Fords and diesels

[betty swollocks]

Cycled past Bucklebury Ford yesterday afternoon and paused to advise diesel car driver not to attempt it. He ignored my sage advice and juddered to a halt coming off the exit ramp.
He tried to restart, but the engine only stuttered and plumes of blue smoke came out the back.
Bet he hydrolocked it and bent the conrods.
New engine time!!

I wished him good luck and pedalled off.

 

[Renard]

What's hydrolocking? This could be useful advice!

 

[betty swollocks]

it's when you get water in the engine, usually through the air intake and because water cannot compress, something else has to give.
Diesels are particularly susceptible to this as they work on a high compression ratio. Click on the link - a driver describes his experience.

 

[snakehips]

' ahh the joys of all alloy engines!! It still ran though!! £9.5K for a new engine at the Audi dealers courtesy of a very unhappy insurance company.....flood damage was the claim ' !!!!!!

So it apears that pillocks can do this to their engines then claim on their insurance !

 

[Mr Pig]

I know a guy who drove his car through flood water, forgetting the fact that he's fitted an induction kit with a very low air intake! Engine was full to the brim with water and yes, it bent the con' rods.

 

[Bigtwin]

Back in Jan I had to ride my motorbike around several stranded cars in a flooded ford (you know what I mean). It was about 3 feet deep.

Got a wet leg and partial hernia from laughing at the idiots who had ignored the signs and tried to gun it at 20 mph.

 

[tyred]

Peugeot/Citreon diesels tend to be very prone to this as they have the air intake mounted lower than what is sensible.

 

[Globalti]

This was me at Hoghton Bottoms, near Preston: http://www.wetroads.co.uk/lancashire.htm

The water was high so I had told my son to get out and walk across the footbridge, just in case. Must admit I got nervous when water came over the bonnet in a green wave but I kept moving as the idea is that you build up a bow wave with the air intake (just inside the top of the LH wing on a Landy) in the "hollow" behind the wave. When I got home I had to remove the headlights and drain about half a pint of water out of each!

You can see how the current was tugging the lighter rear of the Landy downstream in picture 2. I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been along with another 90 jacked up with big wheels and taller springs.

 

[Piemaster]

With the engines on the ship we ALWAYS turn the engine over with the indicator cocks (small valves on each cylinder) open before starting the engines up to check for water. Bending a 140kg con-rod is a very bad thing.

 

[FazTheWookie]

I was initially very confused, having assumed that Bucklebury Ford was your local Ford dealer! Doh!

 

[fossyant]

I know a guy who drove his car through flood water, forgetting the fact that he's fitted an induction kit with a very low air intake! Engine was full to the brim with water and yes, it bent the con' rods.

On NPOC !

My mate nearly killed his Mondeo once. Following another car through a large'ish puddle (not a flood, and not deep) - as he hit it his car stalled. The bow wave from the other car/him had entered the air pipe. Anyway a mate sorted it - hadn't gone as far as hydro locking, but he was advised to sell the car. The turbo failed some months later (warranty) and he soon PX'ed it....

I see fools driving through a flood every few weeks on my commute (blocked drains under a railway bridge) - it's a good 6" deep.....OK on a bike...

 

[fossyant]

I also had a boss who wrote off a £25k Volvo by driving through a flood - idiot - was above his knees.

I don't even attempt it in my petrol, but that's more an electronics issue...no ta.

 

[Mr Pig]

On NPOC !

Yes. Stevie's Primera. Ant fixed that engine but it was a right mess.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

With the engines on the ship we ALWAYS turn the engine over with the indicator cocks (small valves on each cylinder) open before starting the engines up to check for water. Bending a 140kg con-rod is a very bad thing.

Nowt to do with diesels, but similar reason steam locos start off with cyclinder drain cocks open. To allow condensed water to exit without compressing against cyclinder end covers. (And blowing off said covers!)