driving through floods

joanofarc · 03-09-2009 1:26pm #1

whats the best way to do that? slowly and in which gear or what?

mike65 · 03-09-2009 1:27pm

Slowly in a low gear (lst/2nd), there is no need to rush, thats the way to ingest water and piss off pedestrians.

Drummerboy08 · 03-09-2009 1:30pm

The best way is to try to avoid it being honest. Its very hard to judge just how deep a flood is. I've often seen people attempt to drive through it, and halfway across you can see the "oh sh1t" expressions.

But, if you have to, do it as slowly as possible. That way you wont be forcing water into any area it doesnt want to go, and you wont be putting your car under as much strain.

Gran Hermano · 03-09-2009 1:42pm

And don't tailgate the car in front as the wake from their car will cause the water level to rise around yours.

Blazer · 03-09-2009 1:48pm

Slowly...except when there's pedestrians, which in that case as fast as possible

The Muppet · 03-09-2009 1:51pm

Don't enter the flood until the car in front has cleared it. Then slowly does it.

T-Maxx · 03-09-2009 1:53pm

And don't forget to put on the emergancy/hazard lights - this will make your car unstopable...:rolleyes:

peasant · 03-09-2009 1:54pm

Do not overtake your bow wave

Stark · 03-09-2009 1:58pm

T-Maxx wrote: »

And don't forget to put on the emergancy/hazard lights - this will make your car unstopable...:rolleyes:

Activate amphibious mode, KITT.

Vegeta · 03-09-2009 1:59pm

If at all possible don't be the first to go through it. If you can watch someone go through you'll get an idea of its depth.

antodeco · 03-09-2009 2:00pm

Would a low gear (meaning higher revs) not take in more air, meaning higher chance of ingesting water to the engine?

peasant · 03-09-2009 2:02pm

antodeco wrote: »

Would a low gear (meaning higher revs) not take in more air, meaning higher chance of ingesting water to the engine?

Who said you're supposed to rev it ?

Paulw · 03-09-2009 2:06pm

antodeco wrote: »

Would a low gear (meaning higher revs) not take in more air, meaning higher chance of ingesting water to the engine?

Drive slowly, in a low gear. Then you're not getting higher revs.

Always best to - 1) don't drive through unless you have to, 2) watch someone else go through first and see how deep it is, 3) drive SLOWLY in a low gear, and 4) don't forget you may get water inside the car anyway.

Biro · 03-09-2009 2:07pm

One drop is enough to wreck your engine anyway, so water going into an engine at 1,200rpm versus water going in at 3,000rpm won't make a lot of difference.
In any case higher revs might help keep more exhaust pressure in the pipe helping to keep the water out that way! Once you're in deep enough for some to go into the air intake you're screwed. And if a truck coming the other way decides not to bother slowing enough you could be screwed too.

Vegeta · 03-09-2009 2:09pm

peasant wrote: »

Who said you're supposed to rev it ?

What's the story with a submerged exhaust?

Would revving it prevent the engine choking or what's the story there. Doesn't seem to be for 4x4, they usually put on a snorkel for the intake and they can go very deep. I worked in a marina as a teen and I saw many a jeep cut out if someone was reversing a trailer down a slip way and the exhaust entered the water.

So what's the dealio there?

peasant · 03-09-2009 2:09pm

You'd be in all sorts of bother before water coming through the exhaust can do any damage

At some point,the deeper the water, water pressure may become so high that it stops the exhaust gas from coming out and the back pressure will stall the engine ...but when that happens on level ground (i.e. not in a marina) the water will have found its way into the intake long before that.

There are enough vids of 4x4's with raised air intakes fording rivers up their windows and the exhaust still happily blubbering away under water

Vegeta · 03-09-2009 2:19pm

peasant wrote: »

There are enough vids of 4x4's with raised air intakes fording rivers up their windows and the exhaust still happily blubbering away under water

That's what I always thought too

The only thing which made me question the above was the few times I saw a 4x4 barely submerge the exhaust and it cut out. They were in neutral though and let roll backwards being controlled by the brakes so I'd say its a different kettle of fish for when you are driving forward.

peasant · 03-09-2009 3:03pm

Another important issue if you really end up in deep water is to give the underbody of your car a thorough clean afterwards.

Floodwater will get into areas where normal road spray never gets into ...the inside of your sills and any and all holes and cavities the underbody of your car has to offer.

Floodwater also is never clean, but a murky, silty mess. Even if all the water runs out again after a while, the wet silt stays behind and provides an ideal breeding ground for rust as it takes forever to dry and will soak up and keep any moisture/condensation for years to come.

Absurdum · 03-09-2009 3:07pm

buy an SUV

netwhizkid · 03-09-2009 3:14pm

Don't drive into the bloody floods to begin with, unless say you are driving your wife to hospital and she has just gone into labour or something!

R.O.R · 03-09-2009 3:52pm

Vegeta wrote: »

If at all possible don't be the first to go through it. If you can watch someone go through you'll get an idea of its depth.

Apparently a Punto made it through the other way before this was attempted.

The result of this was a €17,000 bill to the insurance company for a new engine on an 8 month old car. :eek:

It also resulted in the driver making a mid air transition through the window of the Discovery I picked him up from the middle of the puddle in. Quite funny to watch a director in a full suit and overcoat standing with one foot on the roof of a 5 series, trying to squeeze in through the rear window of a Disco

daveharnett · 03-09-2009 4:46pm

???
Was it much deeper a little further back, or what?

I would have thought it would take at least another foot of water plus a to really threaten the engine.

pred racer · 03-09-2009 5:14pm

Absurdum wrote: »

buy an SUV

Buy a citroen.......uppy downey suspension ftw:D

badabinbadaboom · 03-09-2009 5:21pm

Depends on what your driving.
If you have a big enough engine exhaust pressure wont worry you one bit.
How ever smaller cars may falter.
Go easy and keep the revs up in anything less than say a 1.4.
Dont change gear midway through, you'll lose valuable momentum and get water on your clutch.
If you have a proper jeep use your low box.
Drive in the middle of the road, its usually shallower there.

Hooch · 03-09-2009 5:36pm

daveharnett wrote: »

???
Was it much deeper a little further back, or what?

I would have thought it would take at least another foot of water plus a to really threaten the engine.

I would guess that the flood water had receeded at the time this photo was taken.

Shires · 03-09-2009 5:57pm

R.O.R wrote: »

Apparently a Punto made it through the other way before this was attempted.

Hehe! Air intake in the previous model Puntos is very high up, and on the older 5 series it's low down. Wonder if this is what got 'im. :-)

peasant · 03-09-2009 6:39pm

Might be a good idea for people to look up where their air intake actually is ...if they don't know already

P.C. · 03-09-2009 6:39pm

Shires wrote: »

Hehe! Air intake in the previous model Puntos is very high up, and on the older 5 series it's low down. Wonder if this is what got 'im. :-)

I remember when I had my Punto.

I did not have any respect for that car, and took it places you would not normally take a car.
One time I was following a 4X4 through a civil building site (when they were upgrading the N7) - he stopped because it looked a bit a bit dodgy - I went passed him, and drove on. Almost embassed myself - bounced the sump off a rock, and thought I was going to have to leave her there, but, no - she carried on going.
The lad in the 4X4 was not happy.

Sometimes it is great to have that - I don't care what happens to you - relationship with a car.

Mycroft H · 03-09-2009 7:18pm

this is how it should be done

peasant · 03-09-2009 7:41pm

landyman wrote: »

this is how it should be done

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKYbcna991s

I see your Leyland and raise you this

(childish, I know ...but couldn't resist)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WbcXSG5tgI

Mr. Presentable · 03-09-2009 7:48pm

VW FTW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qB0lb401ZU

Seth Brundle · 03-09-2009 8:45pm

I've never had a problem reversing through the flood!

sharky86 · 03-09-2009 8:56pm

nipplenuts wrote: »

VW FTW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qB0lb401ZU

Try that is a TDI golf!!!

Mr. Presentable · 03-09-2009 8:59pm

sharky86 wrote: »

Try that is a TDI golf!!!

I have one, and would rather not!

congo_90 · 03-09-2009 9:12pm

Gran Hermano wrote: »

And don't tailgate the car in front as the wake from their car will cause the water level to rise around yours.

Lol most importantly you dont wanna be stuck behind em if their engine stalls! During the last flood I had to drive through. I let a seat cordoba crawl ahead.. stall and well abandon ship :rolleyes: As soon as I passed em by in my Accent.. At one point there was an oh **** that water is pretty high! moment but nothing more than a damp carpet and me a bit shook up from having my first experience of properly flooded roads.

I was nice enough to offer the peeps in the cordoba a lift though so not as if i'm cruel. They thought the AA would come get them on what had become a closed road

Bottom line, Low speed. First gear and just try push on. If your familiar with the road you may know where it gets higher or lower which i was lucky in my case

sharky86 · 03-09-2009 9:20pm

nipplenuts wrote: »

I have one, and would rather not!

left the hand brake off a old starlet of mine few years back.. baby sank like a stone!!!

Mr. Presentable · 03-09-2009 9:26pm

sharky86 wrote: »

left the hand brake off a old starlet of mine few years back.. baby sank like a stone!!!

I hope there was water involved:rolleyes:

sharky86 · 03-09-2009 9:31pm

Had two fish in it when it was lifted out!! Trout of something

Got me dinner out of them..worth more than the car was

Fluffybums · 03-09-2009 9:40pm

My Jazz had its first swimming lesson last night. Completely misjudge the depth and had to change gear mid way - seriously bad idea. Somehow or another she made it and seems to be running fine today, fortunately it's due for a service anyway. Least I know the seals around the doors are good - nothing got in. Honda build quality passed the test.

thethedev · 03-09-2009 10:10pm

This me, 1.3 petrol:D no snorkel either.
Was deeper than that when I first got in.

elius · 03-09-2009 10:12pm

As mentioned by pheasant never overtake your bow wave. there's no pre-set gear for wading every car is differant to be honest i think anyone who drives through a flood deeper than a foot in a car is crazy.. Petrols engines that get flooded can 9times outa 10 be fixed Diesals often cant.. Though pertols wont run all that great due to the amount of electics. On the other hand diesals will run for a good amount of time one they have a snorkel....

Pic time

thethedev · 03-09-2009 10:16pm

elius wrote: »

As mentioned by pheasant never overtake your bow wave. there's no pre-set gear for wading every car is differant to be honest i think anyone who drives through a flood deeper than a foot in a car is crazy.. Petrols engines that get flooded can 9times outa 10 be fixed Diesals often cant.. Though pertols wont run all that great due to the amount of electics. On the other hand diesals will run for a good amount of time one they have a snorkel....

Pic time

Ooh dodgy, fast flowing. Any idea where that was taken?

elius · 03-09-2009 10:20pm

Some where in galway cant remember to be honest.. Was moving abit quick though was deemed safe enough to cross...First one in wicklow....

R.O.R · 04-09-2009 7:13am

daveharnett wrote: »

???
Was it much deeper a little further back, or what?

I would have thought it would take at least another foot of water plus a to really threaten the engine.

It was quite a bit deeper further back, he came very close to making it all the way through. In the deepest part it was probably 12-18 inches deep. The 5 series diesel seems to have a very low air intake which caused the issue.

driving through floods

Comments