Flooded Roads

[GihanFX]

Today Evening some Roads around colombo were flooded and i have see so many cars stoped here and these cus water went inside Engines, At Kiruapana Junction the water level was up to my car Fender high (with 17Inch Alloys) my car was in the water for close to one hour but luckily water didnt went iside Engine and it didnt stoped, only busses, big vehicles and some other lucky vehicles had the chance to escape,

If its Raning lot dont drive in that road and i really like to know are there same Lake-Roads around, its seems that the govenment doing lake project's on Roads

[dinosh]

I got caught to heavy traffic last Friday eve on my way home. The whole of Armour Street was blocked, travelling on the road behind Sugadhadasa Stadium was a boat trip!

Btw flooding is nothing new.... hehe. I rowed a air-boat in Negombo with couple of my friends after heavy rains some years back. This was before the new water drainage system was implemented.

Edited October 20, 2008 by dinosh

[charitha19]

Today Evening some Roads around colombo were flooded and i have see so many cars stoped here and these cus water went inside Engines, At Kiruapana Junction the water level was up to my car Fender high (with 17Inch Alloys) my car was in the water for close to one hour but luckily water didnt went iside Engine and it didnt stoped, only busses, big vehicles and some other lucky vehicles had the chance to escape,

If its Raning lot dont drive in that road and i really like to know are there same Lake-Roads around, its seems that the govenment doing lake project's on Roads

machang dont take chances like that.., even though water didnt get inside the engine.. u might damage ur radiator or intercooler.. if its front mount.. and this increases rusting time as well...

[Ruslan]

machang dont take chances like that.., even though water didnt get inside the engine.. u might damage ur radiator or intercooler.. if its front mount.. and this increases rusting time as well...

yeah sometimes Alternator might get busted and Radiator fans too.. so Be careful..

[GihanFX]

machang dont take chances like that.., even though water didnt get inside the engine.. u might damage ur radiator or intercooler.. if its front mount.. and this increases rusting time as well...

noop machan i didnt took a chane, after a bus conducter shouted i only noticed im in the water lol and yeah cus radiator fan working the water is goin everywhere and no machan its top mounted

[GihanFX]

yeah sometimes Alternator might get busted and Radiator fans too.. so Be careful..

i thought abt all those machan but i cant even open the doors to see what's goin on, btw machan our alternator is on top so there is no chance it to get damage but if water comes more higher then thats the air filer

[dinosh]

i thought abt all those machan but i cant even open the doors to see what's goin on, btw machan our alternator is on top so there is no chance it to get damage but if water comes more higher then thats the air filer

Don't take chances even if the water level is lower than the airfilter or the alternator. If a bus or truck passes-by the water wave they create can stall your engine. My cousin had to fix a new engine to his Vios after the intake suck water to the engine when bus passed him while drving in a flodded road.

[Watchman]

Don't take chances even if the water level is lower than the airfilter or the alternator. If a bus or truck passes-by the water wave they create can stall your engine. My cousin had to fix a new engine to his Vios after the intake suck water to the engine when bus passed him while drving in a flodded road.

replace engine? why, may i ask?

[Car Maniac]

replace engine? why, may i ask?

As far as I know, the science behind this scene is as follows. As you and me know pistons are fastly moving inside the engine (no need it to be above 2000 rpm, even at idle speed an average engine works at 1000 -1500 revolutions per minute.) So this is super fast speed. In these normal engine, air is sucked through air filter into the engine, and when that air is compressed by the pistons moving upwards then due to fuel injections and spark, that air fuel mixture gets ignited and forces the piston to go downwards because of the pressure generated by the combustion in the cylinder.

The above is the normal process but when you are going in a flood, if accidently water comes/ enters your air cleaner, due to the vacum created by moving pistons, even that air is sucked inside to the cylinders super fastly. But unlike air fuel mixture, water doesnt get igtnited neither once compressed nor given a spark, so the fast upwards moving piston tries to compress the water and the fact since water doesnt ignite and minimise, that compressed pressure has no other way to release other than forcing the upwards moving piston to move back downwards in a reverse motion, other than cycling forwards in the normal way. and this massive reverse force on the forward moving piston tends to bend the connecting rods, crank shafts...etc to relieve that massive force. Once the connecting rods and cranks get bented sometimes they even come through the engine block to outside so once such thing happens , the owner has no other solution than replacing the engine.

This is the best way I could explain you how that works but Im sure it would be bit confusing if some guys without the initial knowledge on motor engine mechanism, try to understand my story. So I would help you as well.

Basically the so called reverse force on the front moving pistons could be explained in a simple example like this.

When someone is driving a car forward at 100kmph towards a huge rock, as his car hits the rock with a huge thud since the rock doesn't move, the massive force generated by the hit between car and rock should be reliased some other way. and it is the way of putting that force backwards on the car completely so the car will get totally collided. But if the same car at same speed hits a bullock cart of hay moving the same direction that car moves , as the two objects hits each other, the lighter object which is obviously the cart will be thrown forward fast to release the force generated by the accident. So only a minor damage or no damage will be there on the car because it was able to release the force to the bullock cart.

A car crashed with a non- moving object - High Damage

A car crashed with a front moving object - Less Damage

Hope everyone got it. Good luck and wish you all the best to everyone driving in floods!!!!!!!!! Better safe than sorry[/

Edited October 20, 2008 by Car Maniac

[GTAm]

Drove thru Biyagama road and to Kaduwela this evening. Roads are atrocious. I was so nervous that water will be sucked into the air intake (V low on a 156). Almost turned back twice.

Thankfully nothing happened. Very depressing when you think of the state of the country!

[GihanFX]

Don't take chances even if the water level is lower than the airfilter or the alternator. If a bus or truck passes-by the water wave they create can stall your engine. My cousin had to fix a new engine to his Vios after the intake suck water to the engine when bus passed him while drving in a flodded road.

yeap but dont u think there is a less posibility something like that gona hapend to a Turbo Engine ? cus the Air need to Travel through the Hot Turbo then through pipes and intercooler before it reach the throtle ?

[Car Maniac]

yeap but dont u think there is a less posibility something like that gona hapend to a Turbo Engine ? cus the Air need to Travel through the Hot Turbo then through pipes and intercooler before it reach the throtle ?

But machan if Im correct, again it comes to the same route but in a severe way because water will be forced inside to the engine by the turbo (Faster than in a normal engine). So severe results I think. Its how it should logically happen but not sure bro. GihanFX please correct me if Im wrong cos I only have some little knowledge about turbos.

[Saturn]

As far as I know, the science behind this scene is as follows. As you and me know pistons are fastly moving inside the engine (no need it to be above 2000 rpm, even at idle speed an average engine works at

That's a really good detailed answer.

[GihanFX]

But machan if Im correct, again it comes to the same route but in a severe way because water will be forced inside to the engine by the turbo (Faster than in a normal engine). So severe results I think. Its how it should logically happen but not sure bro. GihanFX please correct me if Im wrong cos I only have some little knowledge about turbos.

Machan Turbo or NA if the airfiler is under water then its done, but what i said if the filter is not under the water but if a bus or somekind of a big vehicle goes near, then there is a chance the water level to go up and down and the air filter suck bit of water, in this case unlike NA engines the turbo is genarating lods of heat so there is a POSIBLILTY the water to get vaporise and some water to trap inside the Intercooler too, Turbo is spinning even the car at idle so if the filter is not under the water its best to drive very slow, but if u notice water is high its better to switch off the engine ASAP, after everything is clear not to start the vehicle till u clean the engine.

[Car Maniac]

Machan Turbo or NA if the airfiler is under water then its done, but what i said if the filter is not under the water but if a bus or somekind of a big .....

Yeah, Gihan bro you are correct. I got your point. Thanks

By the way I should warn all of you guys about another possibility which is only second to the issue of water getting into the engine. That is water getting into the ECU. This is a real scene what has happened to one of my fathers friends. He had a toyota corolla 121 and one day he has parked it in the town and has gone to do some work somewhere. Meanwhile it has been rained heavily and the area around his car has been flooded upto around 2 feet and water has got into the cabin. The result was when he came, the whole cabin was full of water around 1 feet inside the vehicle, seats are completely soaked and finally he found the cars engine ECU is also busted because water has somehow gone into the ECU and busted the circuits forever. The higher water level has run over the ECU, dipping it in the water. After that, he had to wait for around two weeks to get an ECU even through the agents and not only that, but also some many many more problems.

And finally they have found how water went inside the cabin. It was through one of those circular holes on the steel wall in between the front engine compartment and the cabin, through which wires are gone to lights, engine and all other front devices. Usually those holes come plugged with a circular rubber part to prevent water goes in. But in his case, when he got his car security system installed, that technician has removed a whole rubber plug out from a lowest level hole, to pass through the wire going to the siren inside the engine compartment. So that bare hole has let the water go inside the cabin.

A sample rubber plug in the engine bay is shown below. (Arrows are pointed at the plugs and holes) In that corollas case the entire rubber plug like this have been removed so its possible for water to go inside to the cabin easily.

So guys please be careful. Specially check whether those rubber plug things are plugged properly or if they are unsecure, get those holes sealed somehow. becos even parking in a flood could possibly cause you a big repair due to what I have shown above. If you are not sure whether your cars cabin is properly sealed, dont park around suspicious flooding places.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!

Edited October 21, 2008 by Car Maniac

[Kim]

Don't take chances even if the water level is lower than the airfilter or the alternator. If a bus or truck passes-by the water wave they create can stall your engine. My cousin had to fix a new engine to his Vios after the intake suck water to the engine when bus passed him while drving in a flodded road.

i thought, if the water is kind of high, and if ur behind a bus or a lorry, as soon as they take, u must go behind them, as the water will be cleared for few seconds, but it seems, its not the case? can someone enlighten us here?

yesterday it took 3 hours for me to go home, from Dematagoda - Moratua, damn! near the Boralasgamuwa junction (when passing the Kohuwala junction, Laughs, and all) - that road just where the cargills food city was filled with water, closed my eyes and drove over it, 'cos there was no other option..and some idiot truck drive had stopped right there on the road to make our life more worse..

if it starts raining today also, i will only go home after 8-9, damn, really hate to drive in traffic, good that vehicle is VVT-i, still that fuel meter is in the Full - indicator level, even after 3 hours of heavy traffic driving..even after coming to work today from home (i'm amazed) it was on full tank tho..by chance if it would have been the GT, i would have to stop and wait..to somehow go to main road and go back home..surely not the days for the sports / spec cars

Edited October 21, 2008 by Kim

[dinosh]

i thought, if the water is kind of high, and if ur behind a bus or a lorry, as soon as they take, u must go behind them, as the water will be cleared for few seconds, but it seems, its not the case? can someone enlighten us here?

If you drive behind a bus or truck there is couple of seconds to live with as these big vehicles push the water side ways. But when they come towards you the water wave they create is just aimed at you, especially just as they pass by you.

replace engine? why, may i ask?

Dilesh, my cousin has been heavily accelarating to keep-up the rev's & not let the engine stall. Higher the revs the higher the suction is, so he has pulled-in water to create a considerable damage. Replacing a engine was an easy option, when considering time & cost to repair. I do not know to explain the damage in technical terms, think Car Maniac has given a quite a good explanation.

[Kim]

If you drive behind a bus or truck there is couple of seconds to live with as these big vehicles push the water side ways. But when they come towards you the water wave they create is just aimed at you, especially just as they pass by you.

exactly, that's what i was saying..

[MasterDon]

Drove thru Biyagama road and to Kaduwela this evening. Roads are atrocious. I was so nervous that water will be sucked into the air intake (V low on a 156). Almost turned back twice.

Thankfully nothing happened. Very depressing when you think of the state of the country!

yeah.....went to boralasgamuwa today.......pure hell......saw some rice boys with shattered front lips cos of the water covering the pot holes.

[pissa]

And finally they have found how water went inside the cabin. It was through one of those circular holes on the steel wall in between the front engine compartment and the cabin, through which wires are gone to lights, engine and all other front devices. Usually those holes come plugged with a circular rubber part to prevent water goes in. But in his case, when he got his car security system installed, that technician has removed a whole rubber plug out from a lowest level hole, to pass through the wire going to the siren inside the engine compartment. So that bare hole has let the water go inside the cabin.

All the more reason to avoid all these customizers and third party installations. (i.e. if you dont like the car as it is, sell it and buy somthing u like )........Thanks for the heads up.....

[GihanFX]

Very True Car Maniac, there are some knobs near the pedels & brake booster

near the Boralasgamuwa junction (when passing the Kohuwala junction, Laughs, and all) - that road just where the cargills food city was filled with water, closed my eyes and drove over it, 'cos there was no other option..and some idiot truck drive had stopped right there on the road to make our life more worse..

Infront of Cargis get flooded even for a small rain but the water level dont go that high, u should check the Ratthanapiliya Junction, near the Wow's body kit shop, today morning water came in to wow's and the road is completely coverd with water, 6 months ago heavy rain washed away that road and 2 cars traped there, then a dozer came to pull those vehicles and the dozer was also got traped so after 2 weeks they took the dozer out,

Edited October 21, 2008 by GihanFX

[harshansenadhir]

Machan Turbo or NA if the airfiler is under water then its done, but what i said if the filter is not under the water but if a bus or somekind of a big vehicle goes near, then there is a chance the water level to go up and down and the air filter suck bit of water, in this case unlike NA engines the turbo is genarating lods of heat so there is a POSIBLILTY the water to get vaporise and some water to trap inside the Intercooler too, Turbo is spinning even the car at idle so if the filter is not under the water its best to drive very slow, but if u notice water is high its better to switch off the engine ASAP, after everything is clear not to start the vehicle till u clean the engine.

having turbo or inter cooler won't help in preventing water being sucked into the cylinder. Another point which was not discussed is the pressure and temperature difference in the atmosphere and the combustion chamber. huge amount of steam can be generated even from small amount of water evaporation, which goes inside the combustion chamber, so it might multiply the pressure factor on top of the piston and sudden temperature changes in the piston itself might damage the piston as well. As someone correctly said, extra suction created by the turbo will help water suction ..

[GihanFX]

Yes the Turbo will help the water to scuk more faster than NA motor, but what i said was if there is a lil bit of water then they will not travel to the chamber cus of the extra heat of the Turbo.

BTW i want to know when the Sump is under water does it make the engine to behave diferently ? or sudern heat drop or something ?

[xXx]

re-post

Edited October 21, 2008 by xXx

[xXx]

If its Raning lot dont drive in that road and i really like to know are there same Lake-Roads around, its seems that the govenment doing lake project's on Roads

first of all don't pin this on the government. they have bigger and better things to do like fighting a war against a ruthless terrorist outfit with out suffering any casualties at all

Today Evening some Roads around colombo were flooded and i have see so many cars stoped here and these cus water went inside Engines, At Kiruapana Junction the water level was up to my car Fender high (with 17Inch Alloys) my car was in the water for close to one hour but luckily water didnt went iside Engine and it didnt stoped, only busses, big vehicles and some other lucky vehicles had the chance to escape,

sorry for diverting the conversation from 'what is better turbo or N/A on a flooded road' topic. Gihans comment on his tier size sprang a question to my mind. is it actually possible to raise the car or in other words increase the ground clearance just by using a bigger rim size? don't you have to compromise on the tier balloon size when increasing the rim size?

Edited October 21, 2008 by xXx