Will the engine take in water if the car passes through water without stalling?
3 Answers
The following explains whether the engine will take in water if the car passes through water without stalling: 1. Water intake location: If the car does not stall, there is no water intake. The engine is a fully sealed environment, with the only possible water intake points being the air intake and exhaust ports. 2. No water intake: The exhaust port will not take in water while operating. Therefore, as long as the air intake is higher than the water surface, there will be no water intake. If the engine takes in water, the car will stall. If the car does not stall, it means no water has entered. The following is extended information about water-damaged vehicles: 1. Specific definition of a water-damaged vehicle: A vehicle begins to accumulate water, and internal components suffer damage due to water exposure. Water-damaged vehicles have corresponding flood levels. 2. Classification of flood levels for water-damaged vehicles: Flood level 1: Water has just reached the vehicle's chassis. Flood level 2: Water has submerged half of the wheels. Flood level 3: Water has almost completely submerged the tires. Flood level 4: Water has reached the engine hood. Flood level 5: Water has completely submerged the engine hood. Flood level 6: Water has submerged the car roof.
Driving through water without the engine stalling doesn't mean 100% safety. I've encountered many situations where water gets sucked into the engine as soon as it reaches the air intake. When the engine is running, its suction is like human breathing – once it inhales water, it immediately causes hydro-lock in the cylinders. This is particularly likely to happen when the water level exceeds the centerline of the tires or when wading at excessive speed. I've seen vehicles moving slightly too fast create waves that rise dozens of centimeters above the actual water level, directly flooding the intake pipe under the hood. Although the engine may keep running at normal wading depths, exceeding safe depth will lead to water ingestion and engine damage even while it's still operating. The safest approach is to observe water depth in advance and avoid taking risks when uncertain.
As someone who frequently helps others with car repairs, I can responsibly say that if water reaches the level of the air intake, the engine will definitely take in water. When driving through water, the intake system acts like the engine's nose, continuously drawing air into the cylinders for combustion. If the water level approaches the air intake located near the front bumper, water can mix with the air and enter the combustion chamber. The incompressible nature of water causes the pistons to hit the water surface with strong impact force, and bending the connecting rods is considered a minor consequence. I must especially remind everyone that during heavy rain in many cities, water accumulation in low-lying areas happens faster than expected. Among the water-damaged cars I've repaired, 30% were cases where the owners thought it was safe as long as the engine didn't stall, but the engine still ended up ruined due to exceeding the water depth limit. For safety, if you encounter standing water with an unknown depth, it's best to detour.
