Flood damage

[southerly95]

My mint 65 convertible was flooded at the barn this pm .

Water level came up to 6” above the doors. The interior carpets and seat belts have had it and the starter motor half submerged - will that/can it be dried out? Brakes will need cleaning out I guess. What about the gearbox and engine and rear axle? Alternator seems dry altho cables wet. Anything else?

Cheers John

[les]

Door cills and front chassis legs would be my concern. Sorry to hear this.

[oliver90owner]

Check bell housing drain is not plugged. Check and change oils if at all over-full or milky after initial operation.

Brakes will dry out out, but will be ineffective while wet, so better to sort them soonest to avoid later problems.

Grease all steering/suspension/propshaft joints, etc, to ensure any water is displaced.

Possibly ‘waxoil’ chassis members, after completely dried internally, and same with doors, but check any drain holes are clear, initially.

Best to check starter motor and dry it out but it may be OK.

A lot depends on time of immersion. Vehicles are often subjected to wading.

[simmitc]

What type of water? Clean fresh water is not so bad, but saline or other contamination can make things much worse. It's all perfectly "do-able" but if it was a mint car then I would be looking to insurance to place in a dry area, dehumidify, and fully service including replace starter and all fluids - the master cylinder will have been covered and DOT4 fluid is hydroscopic. Depending ion actual level you may need to replace door cards and other interior panels, possibly even seat stuffing. Tools in the boot?

The problem with this sort of damage is that the car drys out, seems OK, but then problems develop over the next few months. so much will depend on depth, duration of immersion and type of water.

[Mor$]

I agree. saline water can do a pretty huge damage to the vehicle

[southerly95]

Just rain water plus muddy silt off fields to 18”, Car is a write off according to insurers but should be able to buy back and refurb. Slightly under insured according to loss adjuster should have been £7500 to £8000 rather than £6500.

Main prob is that spares are NOT covered in contents and have one new 1098 engine from Bull Motif submerged and two others with low mileage also submerged.

Much work to do!

[ianmack]

Engines should be no problem. Drain the sumps, remove spark plugs, add fresh oil, put some oil into the cylinders, turn the engines over, replace the plugs. Do this urgently before corrosion seizure occurs.

[oliver90owner]

Much work to do!

Really should have been done by now!

[southerly95]

Indeed but couldn’t move car and get to uninsured engines until loss adjusters had been on Thursday pm. So, two engines emptied of water and being cleaned out currently - both will be ok. One more to start tomorrow. Also drained the diff, gearbox and engine in the convertible but there was less than gallon of oil left from all three items as water had displaced the original oil! Started first time . Just master cylinder to check and clean brake drums. Not driven car yet and worried there’s oil on clutch.
Insurers will clean barn, racking and contents thank heavens.

Thanks for advice received