When this flood occurs, the engine is severely damaged and cannot be repaired thoroughly. So how to know if the car is water damaged, what is the condition of the car being water damaged? then the following article will highlight the problems that your car is hit by water damage that you should know to avoid.
Because cars are the main means of transportation, flooding is inevitable, but not everyone knows how to fix and detect the condition of a car with water damage. The following phenomena will only tell you about the car’s hydraulic condition.
What is the hydrodynamic phenomenon of cars?
Hydroshock is a phenomenon in which water spills into the cylinder combustion chamber and through the air intake, wetting the car engine and causing it to stall. When this occurs, do not attempt to start the engine, as this action can cause water to be drawn deep into the engine and damage engine components.
Hydrolock is a term used to refer to a phenomenon in which a car engine is severely damaged due to water entering the cylinders. Since the cylinder cannot compress the fluid, the piston cannot move. As a result, the engine can come to a sudden stop and may be accompanied by extensive damage to the engine.
The consequences of water damage are often very serious, because the damage is located in the engine – the heart of the vehicle. In case of water damage, the cost of repair is usually very large, at least tens of millions of rupiah when replacing the mechanical arm, and if unfortunately it is necessary to replace both the new engine assembly and the entire system, many can reach several hundred million rupiah. Electricity.
Ways to check if your car is damaged by water
Looking closely at screws and bolts, even in tight spots, can help buyers understand if the car has been disassembled for repairs. If the screws and bolts are scratched, or have been removed and re-torqued, you need to ask the owner carefully. Because the car was water damaged and the engine had to be opened for rebuilding, it was inevitable that it would be taken apart and the screws and bolts would no longer be as intact as they were.
In addition to the screws and bolts, the car needs to be checked for corrosion. Door hinges, shock absorbers, trunk latches and other details …… Look for signs of rust. If there are signs of peeling between the rubber and the tires, the car has probably been flooded.
Use the car key to turn on the car and see if it still works, but never start the car. The more you try to get the car to start the engine, the more damage it will do, and water when easily get into the engine causing water damage. So push the car to a dry place and call for help.
When the vehicle is hit by water it still won’t solve the problem for you. So when there is a problem, please contact your insurance company immediately to fulfill the accident proof procedure to compensate, repair or replace as soon as possible to help your car run stably.
Also, to determine the water level when a car is flooded, sand or small pieces of garbage will stick to the car to form a marker line, and people often determine the maximum depth of water based on this marker line. When a car is flooded. Often, insurance companies will begin calculating damages when the water level reaches the car’s dashboard.
Look at the exhaust pipe that enters the bodywork, as this is the most obvious part to see if the vehicle has been impacted by water, because when the vehicle is impacted, this part has to be removed. These screws tend to be brick-brown in color due to the high temperatures, so they will show marks when removed, or if they have been replaced, this is a suspicious sign.
Check the interior. If the interior is moldy and has an unpleasant smell, then the car must have been damaged by water. Check the exterior and pay attention to the lights, as this is the most difficult location to remove marks from a car that has been flooded. If you see signs of the lights being pried off and blurred, it means that the lights have been waterlogged. Then check the trunk and the location of the screws to see if they are in the right place. Feel and turn over the floor covering for mud or dirt.
Damage when a car is severely damaged by water damage.
Deformed pistons
Fractured cylinder walls
Bent side rails
Damage to the cooling system
Shocked cold water in the engine
Damaged crankshaft
Broken catalytic converter
Ring stuck due to oil washout
Important considerations when a car is flooded
For a car flooded with a broken engine, but you try to start the car engine causing water damage and aggravating the damage to the car, the insurance company has the right to waive compensation. This is often the case. As a result, there are many cases of trouble between you and the insurance company around the issue of compensation for water damage.
Therefore, in order to secure their valuable property, vehicle owners should limit access to flooded roads. However, in the event that your vehicle is forced into a flooded area, according to technical experts, you should stop operating the vehicle when there are signs of a sudden shutdown or abrupt shutdown and call 911 immediately. to have the car towed to the company.
When the engine is shut down, you should remain calm and in order to minimize damage to your car, you should never attempt to start the engine again in order to try to get the car running through the flooded area to limit the unfortunate damage caused by water from the pump entering the combustion chamber and call the insurance hotline to get instructions on the necessary steps to take. This is the fastest and easiest way to save you time, energy and money, as well as avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and hassles. Minimize the amount of water entering your vehicle.
In addition to the phenomenon of water damage, there are many other ways for water to enter the vehicle, causing tens of millions of rupiah worth of damage. These problems are mainly found in the air conditioning fan system, the electrical system and the interior of the vehicle. When driving through a flooded area with high water levels, the safest thing to do is to turn off the air conditioner, including the blower, to avoid the phenomenon of dirt coming down with the water and jamming the propeller. If the fan blades get stuck, the blower fuse will blow and the engine will not be able to cool – in this case, the engine should be turned off and the fuse replaced.
Rules for when the car is flooded
When a car passes through a flooded area, you should remove the engine air filter and get air directly from the engine compartment, as this is the highest position, and avoid getting air through the intake ducts in contact with the vehicle, as this is the lower position. After the flood, you can reinstall the engine air filter as before.
At the safe water level, you need to be reminded that below 25 cm, do not cross the center of the wheel, and if above this level, do not pass. Also, take special care when there are vehicles traveling in the same and opposite directions, as waves may be generated, causing the water level to rise and increasing the risk of water overflowing into the intake manifold and engine air filter.
When passing through a flooded area, turn off the air conditioning switch (AC button), put it in 1st gear, open the throttle to a medium level, keep the engine turning round and drive calmly. For automatic cars, you should switch to semi-automatic mode and put it in 1st gear. If left unattended, the car will automatically shift into 2nd gear, resulting in a weak throttle and causing water to spill into the engine through the exhaust pipe. Be careful not to press the clutch when passing through a flooded area to avoid stalling the engine.
Avoid stepping on the gas pedal because a strong increase in throttle will cause water to overflow through the grille and into the intake manifold. Also, when the throttle is suddenly increased, the engine revs very high and if water enters, it will make the water damage more intense and cause the arms to bend.
When going into deep water, you need to go a little farther and apply the brakes to remove the water from the pan. Then go down and check the engine and the bottom of the car.
In addition, do not open the car door immediately when the car is off, but pay attention to the water level. If the water level is higher than the lowest part of the door, do not open the door at all, because this will cause external water to enter and damage the electronic system. In this case, it is recommended to open the windows to enter and exit the car if necessary.
With the above mentioned essentials, it will help you to recognize as well as avoid your car being damaged by water, in case your car is damaged by water, you should take your car to a big reputable garage to have it checked.
