Deep water = bad news

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Duke

Duke

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GTP_Duke
My wife got caught in a terrible downpour coming home yesterday. Our entire state (pretty much flat) is totally waterlogged from a wet summer, and every time it rans we get terrible flooding now.

She drove into a deep puddle trying to get to pick up the kids from afterschool care... but she didn't drive out. It was deeper than she thought, or an unlucky bow wave from another car caught her, or something, but the 2.4-swapped Neon drank at least a pint of water and hydraulically locked, bad. It was deceptively shallow at the edges - I almost drove into the same thing when I was coming to pick her up; there was no way to see that it was so deep out in the middle.

We had it towed home and rolled into the garage. It won't turn over, even in neutral, even with the plugs out. #2 cylinder is full of oil and water, and after tearing into the intake plumbing I found standing water in the bottom of the intake manifold. At the very least, #2 connecting rod is bent, but all the oil in the cylinder makes me suspect worse internal damage. So, time to either look for another junkyard 2.4 or maybe even (gasp) a new car.

I'll keep everybody posted since I'm sure everyone's peace of mind hinges on the resolution of this deperate problem.
 
:ouch:

Hard luck Duke. It is impossible to judge the depth of puddles in the road - one pretty much has to rely on ones previous knowledge of the roads contours to figure out if there is trouble waiting. As the saying goes - still waters run deep.

Sounds like some serious engine damage. I hope the insurance company doesnt give you any grief 👍. Now you can get that Type-R you have always salivated over :)
 
A corner by my house use to always flood. But now tehy have sorted the drains it is okay. But before people would just charge through and many got stuck halfway through.
Hope the engine gets sorted or you find a worthy replacement.

P.S. is it true taht diesels can drive through water better than petrols as they require less air etc?
 
Man that sucks...was the inside of the Neon flooded too? If the only thing wrong with the car is the engine, I'd just find one in a junkyard.

In a similar story, earlier in the year St. Louis got hit by hail and very heavy rains multiple times in a 2 week period. Me, being the "look at what my 323 can do" type of kid, drove through water several times. The first was in the school parking lot after the first hail storm. Happy that the 323 wasn't damaged, leaving my parking spot there was a puddle in the middle of the lot where the sewer drain is, and I floored it from my spot into the puddle, hitting it at about 23mph(hey the 323 isn't that fast) and giving that cool water spray effect. Lots of people saw me do it, not that it mattered, but the 323 just plowed right through.
Several days later, it was around dusk and the skies looked very bad. So I went to Wendy's to pick up food for myself. There's a low underpass I have to go through on the way...well on the way there it was just lightning and some drizzle, nothing major but a good light show. When I got to Wendy's, the skys just opened and it was very heavy rain and very close lightning and lots of thunder. So I got my food, ran out to my car and got pretty wet. On the way home I hit some puddles, nothing major, then the underpass. It was completely flooded across the road, but I could judge how deep it was by the sides of the underpass, it was over the sidewalk but just barely touching the bridge supports, approximately 6 inches deep, or so. Well there was a truck and trailer stopped before the water, and a couple cars the other way stopped, but damnit, I had food, so I slowed down to about 20, hit the water flat out and just kept it floored all the way through. I plowed through it in high RPM in first(speedometeter showing 30) and made it through without any problems and afterwards let out a big "Yeah!" at the accomplishment.

I think it's because my engine sits up higher and the intake tubing is likewise higher and doesn't collect water.
 
Aw man. Sorry to hear that. Let us know how it goes. Maybe its time to search a few scrap yards for a wrecked SRT-4 engine!! (you know they're out there) I also knew this guy that was selling a really nice M3 a few months ago... :)


M
 
that sucks duke..... looks like you need a TRUCK!!! or another car with a snorkel! :D well, if you want a newer Neon, here's your chance.... or you now have an excuse to swap in that 5.9 Magnum you've allways wanted :lol:
 
always judge the depth of water before you enter it in a vehicle. slow moving bodies of water can pick up and move your entire car. think about that.

diesels will hydrolock just as much as petrol engines. dont belive hype. i saw a mercedes 300D come in with a bent conrod after the owner decided to ford a river. water (any liquid for that matter) does not compress. you will hole your piston, bend a con rod or worse.

we have a notorious underpass in sunland/ north hollywood that all the news stations head for as soon as it rains. ive never had any problems going through it in my 1976 BMW 2002 as i know its intake sits high, right under the hood. i just stick the car in second and keep it in second all the way through. (hint: avoid using your clutch while driving through water a wet clutch is a useless clutch.) others see me and follow suit since the 02 is such a small car, and they get stuck. and end up in the news.

i would hesitate to go through it in my E class though. while its intake is relatively high as well, it has a lot of electronics (compared to my bmw) and i am not sure about the height of the trans vent and diff vent.
 
Sounds harsh man, I hope you get it sorted.



ExigeExcel
A corner by my house use to always flood. But now tehy have sorted the drains it is okay. But before people would just charge through and many got stuck halfway through.
Hope the engine gets sorted or you find a worthy replacement.

P.S. is it true taht diesels can drive through water better than petrols as they require less air etc?
Click to expand...

Diesels have no spark plugs and therefore much less electrics than petrol engine. The less electrics the more water friendly.
 
neon_duke
So, time to either look for another junkyard 2.4 or maybe even (gasp) a new car.

I'll keep everybody posted since I'm sure everyone's peace of mind hinges on the resolution of this deperate problem.
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My peace of mind does hinge on the resolution of this problem.
 
Ouchies. At least it's a darned good excuse to get another car! :D You looking at the SRT-4 or Magnum, or do you still "need" to get a convertible? ;)
 
My condolences on the death of the "super-sleeper" Neon.
I hope that circumstances work out for a good resolution. Whether that be a new car, a new motor, or that convertible you've been pining for.
 
Ouch, that sucks. I almost crossed a small river (looking about 1 feet deep, 12 feet wide) on a beach last year with an Explorer SportTrack. Glad I didn't try...

Is that covered by your insurance?

Anyway, good luck with the new engine/car!
 
So far it look like we'll be covered with no deductible... if I can get past the adjuster. An almost 10-year-old Neon is probably on the "instant total" list, no matter how much its owners like it.

Thanks for all the support! I'd like to get a new/lightly used convertible for my wife, but the unexpected purchase of the Battle Bus last fall would make two car payments at the same time. Feasible, but annoying.
 
neon_duke
Thanks for all the support! I'd like to get a new/lightly used convertible for my wife, but the unexpected purchase of the Battle Bus last fall would make two car payments at the same time. Feasible, but annoying.
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What's the "Battle Bus"? :confused:

Ah, it's still summer...try to snick a new 2004 Neon from a Dodge dealership as it clears out the '04's, making spaces for '05's. If you still have that gorgeous Grand Caravan, give that to your wife and keep the new Neon for yourself. :D
 
neon_duke
My wife got caught in a terrible downpour coming home yesterday. Our entire state (pretty much flat) is totally waterlogged from a wet summer, and every time it rans we get terrible flooding now.

She drove into a deep puddle trying to get to pick up the kids from afterschool care... but she didn't drive out. It was deeper than she thought, or an unlucky bow wave from another car caught her, or something, but the 2.4-swapped Neon drank at least a pint of water and hydraulically locked, bad. It was deceptively shallow at the edges - I almost drove into the same thing when I was coming to pick her up; there was no way to see that it was so deep out in the middle.

We had it towed home and rolled into the garage. It won't turn over, even in neutral, even with the plugs out. #2 cylinder is full of oil and water, and after tearing into the intake plumbing I found standing water in the bottom of the intake manifold. At the very least, #2 connecting rod is bent, but all the oil in the cylinder makes me suspect worse internal damage. So, time to either look for another junkyard 2.4 or maybe even (gasp) a new car.

I'll keep everybody posted since I'm sure everyone's peace of mind hinges on the resolution of this deperate problem.
Click to expand...

Before you consider a new car, now is a good time to seriously consider a 6 speed mated to the GT Cruiser/SRT-4 and the 215-horse turbo four :trouble: I know I'd do it :) 👍 A ten year old Neon with a 215-horse SRT engine? That shares the same sleeper presence as, say, an Eight-Six with a TRD-tuned 4-AGE making 240 horses at 11,000 prm :trouble:

Get yourself a Mopar catalog. That's my best advice :)
 
AP1
What's the "Battle Bus"? :confused:
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The green monster. Now that's a better name for it.

It's Duke's Dodge Grand Caravan.

neon_duke
I'd like to get a new/lightly used convertible for my wife, but the unexpected purchase of the Battle Bus last fall would make two car payments at the same time. Feasible, but annoying.
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Send me a PM if it comes down to this and you decide on price or want to talk over some possible choices. I can't remember if it was you who originally brought up the C70 or me, but I'm wrong - they haven't depreciated much. In fact, despite their 11-year-old platform, they're considered one of the least-depreciating cars for sale.
 
"Last fall"? I thought you had the Caravan much longer than that? Apparently I'm wrong.

Doug, you need to buy a 2001 A4 or a 2000 A8, then a 2004 Mercedes (any), so that the model years pair up with the car pairs (since right now, the cars are in pairs, and the Nissans match model years). And why do you need 3 sedans?
 
AP1
What's the "Battle Bus"? :confused:
Click to expand...
What Doug said. It's that gorgeous silver Grand Caravan (thanks, BTW), which we bought at the end of last summer to replace the "War Wagon", our original 1992 Caravan (no, not a turbo :( ). The War Wagon was in semi retirement scheduled to last another ten years of utility use, but it got creamed by some lady who plowed into us from behind. So instead of having a nice down payment on a convertible for my wife this summer, I have an unexpected car payment. It was cheap and we'll pay it off by fall 2005, but even so it wasn't in the plan.
Ah, it's still summer...try to snick a new 2004 Neon from a Dodge dealership as it clears out the '04's, making spaces for '05's. If you still have that gorgeous Grand Caravan, give that to your wife and keep the new Neon for yourself.
Click to expand...
I've still got my Neon ACR. I'm planning to keep that until my wife's next car is paid off, then give it to my daughter (she's now 12) and start looking at used Evos or STis. Right now I'm definitely going to see what's on the lots in the way of an '04 Sebring GTC, and how deep they'll deal. She's driving the Bus right now, and it's probably worth just letting her drive it for another month or two until the lots are really getting full of '05s.
ledhed
Duke are you in the peoples republic of New Jersey ?
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Heh, heh, heh... no, but close. I can be at the foot of the Turnpike in about 20 minutes. What's up?
Ottoman
duke did u have a filter on a Stick or a Cold air intake by any chance? or the regular airbox?
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Well, I had a modified CAI. It was a regular Iceman unit, but the automatic transmission is bigger than the MTX, so I had shortened the tube a lot so the filter would sit above the transmission. The filter actually sat right in front the battery, up fairly high. I doubt it could have submerged; it must have gotten a wave in it.
M5Power
The green monster. Now that's a better name for it.
It's Duke's Dodge Grand Caravan.
Click to expand...
But it's silver...!
Send me a PM if it comes down to this and you decide on price or want to talk over some possible choices.
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Rest assured, I plan to do that, and thank you very much in advance.
I can't remember if it was you who originally brought up the C70 or me, but I'm wrong - they haven't depreciated much. In fact, despite their 11-year-old platform, they're considered one of the least-depreciating cars for sale.
Click to expand...
I noted that. I found a C70 last summer before the War Wagon got wrecked. It was an excellent deal, but it was 100 miles away. That isn't too far to go, but at the time I wasn't really looking for another car, just window shopping on cars.com. All the ones I've seen since that one are pretty expensive for their age. Then we had to buy the Bus, and it kind of got mooted until yesterday evening.
 
No kidding... I can ride my bike to Exit 8A on the turnpike in about 30 minutes at a moderate pace. Moderate as in like 10 mph, but if I hustle the pedals I can be there in 15.

Anyways, consider that engine swap. Nothin' bettah than a sleepah 👍 I'll try to get a price in Mopar's online store...
 
This
srt403_engine.jpg


In this
97NeonGr.jpg


C'mon, you know you want to ;) By the way is the mentioned Neon a 2 or 4-door?
 
It's a 4-door; all the better for a sleeper.

There are a couple problems with putting a second-gen engine (particularly the turbo) ina first-gen car. Mostly it comes down to electronics and engine management: the newer Neons have a body and a chassis controller, and the older ones just have an engine controller, and they won't talk to each other correctly. Even getting the '96 2.4 DOHC to run right in a '95 2.0 SOHC car took some fiddling, but it pretty much worked.

It would be fun to build the car you're talking about but I think any future experiments will be on a dedicated project car, not a daily driver.
 
Sage
Doug, you need to buy a 2001 A4 or a 2000 A8, then a 2004 Mercedes (any), so that the model years pair up with the car pairs (since right now, the cars are in pairs, and the Nissans match model years). And why do you need 3 sedans?
Click to expand...

I noticed they were in pairs the other day. Weird. I blame you.

The A4 is Keely's car in New York, the C43 is mine, the A8 is our daily driver in Tennessee.

neon_duke
But it's silver...!
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Still, it's better than Battle Bus.

How about "Silver Bullet"? Or does it have to be alliterative? Is that a word?
 
There's history involved, and besides, 'Silver Bullet' has been done, no matter how projectile-shaped the current famly hauler may be. If we follow up on the history angle, the next one will be called the 'Mobile Assault Temple'. It's a long story, based upon our geeky college days.
 
OH, well, if that's what it comes down to (Electronics) then it kinda sucks :indiff:

Well since it's a daily driver I guess your best bet is to find another used Neon...
 
neon_duke
What Doug said. It's that gorgeous silver Grand Caravan (thanks, BTW), which we bought at the end of last summer to replace the "War Wagon", our original 1992 Caravan (no, not a turbo :( ). The War Wagon was in semi retirement scheduled to last another ten years of utility use, but it got creamed by some lady who plowed into us from behind. So instead of having a nice down payment on a convertible for my wife this summer, I have an unexpected car payment. It was cheap and we'll pay it off by fall 2005, but even so it wasn't in the plan.
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Your welcome. :) :lol: Actually, don't thank me, thank yourself and your wife. You managed to find and get such a gorgeous minivan. Seriously, I've never seen a minivan look so gorgeous. I remember you posted up a picture of that gorgeous Grand Caravan. I need to find it...

"Some" lady, eh? You must've gotten real mad. I hope her car died.

I can and I will say this: You're a great husband and great father. And a great guy.

So what are the current plans right now?
 

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