BillyT

Drove through 8 inches of water with FTRA at about 8 mph, and the car stalled, and wont start.
The starter just grinds.
The motor does nothing.
I pulled all the plugs except #8 which I am struggling with.
I don't even know if I will be able to get it out.
Most of the plugs had small water droplets on them, but not soaked, and no water poured out.
The air filter was soaked, and there was a little water that poured out of the throttle body.
So far I plan to call my insurance company, and possibly a mechanic.
I am out of warranty, and broke, and very bummed.

Bad1le

Honestly man, the FTRA did nothing. YOU hydrolocked it by chosing to drive through 8" of water. What the hell were you thinking?
AJ

CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

8 inches of water!!!!? You are lucky you didn't flood the inside of your car too. Look on the bright side, you can put a bigger motor in now. <img border="0" alt="[Burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

INSSANE

Yeah...I would've found a different way home.
Take a tape measure, start at the ground, and move up 8 inches. That's high!!
Yeah, a chevy 502 big block sounds good.
Nick

BillyT

I was driving home from a party at 2 am last night in the pitch dark in Hackensack, NJ on RT.503, and I was following somewhat closely behind an SUV that I couldn’t see around because we both just pulled away from a light, when all of a sudden him and I have just flown right into a puddle going under a train bridge!!!!
The SUV just kept on going, and by the time I could realize what was happening I was also half way through, and I just kept going too, and stalled out right in the middle of the water.

I hopped out, and pushed the car about 30 ft forward out of the water, and tried to start it just to hear a loud scraping/grinding noise from the starter, and it didn’t even turn over.

I popped the hood, and tore off the air box lid, and pulled the filter out, and it was SOAKED, and I saw water pour out of the throttle body.

I called AAA and they towed my car home.
And now it's a day later and, and it’s doing the same thing.
Won’t even turn over.

I thought HYDROLOCKING your engine was a MYTH?!?!?!

It wasn’t even raining anymore, and the water was less than a foot deep.
Although, I would not have driven through it if I had seen it in time, but not being able to see in front of that SUV, and the town of Hackensack, not having the area well lit, and not having the road BLOCKED OFF totally screwed me!
I can’t believe the town didn’t have the road, blocked.
By the way when I pulled over there was another car 50 ft ahead of me stalled with a cop behind them with his lights on.
And also another car behind me stalled and got stuck in the middle too.
It stopped raining 4 hours earlier, what the hell is wrong with this town, and the cops?!?!?
I also was STUNNED to find that the cops would not even help push the girls car out of the water.
Some heroes eh?
Left a young lady to push her own car out of the water.
They blocked off the road with flares while my car and the girls car were there.
But, as the tow truck drove me away, I saw the cops, unblocking the road, and then LEAVING!!!!!
So I guess they just went back to sleep, and waited for the next few victims to drive though it!!!
I simply can’t believe it.
What do I do now?
Is my car destroyed?
I can’t win with this car.

<small>[ August 26, 2002, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: BillyT ]</small>

Damian

iTrader: (89)

It's pretty sad to see people come on the internet and blame a particular part of the car for their own stupidity/mistake....

If your air filter/TB/motor was as soaked as you say, you drove through a puddle a lot bigger than 8 inches.

FWIW, I used to run a FTRA and drove through many monsoons, never had a problem. But then again, I never drove through mini lakes either <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

JOsh

1999Daytona500PaceCar

iTrader: (2)

You are very unfortunate in this situation I must agree. I can understand how you could have gotten in that position once you describe how it happened - but that was very deep water for an F-body under any circumstances - but factor in the FTRA and you end up where you are now. It is not necessarily the "fault" of the FTRA - but using it and hitting that much water - definitely combined to put water into your motor. As for whether or not the road should have been blocked off seeing as there were other motorist's stalled there and the fact that the cops knew of the situation as they were on the scene - sounds like there could be grounds for a legal case against the city. You would have to seek legal counsel on that.

On a short note though - #1 thing is remove the FTRA before anyone looks at your car concerning this as they will all fault that as the reason you have water in the motor including your insurance company. Without the FTRA there, your insurance should cover the repairs - however of course, you will still have to pay the deductible and any incidentals - that's just life - unless the legal counsel you speak with agrees that there is grounds for a case in which case you should come out in good shape once the whole ordeal is over. I wish you all the best!

BillyT

Earlier today, I put my wet shoes and pants back on and measured the water line on my pants with a tape measure, and it was approximately 8 1/2 inches from the ground on both legs.

Procharged LM7

Just get all the plugs out, turn it over asap to get the water out, and maybe ther is no corrosion/damage done? Try it before being defeated. I have done the same and let it sit in the cold and my motor was gone(it was a pos anyway)

Black Sunshine/ 00SS

iTrader: (1)

You drive your car in the rain?

Dam that's a long sig..

Bitching mode off...

cantdrv65

iTrader: (3)

I drove through at least a foot of water before with my '99 Z two weeks ago with no problems. No FRA or FTRA here...

Country Boy

iTrader: (24)

Just pull all 8 plugs out and turn the starter over for a few to push the water out and then put the plugs back in. I had to do this to a friends car that hydrolocked his car over the weekend.

BTW~ It wasnt the FTRAs fault <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

Ragtop 99

iTrader: (7)

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by cantdrv65:
<strong>I drove through at least a foot of water before with my '99 Z two weeks ago with no problems. No FRA or FTRA here...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> Are you a former U-Boat Commander?? <img border="0" alt="[jester]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_jest.gif" />

Billy: Insurance will likely cover this. Assuming after getting #8 out the car won't turnover, get the FTRA off and switch back with a buddy who has a stock filter tray. Do it today. Then call your insurance guy tomorrow.

Dope

iTrader: (2)

This is one of the reasons I am very **** about using the block off plate. I don't screw it in place, I just shove it in so it blocks the opening to the FTRA. (it gets wedged under the tray and doesn't move) Then I remove the seal on the front.

I figure, blocking off the water entry and depressurizing the system is worth the 30 seconds in the rain. I don't think I've ever seen a puddle that was 8 inches deep in my entire life, regardless. Even when my street got flooded one day during a hurricane a few years back, there was not more than 6 inches on the road. 8.5" is lake territory!

Sorry to hear man, live and learn I guess!

Dope

ASR OFF

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Although, I would not have driven through it if I had seen it in time, but not being able to see in front of that SUV, and the town of Hackensack, not having the area well lit, and not having the road BLOCKED OFF totally screwed me!
I can’t believe the town didn’t have the road, blocked.
By the way when I pulled over there was another car 50 ft ahead of me stalled with a cop behind them with his lights on.
And also another car behind me stalled and got stuck in the middle too.
It stopped raining 4 hours earlier, what the hell is wrong with this town, and the cops?!?!?
I also was STUNNED to find that the cops would not even help push the girls car out of the water.
Some heroes eh?
Left a young lady to push her own car out of the water.
They blocked off the road with flares while my car and the girls car were there.
But, as the tow truck drove me away, I saw the cops, unblocking the road, and then LEAVING!!!!!
So I guess they just went back to sleep, and waited for the next few victims to drive though it!!! </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sorry to hear about this <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> . But I am glad I moved out of Jersey! **** happened to me all the time there. It's not your bad luck, it's Jersey.

VINCE

iTrader: (1)

Same thing Carl said.. Billy stop worrying.. Take all the plugs out and try to start the car until you see no more water coming out.. Thats about 10 or so times.. Change the oil immediately.. I mean immediately.. Put the plugs back in and drive the car away... Whenever you get a chance.. Trade it in.. I had to do this with one of my old cars...

BurnOut

iTrader: (1)

Like Dope mentioned, that's the reason that the FTRA is supplied with that block-off plate. Even in a turd-floatin' rain storm, it's easy enough to find a covered gas station and put the block-off plate in place.

Nonetheless, your situation sucks. If the engine was spinning pretty slow (1200-1500 RPM), you'll likely be okay once you can drain #8. Change the oil, put new plugs in it, and give it a shot.

1320

iTrader: (6)

This statement really says something about society.....

"Although, I would not have driven through it if I had seen it in time, but not being able to see in front of that SUV, and the town of Hackensack, not having the area well lit, and not having the road BLOCKED OFF totally screwed me!
I can’t believe the town didn’t have the road, blocked. "

Is it just me or was I the only one that was told to drive with in your limits....shouldn t you be able to see where your going? Its the citys fault for not lighting the area? Why not blame the car manufacturer for dull head lights....or the car wash for not cleaning the lenses? And its there fault for not blocking the road....cause well we all know that the dot works 24/7 on keeping us all safe from our selves......

So lets recap......you drove into deep water with a ftra that you knew you had, cause you were following a suv to closly (aka.tail gatting) that you knew you were to close too....into a poorly lit area that you could obviously tell was poorly lit cause well it was really dark.....and you knew it just rained but who in there right mind would expect water to be gathered in a low area? and its everyones elses fault?

<small>[ August 26, 2002, 01:05 PM: Message edited by: 1320 ]</small>

Iv_z28

That's what I call self-flooding <img border="0" alt="[Fluffy]" title="" src="graemlins/fluffy.gif" />

... 8+ inches and camaro doesn't stall? - with or without FTRA that IS a u-boat commander <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
with ftra should ,perhaps, be promoted to the status of RAM-U-BOAT <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_tounge.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_angel.gif" />

BIGBOS

You can't really blame anything but yourself for driving through 8 inches of water...our cars suck air from under...the FTRA makes it worse cause its a direct path....

I would try and put most of it back to stock if it has to come down to it....

Good luck... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />