What are the consequences of water entering a sedan engine?
3 Answers
The consequences of water entering a sedan engine are: 1. After the vehicle wades through water, water enters the cylinders through the intake manifold. Due to the incompressibility of water, the piston stroke will shorten, causing the engine connecting rods to bend or break. In extreme cases, the broken connecting rods may fly out and puncture the cylinder block. 2. The engine air filter element becomes soaked, increasing intake resistance and allowing water to enter the combustion chamber, preventing the spark plugs from igniting. If the engine is restarted at this point, it can easily lead to a hydro lock. Solutions: 1. If the engine has taken in water, do not attempt to forcibly restart the stalled vehicle. Instead, the owner should push the vehicle out of the deep water to ensure the engine intake no longer sucks in water and park it in a safe location. 2. Remove the spark plugs, manually cut off the fuel supply and ignition systems, then use the starter motor to crank the engine, allowing the water inside to be expelled. 3. Also, check the condition of all fluid systems in the vehicle. If foaming or cloudiness is observed, replace the fluids promptly.
The consequences of water entering a sedan's engine are quite severe. Having driven for decades, I've encountered similar situations. Once water gets into the engine, it can cause hydrostatic lock: water gets trapped in the cylinders during compression, preventing piston movement, which may bend or even break the crankshaft, leading to severe engine damage. Additionally, water can corrode internal metal components, and rust formation can compromise sealing performance. The electrical system may also short-circuit, spark plugs could burn out, rendering the vehicle unable to start. Repairs are extremely troublesome, requiring complete disassembly for cleaning or part replacement, costing tens of thousands. That time my car got flooded, it was directly scrapped for a new one. Preventive measures include avoiding deep puddles during rainy days and not forcing through flooded areas.
Engine water ingress is extremely dangerous, and I've heard numerous cases from friends. When water enters the engine, the car can suddenly stall while driving, easily causing rear-end collisions; especially on highways, the braking system may fail when power is lost. Water can also damage circuit boards, leading to airbags failing to deploy or malfunction warning lights coming on. If left unattended for a long time, corrosion can spread, resulting in high repair costs, potentially reaching tens of thousands of yuan. I always drive extra carefully in the rain, maintaining low speed through waterlogged areas and ensuring the water level doesn't exceed the middle of the wheel hub to prevent engine damage. Safety first, never take risks.
