Engine stalled on flooded road, now what?

[scrawshaw]

Water was not that deep, but apparently deep enough. I wasn't going very fast either. Maybe 20 MPH. The engine would not restart then or 5 min. later either. After 15 min. or so, I tried to start it again and it started, ran rough with the check engine light flashing for a minute and then seemed to run fine at all engine RPMs. The air intake (after the filter) was a little wet when I opened it up once I got home, but not soaked. The side of the filter without the steel mesh is damp, but not saturated. The airbox is clean and other than some pockets of water in the ridges on the inside back of the airbox, does not show any signs of a flood. I figure I would let both filter and airbox dry out overnight and then reinstall and keep an eye on it.

Any suggestions?

I'm thinking I ingested enough water to get a sensor in the intake track wet and it would not restart until it dried out a little and would not run right until it was a little drier still.

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[rvlyssup]

Take you airbox apart and thoroughly clean out everything. Make sure the throttle body is also clear of debris and water. Never know how filthy flood water is.

Replace the filter...period. Much cheaper than breaking something costing you more $$$$$s.

Get some electronic spray cleaner for that MAF.

Hope and keep fingers crossed there is no long term issues or worse, damage from ingesting water.

 

[astolt12]

+1 to the above.

Future note - its a mustang. You shouldnt be driving it really in any depths of water. You'll wind up like a statistic.

 

[GoBlues38]

the fact that it turns over and starts is good sign. means you did not "intake" water and hydrolock the motor.

As you pointed out, you get too moist of air in you air box and it screwed up the air flow metering.

let it air dry for an hour and replace the filter and you will be good.

And dont drive through flooded waters. thats a big no no.

 

[GT Pony]

scrawshaw - you have the stock intake or aftermarket?

If stock, water must have splashed up and went into the intake port on the front grill by the driver's side headlight.

 

[scrawshaw]

It is the stock airbox. Just an unlucky splash I guess. The water did get high enough to bend the bottom of my license plate backwards and also bend the plate bracket that I got from Craig, since there is nothing behind the part of the plate that hangs below the bumper (weird since I couldn't have been going more than 15MPH), but there is no sign the water ever got up to the bumper or the intake above it, so I don't know why it stalled. Maybe there is something electronic behind the lower grill that is below the bumper? I let the air filter sit overnight next to the dehumidifier and it still felt damp the next morning, so I am now thinking that it never did get actually wet and it just feels damp all the time because of the coating they put on the paper of the filter. I'll have to see what a new one feels like to be sure.

 

[Brian V]

Buy some mass air flow sensor cleaner . And stay out of the water these cars are low enough to allow currents of water to slosh all around the engine bay doing all kinds of harm and you ,I and any some one not suspecting to get

 

[atekido]

You got very lucky if it does turn over. If you had got enough water to suck into the intake you could have hydro-locked the engine.

 

[whatsup62]

Don't drown, turn around.
I'd do an oil change as well.

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