Floods or heavy rains are something that everyone fears the most, including vehicle owners, especially cars. Therefore, car maintenance during the rainy season must be extra.
It is conceivable if the car has to pass through a road full of puddles of water due to rain or worse in a flooded condition. It is not impossible that the car engine will be damaged and even die.
Generally, water that enters the car can be through the exhaust, dashboard, under the car, and others. It becomes a big problem when water has entered the car engine.
If in this condition you should not start or start the car engine when you know that the car is submerged in a flood, because it can cause a water hammer.
Water harmmer is a condition in which water entering the combustion chamber causes enormous pressure in the engine compartment due to water being confined in the engine.
If you still insist on starting the engine when the car is in such condition, it is not impossible that the car’s engine will be damaged and inevitably have to take it to a repair shop.
So how do you deal with a car that gets water in it? Here are some tips that can be done so that the car engine does not get damaged when water gets in.
1. Do not Start the Car Engine
The first step that must be done when the car gets in the water is by not starting the car engine. We recommend moving the car to a place that is free from flooding or dry places by pushing it.
This is to prevent short circuits or short circuits in the electrical system. We never know whether water has entered the engine to the combustion chamber or not.
Forcing to start the engine when water gets into the car is actually dangerous. Besides being able to cause a short circuit, the water that enters can damage other engine components so that the losses incurred are also not small.
2. Turn Off the Source of the Engine Electricity
The next way when the car enters the water is to immediately turn off the engine power source. As is known, a car has a power source that comes from the battery and is connected to the engine components.
If you don’t immediately unplug the battery cable, in wet conditions the cable can cause a short circuit in the car. Removing the car battery cable is also not arbitrary.
First of all make sure that the car is in a dry place first. Then check whether the car engine, especially the battery, is wet or not. If it gets wet, it’s a good idea to dry the battery first using a dry cloth before unplugging the battery cable.
3. Dry the Combustion Parts
A car is equipped with a combustion system which is usually composed of several components such as an air filter, spark plugs, alternator, coil, carburetor, and cable delco. If the car is submerged in water or even submerged due to flooding, these parts are often damaged.
It is important to dry the combustion parts so they don’t get damaged further. Check if the components of the combustion are in good condition so that later the car will not be seriously damaged and the engine can still be started.
And vice versa if the car engine dies and causes a crash, it is certain that the car must get extra care. If that’s the case, immediately take the car to an authorized repair shop because the combustion is a very sensitive component.
4. Change the Engine Oil
The oil in a car engine should be changed at least every 6 months to maximize engine performance. However, if the car gets water in it, the oil should still be replaced.
This is because the engine oil has mixed with water and if left unchecked the compounds contained in the oil can damage the car engine because the lubricating power of the oil has been lost.
As a result, the car’s engine wears out faster, causing more heat due to friction.
It is better to drain and dispose of car oil and leave the bolt open until the oil in the engine is completely out. If no oil comes out at all, put new engine oil in the engine.
It is important to note, this oil change is not very important if the water level that enters the car is not more than 30 cm. However, if water has entered through the oil dipstick, the engine oil must be replaced.
To find out whether the oil has been contaminated with water or not by looking at the color of the oil. Engine oil will turn white when mixed with water.
5. Drain the Gasoline Tank
Draining the gas tank must be done if the car is in a flooded condition.
In such conditions, there is a possibility that gasoline has been mixed with water. This drain is also done to prevent rust on the gas tank.
Gasoline that has been mixed with water can inhibit the ignition performance of a car engine. If left for a long period of time, there is a high possibility that the gas tank will leak due to corrosion.
6. Don not Forget to Check the Car Interior
While busy with engine and car spare parts, don’t forget to check the condition of the car’s interior. Under certain conditions, water can enter the interior of the car through the narrow and small crevices of the car.
Inspection can start from the carpet, doors, chairs, dashboard to the bottom of the chair. Checks must be carried out thoroughly, especially for cars that are submerged by floods.
As a first step, clean the stains or mud using clean water and try to dry it with the help of the sun to prevent mold and musty odors. For maximum results, you can use a vacuum or a vacuum to remove the remaining water in the car.
7. Bring the Car to the Repair Shop
The condition of the car that gets water in is certainly different. Not only that, the types of car also affect the amount of damage caused by water ingress, especially if it is a flood.
One last way that can be done is to take the car to the nearest repair shop. This method does not only apply to cars that really break down and can’t be started even though they have followed the above methods, but also to cars that get water in their condition even though it’s not too bad.
This is to prevent if there are components in the machine that are still damaged so that they need to be repaired immediately. This step is taken so that the car engine does not experience further damage.
Keep in mind that there are car components that must be replaced regularly so as not to cause damage. You need to pay attention to this, because it can trigger other damage if the car gets into water.