Re: Help, high water

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Doyt W. Echelberger <Doyt@NWOhio.com>
To: Quattro List <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Friday, April 10, 1998 10:10 AM
Subject: Help, high water


>OK....These are the facts: Son driving 86 4kq in raging storm 30 miles from
>home encountered rising flood waters that surrounded him on a road in rural
>Ohio. Tried to back out to higher ground and the engine died.  Nearby
>farmer towed vehicle to higher ground, using pickup truck and long rope.
>
>Son called Dad and I drove to the scene and rescued him, soaking wet in
>raging storm and 40 mph winds. Brought home son, abandon car for daylight
>examination and some sunshine.
>
>How deep was it? The water came into the cabin through floorboard openings.
>
>Why did the engine stall? Don't know yet. That is the reason for this post.
>Need as many BTDT's as possible this morning. What to look for, what to do,
>what not to do?
>
>I figure drying out the distributor cap is the easy one, and looking for
>water in the air box, air filter is the scary one. Beyond that.....open to
>suggestions..
>
>If there is water in the air filter, I'm not going to try to start it, but
>will tow the car to a garage and let Audi mechanics deal with it, unless I
>hear other advice from the list.
>
>Like to hear from you in the next two hours, if possible. 9:41AM here in
>Ohio. Help...glub...glub.
>
>Doyt Echelberger
>86 4kcsq    wet
>87 5kcstq   dry, 1.7bar and still smiling, sort of
>
    Well, Doyt, I've drowned lots of two-stroke Enduro bike engines but
never a four-stroke Audi engine! I did float a '63 VW Bug over a 1/2 mile
section of flooded road, but that's another story (the MGB that tried to
follow me didn't make it - if he's on the list he's BTDT).
    Depending on how deep the engine went, I think your biggest potential
problem is hydraulic lock with water in the combustion chamber and water
contamination of the oil. I would drain the oil, refill, dry out the starter
& alternator, drain any water from the intake, turbo, and exhaust, remove
the plugs and spin the engine to expel any water from the cylinders, replace
the plugs and start it up. Let it run and warm up, drain the oil again and
change the filter.
    Of course if it didn't go deep enough to suck water into the intake and
contaminate the oil, this is a waste of time and money, but it's nice to be
sure. In any case you should dry out the starter and alternator and check
the intake and exhaust before trying to start it. The sooner you can get it
going, the less corrosion damage any water in the engine will cause.
    The engine could have stalled for many reasons including shorting of the
ignition system, water in the intake, submergence of the exhaust. If he was
trying to get into reverse, the engine probably dropped to idle and a
submerged exhaust could have stalled the engine. In this case water can be
pulled into the exhaust as it cools.
    I'm sure other qlisters can add much to these comments.

Good Luck!

Fred Munro
'91 200q  248k km