Floodwater 1 XsaraPicasso (2.0HDi) 1

[NewcastleFalcon]

Just about to return to my lovely Xsara Picasso, which I unfortunately drove into flood water, in the dark, which as I subsequently found out, was knee deep when the car came to a halt. Pushed it out backwards and got it into a safe place at side of the road.

Thought I would have a quick bit of research, and hoping in the back of my mind that 10 hours or so drying out period may give it the chance for starting up again on my return.

Probably slghtly concerned that, like when you drop an I-phone down the toilet, water and electronics don't mix and some catestrophic electrical disaster may have resulted.

But then on the good old internet I read about the Picasso's low air intake and the even more catestrophic possibility, nae probability!, that water has been sucked up into the cylinders and all points North South East and West in consequence.

So, I have done nothing yet, not even turned over the engine (if indeed it will turn over).

Whats my best strategy for causing the least consequential damage. Don't try to turn it on the starter and just get it towed home as a first step.

Try to assess whether water has been sucked up.....Air filter soggy etc
....and if it has, best method of getting it out.

Any thoughts to assist?.....this is currently a very live problem.

regards Neil

[harryp]

What a tragedy Personally I would certainly check the air filter first. If water has been sucked through it you could get hydraulic lock - water on top of the pistons. Forcing it over WILL cause all sorts of nasties and ruin the engine. You will have to check how far the water reached inside the engine bay - alternator, starter etc. I would certainly check that water has not reached any connectors on the many ECU's, so no ignition on. once the electronics have been proved dry, I guess the injectors will have to be removed before turning the engine over to remove/expel any water.
There are many people on here with much more skill regarding these matters then I!
Very best of luck and lets hope a member comes up with a successful plan.
Regards

[NewcastleFalcon]

Thanks Harry, I may have to wait for a bit of daylight now which in some ways is probably a good thing an overnight and half day of doing nothing may be the best thing for it. Certainly the consequences of ploughing into a flood can be very very expensive.

Cant get a recovery vehicle tonight to get it home and not very keen on towing it with a rope and another vehicle. The power steering and the brake servo need the motor running, and attemting to steer brake drive the Picasso being towed fill me with dread.

Did get some advice wich may or may not be applicable of the simplest way to expel the water if it has succked some into the cylinders.

take the glow plugs out, turn the engine over and stand well back. Water expelled at a considerable psi

Replace the glow plugs, and attempt to start the engine. (intercooler hose disconnected). Let it idle for a while before increasing revs, and expelling any residual water.

Reconnect intercooler hose and drive off!

Is that a plan that could work?
, or is getting glow plugs out of a 2.0HDi as impossible as it is from a 1.9cdti 16V with the long thin ones which are reluctant to ever come out of their tiny bores.

How feasible is taking the inlet manifold off at the roadside? as an alternative.

all suggestions appreciated

Neil

PS if the airfilter is bone dry, can I just relax start the engine up and drive home?

[Stickyfinger]

that is a good method and to add, if the air filter is dry, you could turn the engine over with a socket on the pulley just to be sure.

How did it feel when it stopped ? suddenly, spluttering or electrical ?

[RichardW]

If the air filter is wet (well if there's free water under it), almost certainly too late, the water will already be in the engine, and the con rods will be bent... If it's dry, then good chance engine is OK, and electrical fault has caused stoppage. THe ECU on the Picasso is a bit exposed, and water ingress causing failure is not unknown, even with trying to go boating in it! Fingers crossed, the engine is not wrecked....

[NewcastleFalcon]

that is a good method and to add, if the air filter is dry, you could turn the engine over with a socket on the pulley just to be sure.

How did it feel when it stopped ? suddenly, spluttering or electrical ?

Thanks good tip, presume if it turns full circle and doesnt clunk then things may not be so bad.

The flood, appeared to be a puddle when first entering then within 10-15 metres became knee deep on what is normally a flat road, and was getting deeper.
definitely no spluttering and no flashing/faltering electrics, just stopped. Dash lights as perky as ever after the stop, lights on, and central loccking working when I parked it up.

regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Fingers crossed, the engine is not wrecked....

Thats what I'm hoping for! I like my Picasso

Regards Neil

[Stickyfinger]

Best of luck tomorrow Neil. Hydro-Lock would make itself known as a very jerky stop I would of thought....but I have never experienced it

Are you having it recovered or planning to work "road side" ?

[NewcastleFalcon]

We're a bit of a recovery vehicle desert up here, car is only a couple of miles away, but there is only one bloke within a 10 mile radius who has a recovery vehicle, and his is currently "off the road". Next usable daylight I will see is Sunday morning, and there's nothing more bad language and stress provoking than trying to work on a car in the dark, or that hideous mix of excessive light and pitch black...thinking Luton's finest on full beam lighting the scene.

No I am just going to have to be patient. Weather for the weekend....gales and rain as well...already started now. I'll probably be wishing I have pushed the Picasso back another 50 metres or so as the waters rise

Not in the AA or its equivalents any more, but an on the spot join would not be out of the question.

I'm right about the scarieness of a rope tow with a power steering/ servo brakes set up aren't I, or is it not as bad as I think?

regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Ironic isn't it that I posted this up of a Lada more than coping with much deeper water than I marginally entered into today.



This thread would seem to be a better "home" for it now!

[bobins]

I'm right about the scarieness of a rope tow with a power steering/ servo brakes set up aren't I, or is it not as bad as I think?

regards Neil

You could get a rigid tow pole for not much money. Halfrauds, Screwfix and Toolstation do them, but Screwfix might have to get it in 'next day'
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/ ... owing-pole

[NewcastleFalcon]

You could get a rigid tow pole for not much money. Halfrauds, Screwfix and Toolstation do them, but Screwfix might have to get it in 'next day'
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/ ... owing-pole

Thanks, £25 and good reviews in the main, could be useful. This review was helpful

needed to get daughters car to a main dealer via motorway didn't fancy doing 25 miles with a rope so pole was bought fitted easily used easily (weird sensation to see daughter right up my boot instead of at the end of a long rope!) spring does help reduce the 'drag and push' effect especially the car was immobilised so no power steering or power assisted brakes. worked perfectly - can only assume the couple of reviews that say it bent / damaged cars the pole wasn't being used properly....

regards Neil

[DHallworth]

I've done the whole towing on a rope thing with a friend of mine before. As long as the tow car driver knows that you have no assisted brakes and no assisted steering and drives accordingly it can be done without much drama. As long as they don't emergency brake and don't do any harsh accelerating and lift off you should be ok.

The steering will be heavy when stationary but as soon as you start moving it should be fairly light. The brakes will still work but they won't have servo assistance so you'll need to apply a LOT more pressure to the pedal then you do normally.

When my gran drove into a flood and hydraulic'd her 6000 mile C3 a couple of years back, we towed it home on a rope, I didn't bother checking the electrics or anything like that, I whipped the plugs out, spun it over and the jet of water that came out of it was mighty impressive. It started relatively easily after that but it sounded horrendous. The insurance company took it to Citroen in Glasgow and a brand new engine was fitted to that one thankfully.

Best of luck with it, I hope it's not too bad. Is it the 2.0 8v HDI engine you've got? If so, they could be bought fairly cheaply last time I looked. They tend to be so reliable that there's not that much call for them 2nd hand.

David.

[NewcastleFalcon]

I whipped the plugs out, spun it over and the jet of water that came out of it was mighty impressive.

Best of luck with it, I hope it's not too bad. Is it the 2.0 8v HDI engine you've got?

David.

Thanks for your contribution David. I like the phrase "whipped the plugs out" and I am hoping thats what I will be able to do, and following that it will be driveable home. My recent experience with glow plugs of the long variety is that they are very stubborn to come out.

Its the 2.0 HDi 90 does that mean its the 8-valve?

Good to know that the rope-tow is a possibility. Theres a gentle is but long climb up from where the car is so that should be ok, then a flat bit on the top of a hill, then a steep downhill stretch of a mile or so wth a S-Bend and adverse camber as you approach the bottom, then a steep uphill climb followed by another steep half-mile down hill bit to my house. Hopefully I can exert enough pressure on th brake pedal to slow me on the downhill bits

Thanks

regards Neil

[elma]

I've towed a car in much the same manner through Snowdonia in winter. I would suggest radio contact between the cars because the tow car driver will pull to hard at times. Also take a chamois for the towed car, the screen will steam up in no time then it gets difficult. Brakes and steering weren't a problem for me even though the towed car had an expired engine, we went up and down some big hills.