Water ingestion.. HELP!

[G-MANGERALD]

Drove through two quite a deep puddle's in close succession last weekend and my car cam to a spluttering halt, i killed the battery trying to start it! ended up waiting 3+ hours for green flag to turn up with some jump's and once id got it fired it sounded awful, badly misfiring… along with unnatural smoke coming out of the rear, i was towed home so as not to cause further damage.

I checked my Car once home and found the oil was particularly watery (Creamy brown) so i changed it and the oil filter (ridiculously awkward to get off) also changed the sparks and have ended up buying four coil packs which im not sure will make any difference after trying a new coil in position 1, 2, 3 (not 4 yet as it's awkward to get to but i doubt very much it will be that?) I assumed it was misfiring?

The Engine sounds much better than it did and will run in idle but there's a distinct tapping sound which increases in line with applied power, the one time i tried to apply power the engine cut out after a few seconds. There's no way i'm going to drive it anywhere like this, i need to find out what’s causing the tapping - which i’m desperate to fix as i can't afford the garage prices.

Just to add, i changed the battery as it was knackered, took the pipe from the airbox to get the battery in and noticed water on the airbox pipe, is it worth cracking the airbox open and checking it's not drenched and drying it out if needed?

Thanks for any help.
Adam.

 

[cus]

its easy enough to take off, so i'd definately getthe air box off. probably taking it water when revving it

 

[G-MANGERALD]

Cheers CUS, You have any ideas where the MAF is and if it's easy to take off? reading a post about a guy who had a similar problem and he took the MAF off and dried it out.

The thing bugging me is the tapping noise? i'm just not sure if dryng things out will change that or if ive caused perminant damage?

 

[cus]

Cheers CUS, You have any ideas where the MAF is and if it's easy to take off? reading a post about a guy who had a similar problem and he took the MAF off and dried it out.

The thing bugging me is the tapping noise? i'm just not sure if dryng things out will change that or if ive caused perminant damage?

MAF is connected next to the air box got a plug going into it, and should have 'Bosch'writen on it.
you can disconnect that and dry it out, as that would get wet if the air box is full of water. could also need a new MAF if its damagedtoo much.

tappets possibly? if your oil was contaminated with water, could of affected them. mine taps a bit aswell

 

[s20ty c]

i think these engine allways souned a bit tap when ur under the bonet dont they?

 

[G-MANGERALD]

Not like this they don't, it's aloud(ish) tapping and the engine cuts out when i apply power. Just waiting for the air filter to dry out and will try to run the engine for a bit and see what happens.

 

[G-MANGERALD]

CUS,
Are tappets difficult to change/fix? that will be my next mission is drying MAF and air filter don't solve the problem.

 

[cus]

i dont think its as simple as that.. they are hydrolic and cant be adjusted like old tappets can (correct me if i'm wrong!)

see what happens with the MAF and air box once they are back on.
also check your engine oil level and make sure that its okay

 

[G-MANGERALD]

All dry and back on yet the tapping noise (definitely gets quicker in line with applying power) is still there!!

Already done oil and filter change it's got 5 litres of new oil in. Noticed smoke (thicker than normal) coming out of the back! The weekends done and it's still not running right!

Do you think it's worth running it at idle for half hour to see if warming the engine thoroughly will help/is worth trying? I'm just afraid of causing further damage but i refuse to hand it over to a garage.

 

[MIkey kc]

is this tapping noise more like this knocking noise if so it sound like you have bent something like a con rod!

 

[G-MANGERALD]

I just don't know Mikey? to be honest im getting more and more annoyed with it! just sat in it for 5 mins with the engine ticking over and the noise is still as loud as before - i just think running it is causing more harm than good. Running out of ideas and i can't afford to take it to a garage.

 

[MIkey kc]

iwhat eninge is it?
is the noise more like someone knocking on a door? or like you say ticking?
is it missfiring?

 

[G-MANGERALD]

1.8T 20v

It's more like a ticking than knocking? and gets quicker when i put the power on.

Changed the spark plugs and bought a new coil which i tried in position 1,2,3 (not 4 though as it's diificult to get to and didn't think t was worth trying as the first three made no differnece to engine noise with a change of coil)

 

[MIkey kc]

there is a black box on the left of your engine with a couple of pipes goin in and out of it near the washer bottle while your engine is running put your hand on that. that ticks and you can feel ticking with the hand just make sure its not that.

Is it running alright? engine light on?

 

[MIkey kc]

the injectors tick aswel, does it sound like its coming from inside the engine?

 

[G-MANGERALD]

Mikey,

Just did what you suggested and the noise sounds like it coming directly from the left of where the oil cap is situated (or below it) and definitely not the black box you though it might be? Does sound like it could be coming from the engine.

The sound is like one of them things football fans you used to swing around when i put the power down. (you no what I mean?)

Engine lights not on.. although it was before i started doing all this work? i Vagcomed it straight after the original puddle issue and there were a bag full of problems!

It not coil 4 - just tried that as well?

 

[MIkey kc]

Sound like its your injectors making the noise, they are near where you say the noise is coming from. If you engine is running fine and you have no code or engine light coming on then your car seems to be fine, as for the smoke its prob just abit of water thats gettin burnt off.

You ve done all you can and what you should of i.e oil and filter, dried airbox and filter.

best thing to do is go for a good drive and see how you get on.

sounds to me like its ok, but i cant hear the ticking but if you had done somthing major it wouldnt be ticking it would be knocking badly and running rough

 

[G-MANGERALD]

Right i’m about to take it out for a drive, i have to say i am really concerned about the noise as it sounds quite violent when i apply the power. I get the feeling it wont be able to take a drive but I’m probably over worrying.

Going to leave in 10.. you sure i should be ok to take it out? Not that it makes you liable but i need someone to blame when my engine explodes : ) also how long for and would you think the tapping might stop? What could cause it? My engine was smooth as silk before i went through the puddle of death.

I did change the battery by the way, perhaps that's why the engine light is not showing? it doesn't come on straight away after you clear codes... I'M SCARED!

 

[MIkey kc]

lol well like i said i cant hear the ticking but these engines do tick alot caused by the injectors and the charcoal canister.

if you have had your engine running and there was a fault then the engine light would of come on now after your battery change. The codes shouldnt just clear really by changing a battery

If you really not sure just leave it running for a while and see how it goes saves you breaking down.

 

[G-MANGERALD]

Ok, i'm gonna run it for a bit, to scared to drive it. What should i be looking for? should i expect the noise to atlease calm down a bit?

Also any idea what the engine temp gauge should read? last time ran it (about half hour ago for 3 mins) the temp guage went up.

Thanks for all your advice by the way, im not that clued up to be totally honest.