Killed my car - can anyone help?

Today my car took a detour through some deep water (don't ask) and now it is dead. Money is tight enough at the mom with a new mortgage on its way next month, am even being forced to consider selling my beautiful bike.

Got a tow from the RAC home, but cannot get the car to a mechanic until next week.

I either need someone local to be recommended to me as the bloke I usually go to is busy.

Or if anyone (please the ORG knows all) can talk me through some things I may be able to do.

The car is a 97 BMW 525tds - yep diesel too!!!

Have posted on a 5 series forum, they just aren't as much cop as the mighty ORG of the SV!!!

Thanks in advance.

I can do without it but my wife uses it for work and getting the kids about - I have the bike, can run or cycle.

Sorry to hear that ...

But if a diesel sucks water into its bores and hydraulics the pistons it is usualy 'goodnight engine'..sorry to be the bearer of bad news ..

Does it still crank over and sound 'normal' if it does you may be lucky

no - nothing just a clunk

Oh nooooo ... the engine has got water in the cylinder bores and the pistons cant compress it .. hence the clunk as a long shot you could try and turn the engine anti clockwis ..with a socket on the crank pulley to relieve some of the pressure and then remove the injectors make sure nobody is any where near the vehicle and try and crank it over it may pump the water out of the bores ...but BEWARE it will pump out under EXTREME pressure and would do serious damage to anyone that it hit !

If that works try and start the engine but remove the air filter and trunking that may still have water in it.... because if it fires up and then it sucks water in again your luck will run out !!! ( the turbo intercooler will be full of water also ) hope this helps a bit ..fingers crossed but the engine is more than likely totaled i am afraid

Caz thanks there is an ever so slight glimmer of hope that I'll try.

Any ideas on how to do any of those things?

[the_lone_wolf]

sorry to add more bad news, but if it has ingested water it could be done for... my dad had the same vehicle as a company car many moons back, he hit a puddle on the island and it sucked water, the repair bill was pretty horrific iirc, certainly over a grand

best not to try to turn the car over at all till you get someone who knows how to remove the injectors or head and see the extent of the damage. it sounds like it got some water in the cylinder but if it wont turn over it might not be totalled just yet, their tough old birds diesels. best to strip off the head and assess the extent of water damage without turning it over. its not as bad as it sounds just take a haynes manual and your time careful not to lose any bolts or clips. one your in mop up any water, clean it all down with wd 40 and build the head back up. then dismantle the airbox and make sure its clear of water and debris. finally check to see if it turns over briefly, you may need to manually pump the diesel through if its air locked after being stripped. if it turns freely even if it doesn't start your going to be ok. just keep pumping the diesel and keep it cranking for 10 - 15secs before giving the started a rest to cool down. use jumpers from another car to help if the battery is low. if it turns over but wont start after a few tries it prob best to get a pro involved.

good luck mate but you will be surprised the abuse that cars will survive, its the labour bills which kill you so try to get the donkey work done yourself.

Originally Posted by krhall

Caz thanks there is an ever so slight glimmer of hope that I'll try.

Any ideas on how to do any of those things?

If its an auto take it out of 'park' and into neutral and then if you can get to any of the pullies at the front of the engine try to turn it anticlockwis ..only need to be a small amount just to take some of the pressure away from the injectors before you try and remove them.

As for the injectors they will be tight and you will need a deep socket to remove them ..after removing the fuel pipes ..on your engine the injectors are buried under all of the plastic covers that cover the cylinder head....please dont get your hopes up too high ! it is abit of along shot !!

PS once the injectors are removed you wont do any more damage than may already be present by cranking it over.

Don't even have the sufficient tools for turning the crank!