Damp Engine - Car wont start

[surreyfull]

last year i did the air intake modification and at the weekend i was driving down the a27 and it was flooded and the car sucked in a fair amount of water.

waited for breakdown recovery to come and they got it started again but about 10 miles down the road it cut out again! lost all power in all gears.

its been on the drive drying out for a week now but still wont start?

eventually the battery runs flat trying.

any ideas?

 

[crezz]

you were lucky not to hydrolic the engine...

 

[surreyfull]

what does that mean? any advice on how to get it running again?

 

[crezz]

sucking in water instead of air....water into conbustion chamber...cant compress water so would bend conrods

 

[surreyfull]

well the breakdown recovery people managed to get it started once but then not again, was suprised it cut out a second time once they had got it started.

the car still ticks over but much faster than usual.

any ideas before i get it towed to a garage?

 

[thewilfmeister]

that was really lucky to even get it started once let alone again! someone i know with a 106 got caught in floods in wales! hydrolic locked the engine. snapped camshaft or something like that....ended up with him buying a new car rather than fixing the damage to the internals.

 

[surreyfull]

well mine hasnt started for about a week now, just ticks over really fast. gonna have to have it towed to a garage i guess..

very suprised about the lack of help recieved to be honest! thought surely someone would know what to do if water is in the engine.... thought it might be a farely common problem in the winter.

 

[hopkinsgm]

Reasonable chance it'll be an electrical problem. Have you checked all is nice and dry inside the distributor cap? How about the plug leads? Is the coil is in good health? Are you getting sparks?

 

[edc]

If the idle is high then check vacuum hoses. If fuel supply is good then there must be air going in.

 

[edc]

Reasonable chance it'll be an electrical problem. Have you checked all is nice and dry inside the distributor cap? How about the plug leads? Is the coil is in good health? Are you getting sparks?

Not seen you on here for a while. I was down the M4 by Bath/Swindon end and there was a silver Alfa moving nicely along ... thought of you lol

 

[hopkinsgm]

...the car still ticks over but much faster than usual...

When you say "ticks over", do you mean "cranks over" i.e. spins up on the starter motor but doesn't catch or do you mean idles i.e. engine runs happily under it's own steam without needing to nurse the throttle? I'm a bit baffled as re-reading, you say it won't start but then suggest it runs fast at tickover (aka idle).

 

[hopkinsgm]

...Not seen you on here for a while...

AndyJ said much the same earlier... I do pop on from time to time, just to see what you lot are getting up to. Long suffering 8v still going strong, 120,000 miles young...

 

[Fl@pper]

had the cap off yet ? if it's got that wet it wont 'dry out' just leaving it - need to get in there and clean/dry the cap/leads/plugs/coil

surprised it started again if it did suck water down the intake

 

[andyj]

Blimey..... G, Ed, Flapper, me..... all in the same thread..... bit of an old school reunion !! All we need are m0rk and Scott to make an appearance !

 

[surreyfull]

When you say "ticks over", do you mean "cranks over" i.e. spins up on the starter motor but doesn't catch or do you mean idles i.e. engine runs happily under it's own steam without needing to nurse the throttle? I'm a bit baffled as re-reading, you say it won't start but then suggest it runs fast at tickover (aka idle).

ah i see how i have confused you here. my fault i typed the wrong thing! no it doesnt actually start, so doesnt idle, just spins up on the starter motor but doesnt catch. it sounds like its just about to start but then never does.

when it comes to engines my knowledge is a little limited which is why im having so much trouble!!!

no i havent had the cap off yet, il give that a go when i get home.

would any parts be worth replacing?

 

[surreyfull]

oh and if i was going to replace the cap/coil where would be the best place to buy replacements?

 

[crezz]

gsf or vwaudispares

 

[Greasemonkey]

Spark plugs out,turn the engine over for a good ten seconds,leave the plugs out over night so the fuel will evaporate out the cylinder, clean the spark plugs with a wire brush re-fit and should start unless like previously said the dizzy is full of water.

Paul

 

[surreyfull]

I took the spark plugs out and left it overnight and then put in a new set of NGK's and it still doesnt start. had the dizzy cap off and it all seemed dry in there.

any idead? would it help to replace the cap and myabe the leads?

thanks

 

[Black TDI Turbo]

compression test on the engine just to see if it hasn't caused any internal engine damage, failing that could have popped fuses or spiked a module due to the water in the electrics, really needs to go to a garage