right. It seems to be lacking power and there is a lot of blackish smoke when I change gear.

It's a diesel car but anyone have any ideas what may be wrong with it.
Get it to a garage mate.
 
Chances are that with black smoke coming out you've got oil contamination. Could be to much fuel getting into your cylinders and not burning off. To much fuel getting in will affect the engines performance

Get it to the garage as soon as possible

EDIT: just noticed you posted this 3 days ago so you've probably got the right answer by now :thup:
 
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Don't drive it. I blew a piston driving a flood damaged car. It was a company car but it would have cost 1000's to fix :o.

I sucked a load of water into the exhaust. It drove ok for 24 hours and the first time I really put my foot down it went bang !!
 
Working in the automotive industry and seen many flood damaged engines the is a possibility that the engine has been hydrauliced which is when water gets in to one of the chambers the over compression damages the internals, my advice do not drive it and get it recovered to a garage, good luck :confused:
 
Thanks for the replies.

I really dodged a bullet with this, I was writing the car off in my head. Took it to my mechanic who gave it the once over and all that was up with it was the air filter had come apart due to being wet and was being sucked into the engine.

Only cost me £15 in the end I am very happy. I am not sure the owner of a DB9 that I saw abandoned in large puddle would have gotten off as cheaply.
 
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