Drowned BX Estate

[Stuarted]

My battered but beloved 180,000-mile J-reg diesel estate drowned in a ford last week when the engine cut out and it floated downstream up to its headlights. Entirely my own fault - memo to self: even with suspension right up and going really, really slowly with high revs, despite high air intake, don't get cocky ...

Engine presumably wrecked so probably not worth trying to repair (unless anyone wants the car - Hereford area, Welsh borders).

I miss it - nothing else is the same - so will advertise "wanted, BX diesel estate, turbo or non-turbo". It's a long shot but my only hope.

[MULLEY]

erm, isn't it worth draining the car of all its fluids that could either be contaminated with water or just filled up in places where it shouldn't & then try firing the car up? The engine experts will hopefully be able to explain a methodical approach on what to do?

[citsncycles]

The reason flooded cars get written off is that the labor charge for getting them dried out and working again is often more than the value of the car.

I agree that it would be worth draining and replacing all the fluids, removing either the glow plugs or injectors and spinning it over to clear the cylinders, then seeing if it'll run. If you're lucky, all the electrics will work after being dried out, and the interior will also be fine after removing and drying out.

[MULLEY]

Modern cars with ecu's that get shorted out are a definate write off as the expense is daft, but older cars have more of a chance. Is there anyway of manually turning the car over to remove any water that might be in the cylinders to avoid damage? Surely got to be worth a try to save, if it's wrecked then no real extra damage will be done anyway?

[citronut]

if worst comes to worst and the engine is wrecked just stick another lump in and away you go,

obviously as others have said drain all its bodily fluids and replace with fresh,

why did you have high rev's on as that would more likely cause more damage,

you should never ever mix Citroens with Fords (fix or repair daily's )

regards malcolm

[Mickey taker]

They used to say to keep your revs up when going through water to stop any water coming up the exhaust.

[Mickey taker]

Check the air filter box, surely if no water got in ther then it won't have got in the engine or am I being a bit simplistic

[mat_fenwick]

If the air filter is dry he should be OK, but I can't see why a diesel would stop unless it had eaten some water. I too had read advice about keeping revs up, but I can't see a diesel surviving water no matter what the revs.

[Tim Leech]

If the shell is sound then the rest is mendable surely?

[Wooscary]

That video you posted on Facebook is pretty hair raising Mat! Pretty impressive that he kept going.

Hope the car is saveable. Mine could do with a bit of a flood, might clean some of the muck off.

[Stuarted]

... I can't see why a diesel would stop unless it had eaten some water. .. can't see a diesel surviving water no matter what the revs.

Exactly.

(High revs = just to keep water out of exhaust.)

[JayW]

The engine will only be knackered if it's Hydraulic'd (i.e. attempted to compress water within the cylinders). I would certainly give removing the injectors and cranking it over a go, they may be full now but not nessecarily when it was running. The glowplug holes would be too small to let water escape fast enough.

We rescued a Rover 218 (PSA) of similar fate several years ago.

Removal of the interior is only a few hours work.

[Dollywobbler]

I've seen a Land Rover Disco Tdi recover from a drowning (though it was a bit smokey!) and only a few weeks ago, I was with a Nissan Terrano diesel that stalled in water. Thought that had sucked enough water in to kill it, but it hadn't. Hope someone can salvage it.

[Mickey taker]

Take the sump plug out and let it drain, your going to have to replace the oil anyway

[Defender110]

The engine will only be knackered if it's Hydraulic'd (i.e. attempted to compress water within the cylinders). I would certainly give removing the injectors and cranking it over a go, they may be full now but not nessecarily when it was running.

I agree with Jay here, normally the first thing that stops the engine is the driver coming off the accelerator peddle and the engine stopping due to the back pressure of the exhaust gas that can't escape. This normally stops the engine before any damage is done.

Is the engine turning over but not starting or is it locked and not cranking? If it hydraulicked and is still locked then the engine should still be fine?

The glowplug holes would be too small to let water escape fast enough.

Would be if hand cranked.