I think I've ruined it!

[DavidL]

Wiltshire is a swimming pool this morning and I think I have caused some damage, possibly terminal, to my 944T.
Set out this morning to work and there is a lot of standing water. Took my time, nothing too deep until one which got a lot deeper in the last third. I was committed by that point and whilst I kept going, coming out there were clouds of white smoke from the exhaust and the voltage gauge had dropped to about 12 for its usual 13.5.
Oil pressure and temp fine.
Switched off and considered the possibilties. Went up the road on foot to a small crossroads where it transpired I had nowhere to go without lots more water.
Restarted the car and after 10 seconds or so it seemed to be running fine. I choose the least flooded route home - about 2 miles.
It would run fine but then seem to loose power and the white smoke would return.
Made it back and parked.
As far as I can tell the oil pressure remained fine and it didn't overheat but it clearly isn't well.
I imagine if there is damage it will be written off - assuming the insurance company will pay out for something like this - will they?
I'll get on to my indie on Monday and see what happens next. Hopefully its fixable and I can have it back.
Not a great start to the day!

 

[petrolhead944]

hi dave are you sure the exhaust is not full of water..ie the white steam??how deep was the water then? is the car running on all four pots? had you been to the petrol station before this? only it could be bad fuel..or you have put diesel in it..lol....have you looked at the oil? and header tank? did any water get into the car? because of the ecu..the volts would drop because of the water..

 

[mik_ok]

Sounds like its just damp to me.

If you'd done serious damage - ie ingesting water - you'd know for certain!

 

[ExAudiSi]

I think that this happened to another member on here, who is also a TIPEC member and the insurance paid out for repairs.

If you are getting white smoke (or steam?) only some of the time, I would suggest taking the top off the air filter and making sure that the air box is not half full of water which you are pulling through into the engine.
As has already been said if the engine had ingested much water you would know as it wouldn't be running now!

 

[DavidL]

Well I've had chance to have look under the bonnet.
Mayonnaise in the filler tube, but then there is always a little of that, and the dipstick is white - which I can't imagine is good. Decided not to try and start it.
On the phone to the garage tomorrow I think.

 

[poprock]

Hi David. We talked about this already on the TIPEC forum, but now that I've seen this thread "¦

If you were able to drive home you have definitely got off lightly. Taking water into the engine usually results in an instant failure. Worst case scenario is bent/broken con rod or piston rod when the engine tries (and fails) to compress water instead of air! That stops you dead in your tracks, before you even get out of the puddle. My car died a few feet after the puddle, and water had been pulled through the engine but not quite far enough to cause the above nightmare"”it just killed a lot of the old electrical parts. You were able to drive home, which suggests minor problems to me.

 

[rd944]

I drove my 924 through a bonnet deep flood a while back, she stalled out, locked up and started again 10 seconds later.. once i'd emptied the airbox of water she ran fine but needed an oil and filter change to get the bit she'd swallowed out of the sump. From the sounds of it, you havent done any serious damage or (as has been said) it wouldnt be running at all.

one thing though.. change the gearbox oil, if its been in deep water it will have got in there through the breather. Mine had almost as much water as oil in it and it took me about a week to work out why the gearchange was uber stiff from cold. Again, no long term damage was done.

 

[DavidL]

Well perhpas not all doom and gloom as I first thought. The car runs and only misses occasionally, no clouds of whiteness or horrible graunching noises. It is now in Steve and Christian's capable hands so it will get sorted. Insurance company seemed quite happy with the idea of using another garage so we shall wait and see.