Flood damage to my 406.

[GingerMagic]

Well what a sod, I was leaving work on Christmas eve to enjoy the festive break with my family but all the roads were standstill as there were a couple of floods. I thought to myself ' I know - I'll take the shortcut ' which turned out to be a bit of a mistake. I knew I should have turned back sooner when the lane was so muddy that I could barely get up the slopes and the puddles were getting bigger and bigger but after gently edging past a puddle on a corner I was faced with a scene from Waterworld where there was simply no road visable at all - Bastard!!
So in my attempt to reverse around the big puddle my left hand rear wheel just slid into it, bringing the whole car in too. After much bum clenching ( we know about the air-intake, right? ) I managed to get the front wheel out and the car sideways enough to do a 3 point turn. Just then a mate from work had the same ridiculous idea as me and saw me wallowing. Now I'm not saying the water was deep but it was above my door sill strips and my rear number plate was under the surface. I was shitting myself.
However, the car didn't stall, the revs were high enough to stop the water going up the exhaust but to the cost of a EML light and an Airbag warning light... Got the car turned round and back down the muddy track to then sheepishly re-join the now even bigger queue to get home - a 20 minute journey that took nearly 2 hours. PP2000 took care of EML light ( turbo overboost and turbo underboost..!! ) and the air bag light went off on its own after a few trips.
It was a couple of days later when my starter gave up the ghost.

On a positive note it seems that the 2.2Hdi has a sock from the inner wing to the air intake which doesn't have the 3 holes in it - which would have been the end of my car for certain.

So, I have since replaced the starter, drilled holes in the sills to release the water as it was sloshing around for days, but now I have a very grinding rear bearing which I will need to re-grease, and my A/C pump is making the most horrendous noise which is definitely a result of being under water. I need to remove it anyway to replace my sump, as it is leaking and the plug thread is fubared thanks to its previous owner ( PTFE anyone..? ) so I would like to know if not doing the A/C pump straight away would have disastrous consequences...????

I think I got away lightly considering the size of the puddle - I spotted a tide mark just under the door side strips when I got home - so I am both counting my blessing and giving myself a rollicking for being an idiot..

Oh, and for some reason my handbrake is now excellent..!!

[mjb]

I would like to know if not doing the A/C pump straight away would have disastrous consequences...????

Maybe. If it seizes, it can take the aux belt out, which can potentially take the cambelt out too.

Try copious amounts of WD40?

[GingerMagic]

I never thought of that. I guess it'll do until I get a new sump and A/C pump.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[scotty73]

My handbrake likes the wet weather too.
Dude, sometimes you just can't avoid the puddles, I was bricking it over Christmas we took my nan away for a few days it was lovely during the day but pissed it down most nights leaving any old coastal roads with loads of puddles... I was sure glad i had taken my intake off (but would like to replace it with something)... The day we came home it belted down and if the AA had to come out to me he would have thought he'd come to rescue Noah's ark... Cat, dog, granny, two kids and me and the wife... Clampets meet Noah.

[Tubthumper]

I've just done something very similar in my HDI 90 , and got away with just the EML on Does this need to reset by a code reader, or will the ECU clear itself in time ?

[GingerMagic]

Hi mate - remove the airbox cover as the filter may be wet. The eml light will go off in a couple of days.......

[Tubthumper]

Thanks Ginger, as soon as this weather front moves on, I'll pop out and have a look .

[Welly]

I missed this fred first time around

How the car doing now GM?

[GingerMagic]

Hi Welton.....
The car is okay for now - sills are dry, all the warning lights are now out and my sump repair - A/C pump swap over is booked for Monday 17th.
I greased the rear bearing yesterday as the noise is unbearable but it still drones, maybe its knackered too..

Handbrake is still good though

I hope to remove the air-doser tomorrow ( weather permitting ) as I have a Nicopipe ready to fit.

Hows you?

[GingerMagic]

Update;

My Nicopipe was fitted on Sunday, a bit hit and miss at first ( the bottom bolt was troublesome ) but now properly fitted and leak free - I hope this will stop oil pouring over my starter motor. There is a good 'how-to' guide on the Coupe club which makes it look easy. The estate/saloon is far easier than the Coupe - the T shaped bottom intercooler hose can be simply swapped with a 110Hdi bottom hose - piece of cake, 45mins all in. I used the Red sealant as recommended by DDD and it worked a treat.

My sump was repaired on Monday - it seems the thread was properly mashed so a Helicoil couldn't fix it. I had to jump in the wife's car and take the sump to a local welder who was excellent. He welded a block of ally over the hole and tapped in to accommodate a tapered bolt with a square head, mostly used for water outlets. No leaks, dry as a bone. My Pug mechanic had to lower the subframe to get the sump out as it was very snug, revealing a rounded bolt.. He did spot a bit of leaking from the gearbox end which is probably a crank seal? Nothing to worry about just yet.

My grumbling rear bearing is shot, so a replacement is on the cards in a month or so.

[Welly]

I'm afraid to admit I don't know what a Nico pipe is or what it does - the 2.2 has an intercooler by-pass no? is this kit a by-pass by-pass

I bet you're pleased about the sump, what a great fix. A weapy gearbox/bell housing can point to the main crank seal but unless it's pissing out........

The rear wheel bearing should be doable - are you doing it?

[GingerMagic]

Yes, the Nicopipe is a 6" tube with a flange on one end that matches the inlet manifold flange. It is a bypass for the bypass.

The 'Y shaped' air doser on a 2.2 has 2 feeds, one from the intercooler and one from the intercooler bypass via a heat exchanger. The ECU tells the doser which feed to accept, basically cooled air from intercooler or warmed air from the heat exchanger. This air doser is prone to leaking and blowing boosted air/oil over the engine bay, dripping oil over the starter. I decided to bypass the doser after it leaked and destroyed 2 starter motors..

I will do the bearing myself - I have done one before so I know what to expect. I need to borrow a 40mm socket and a claw type puller first

[markw]

If you can't borrow those locally, I'll post mine off if you're prepared to stump up the postage. (both ways!)

[GingerMagic]

Hi Mark, thanks for the offer.
I am lucky to have a Ford breakers opposite my house and the owner ( Ian ) is a genuinely nice guy who lent me his 41mm socket last time. The puller I can borrow from my friend Stef, who has a recovery business / flat bed truck / useful tools..
Cheers anyway - its only really time and weather holding me back.

[dirtydirtydiesel]

Hi ya Ginge,
Glad to hear that you got the sump sorted , I'd have done it for you but you'd have had to post it & then there's the time .
All the best bud DDD.