umm, you probably just sucked water into your engine. I would quickly take the CAI off and put the stock airbox back on (soaking the filter in water as well as filing the resonators with water would be good idea too) Then call the dealer and ask them what you can do. Complain that the open airbox allowed "sheets of water" to come flying in when the flooding occured.

You do realize that being honest in this case could cost you many hundreds of dollars, right?

Better Life thru Chemistry
Black on Black 03.5 Sedan 6MT - Custom Catback, Custom Intake Tube, HyperGround Kit

 

You also realize that if you try to lie and get caught, your problem now will be 10x worse, right?

You're going to need to bring that car to a good mechanic to find out exactly what got damaged.

Steve

 

Sounds like you Hydro Locked the engine. Hate to say this but you probably bent a rod or two along with the crank. If you take the plugs out and try to start there will be water squirting out of the plug holes. Do this a few times and get all the water out, change the oil and try and start it, then change the oil again.

Better yet, get it towed to a mechanic and have them check it.

CAI + Water = Bad Stuff

Andrew, We Miss and Love You!

 

Wow that really stinks. Merlin has the right corrective action procedure, and is probably right about bending a rod. Water doesn't compress like the f/a gas and when it get's in a cylinder that is what usually happens. There's a small chance that you just swamped something electronic, and it's shorting causing the crank failure.

But not every CAI + Water = Bad Stuff, the Nismo CAI is not vulnerable to hydrolock.


Black/Willow 03.5 6MT, Premium, Navi, Aero, SAT
350Z Nismo CAI

 

Won't your insurance cover this? I would think it would, don't spend any money until you know for sure! I knew someone who's vehicle was messed up by a flash flood, they got a new car!


Brilliant Silver/Graphite '04 Sedan/5AT

 

Hydro locking destroys an engine almost every time. It bends the rods, the crank, and the valves. Also when a car is that deep, water seeps into the transmission and differential. If it won't crank over, call your insurance company and report it. I did it once myself to an old Toyota 4 Runner. The comprehensive portion of your insurance covers weather related damages. At best it needs a new engine, and a bunch of electrical components, most flooded cars are totaled out by insurance companies and sold at auction with salvage titles. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I have been there before.

 

I haven't had any experience with a hydro-locked car engine before, but when I was growing up I used to work on the beach renting waverunners. Every now and then a customer would manage to sink the waverunner and hydro-lock the engine. We would pull all the plugs and and crank the engine to get the water out...this can take a while. While cranking we would put a finger over the spark plug holes to create a little compression to get more of the water out. We would also spray some some wd-40 in the cylinder to try and displace some of the water. Usually after 30-60 minutes we would have the waverunner running again. If it were me I would try this on the car to see if I could get it running. IF I could get it running, the first thing I would do is get all fluids changed. Of course you can always call your insurance and let them take care of it too!

Louis


----------------------
2004 Diamond Graphite Sedan

 

When Tropical Storm Floyd hit our area a few years ago, probably 100 cars were totaled in our town alone from idiots driving directly into 3 ft deep standing water. Everyone claimed: "I didn't think it was that deep", but "DUH" didn't you wonder that the center divider, (normally about 2.5 ft high) dissapeared beneath the surface??? Didn't the other 20 stuck cars give you a clue?

Seriously, while I regret the problem you had, if you can't tell approximately how deep a puddle is while driving through it, you need to pay better attention. You should be able to tell from the splash/wave you make. With water above knee depth, you probably also let water into the interior, and very possibly totaled your G. Hydrolocking the motor could be just the beginning of the problems...wait till the mold starts under the carpets. Look for a high-humidity situation in the interior (fogged windows after the car sits a while) as one clue to this.

There is a time in life when you need to simply say, I can't make it through this; I need to stop, and if possible, back up and take a different route.

04 G35s 6MT BS Aero Kit/Nav/Prem
Warning: Objects in Mirror Are Losing!

 

Last winter on Highway One south of Bodega Bay, CA, I was driving my truck through a nasty rainstorm. About 10 minutes after the extremely hard rain stopped, I came upon a swamped Ford Escort. Up on dry land, about 50' away from the car was the driver.

The car was up to just below the door handle in water, and the entire inside was filled. I told him I could push it out but it would damage his bumper and trunk. He was a pretty cool guy, and said a tow was coming but he wanted his car out fast to prevent as much damage as possible. He waded in, put it in neutral, and I pushed him out.

The brush guard put two big creases on his trunk and rear bumper, but it came out with no problem. He went over and opened the door; I laughed so hard when about 100 gallons of water came pouring out. I expected to see a bunch of fish come out, like that scene in Risky Business.

Anyway, my truck intake is snorkeled, and it's been in 3 to 3.5 feet of water more than once (although I wouldn't suggest anyone do that unless absolutely necessary).


Black/Willow 03.5 6MT, Premium, Navi, Aero, SAT
350Z Nismo CAI

 

That reminds me of a river crossing scene in Dante's Peak. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

Didn't some bell go off in your head when you, quote..

"started to motor around a stalled SUV"

Why would you drive in water so deep that it flooded out the *SUV* in front of you?

<font color=blue>03 BS Sedan AT - St. Louis, MO
Premium, Winter, Xenon w/Silverstar Fogs
30% Tint - Clear Corners - 5-Wire Grounding Kit
MB Quart / Eclipse Stereo
PIAA Extreme Whites - K&N Drop-In</font color=blue>

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

Why would you drive in water so deep that it flooded out the *SUV* in front of you?

<hr></blockquote>
Like I said, "That reminds me of a river crossing scene in Dante's Peak." Including the sedans that charged into the river after his snorkelled jacked-up 4x4 Suburban. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter