HELP!!!! Flooded engine!!!!
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl,
HELP!!!! Flooded engine!!!!
So yesterday I finally purchased my first vette, a red '85 that i learned to drive in from my dad. So I'm getting off of work today, when a massive thunderstorm came from nowhere and hit tampa very hard. I was able to get back to my apartment, and though i was home free, when i turned a blind corner in my complex and wound up in fairly deep water and my engine shut off. I'm worried she is flooded. Is there any first response fixes i can do to save her? Any help or imput is greatly appreciated.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,030
Likes: 10
From: Edmonton, Alberta
I'm assuming you mean flooded as in soaked your engine? If so, since you have a L98 and have a distributor, check to see if that's wet and all your spark plug wires are dry. If you think you have flooded the motor via (gasoline), push your gas pedal to the floor and while keeping it there try to start the engine. Good luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,227
Likes: 697
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
I assume you mean that the water went up pretty high.
I'd just ck to make sure the air filter is dry. Other wise give it a day to dry out. Should be fine
I'd just ck to make sure the air filter is dry. Other wise give it a day to dry out. Should be fine
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,147
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
Sounds like you just hosed it good with plenty of water. When the rain lets up and water drains off enough around the car, you could run a long extension cord out to the car (don't want to get you electrocuted) with a hair dryer and let it blow (no heat, just air) on one side plug wires and then the other for about an hour to help dry it out. You can pop off the distributor cap and wipe it out with papar towels and give the distributor a warm blow for a couple of minutes too. Unless you have one of those low air intake air scoops you probably didn't get any water inside the engine and it should be OK when the wires dry out. On an '85, you might have enough room to pull and wipe dry some plug wires. Be careful and don't tear the wires out of the plug boots. If you take them off, give them a little twist to break them free of the plugs and they'll come off easier.
Kind-a funny that they named these cars after a boat, but you're sunk if get them very wet
!
Kind-a funny that they named these cars after a boat, but you're sunk if get them very wet
!
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
Likes: 9
From: Merritt Ils Fl
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Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl,
havnt had a chance to check the air filter. that same thunderstorm knocked out my power last night, and thus my internet as well, so this is the first time i've been able to check back. I'm worried that i pulled water in through the intake and hydrolocked the motor. The water level was awefully close to that air intake. Gonna let her dry off all day today (don't really have much of a choice in the matter, I'm working a double today and kinda stuck.) Just hoping it'll dry out and fire up. Guessing that if the air filter is wet, then that's a good indication i pulled water into the block? I'm really worried that i've done some serious damage. As for the cabin, it's quite dry, i was able to push it to a dry place so he interior is fine.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,699
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
If the filter is wet, pull the plugs and crank the motor over. Put them back in and fire it up. You should be fine. Just don't try starting it up until you pull the plugs if you thing the motor ate water.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl,
ya that's what i'll do. Unfortunately i won't be able to do anything til later tonight. damn job. guess I'll be back on tomorrow to let y'all know how it went
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,314
Likes: 508
From: South-central Missouri
Water settles to the bottom of oil. So, I pull the crankcase drain plug for a second or so and then inspect the catch pan for water (works for coolant too, but that's another topic). No water = good to go.
P.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 21,094
Likes: 282
From: Phila., PA burbs
Did you turn the car off or did it suck water and shut down. If you shut it down you'll probably be alright..........just follow the others advice. If it sucked water and died then you probably just bought an engine.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl,
that's exactly what i did, and sure enough, about a shot glass worth of water per cylinder poured out. couldnt believe how much water she swallowed. But I'm pretty sure that when the engine shut down, i didnt damage anything. unfortunately, my current living arrangements do not allow me a garage, so i can't continue for tonight. gonna have to change the oil tomorrow, and get the new spark plugs and see if she'll fire back up
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl,
Tell me about it! I couldn't believe how much water that storm dropped her in Tampa. It was only raining for a couple of minutes where i was but it was enough to flood my parking lot. Can't believe I broke my vette on its first day in Tampa
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl,
unfortunately, it shut itself down. Where i was, you couldnt see very far, but it had been raining for such a short period of time, i couldnt imagine the parking log being so flooded. I kind of turned a blind corner and went from no puddles at all, to my car shutting itself down. She swallowed quite a lot of water. I don't believe i damaged anything though and i'm following their advice, just pulled the plugs and drained off the block. we'll see if an oil change tomorrow and some new plugs will bring her back. Other than that, all i can do is pray, I'm just a broke college student, sure can't afford a new block right now