Team-BHP - Help! Car submerged in flood

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackPearl (Post 575585)

will ask Joydeb Da tomorrow morning if anything can be done about this. he has quite a few people known in maruti, so may be he can help. no harm in giving it a try.

Thanks. All inputs/assistance welcome !

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1100D (Post 575588)

Thats quite thoughtless of the owners of the contributors to the orchestra.

I saw the owner of this car go down to fix it. Not sure what he did, but wasn't successful.

Most of the other cars were those which are parked in rented spaces. Hence the owners do not stay in that particular apartment block. Cell networks were poor all through these 2 days + even if the owner was apprised of the situ, his place could be a few blocks or more away. It would be a daunting task to come down.

Ah ! The smile. I've found my stoic nature come to the fore in this case.

Whoa,thats a sad sight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvc (Post 575325)

- What are the consequences of water in the exhaust pipe?

My noob instincts tell me that water would have entered your head,atleast till the exhaust valves.Bcause its very clear that your manifold is under water,and that liquids seek their own level blah blah ..

Take every possible precaution,if you overlook even the tiniest thing,chances are the car won't ever be the same.

Best of luck!

Here're my thoughts.

The car must be pushed/towed to wherever it will be serviced.
It needs a good wash, shampoo and dry and disinfection so that the bacteria and germs that invariably dwell in stagnant water are exterminated.

Genuine wool, cotton and leather (organic substances) would certainly be ruined and must be replaced. Comfortably, a Baleno is not a Jaguar or a Rolls-Royce so it does not use genuine wool, leather and suede. The synthetics like rexine, faux-leather, nylon plush and polyurethane foam moulded seat cushions can be safely washed, shampooed and reused.

All the oils and lubricants must be changed.

Disconnecting the battery was the most important thing to do and you have done that. Electronics that was not already inundated when you disconnected the battery is likely to be safe. The car will just start and run after it has been thoroughly worked on.

One challenge will be getting all the flotsam and gunk out of the car. When the water recedes, the impurities in the water (clay, dirt, hair, discarded food, etc) stay stuck to the car.

Most places in India lack steam cleaning, hot water pressure wash, wet vaccuum, and machine drying facilities. And common garages are notorious for their lack of attention to detail.

I don't mean to rub it in but, this car now deserves the kind of attention that classic car restorers lavish, not common garages that make new cars old (Many of our garages fall in this latter category).

Some of our Bangalore, Coimbatore, Chennai automobile aficionados are known to roll-up their sleeves and do many things themselves, from sourcing specialty parts to modding, personally washing and polishing and installing non-standard items. I would connect with them.

Close supervision and personal attention to detail, will be key to good results.

Ram

@shuvc- Just saw the pics ! Really sad to see your car.I dont know what i would have done in your situation.My sister lives is in lake town and they are experiencing 3 ft water still underneath their house. They are seriously thinking of relocating and I think you should start too. The rains came down so hard that it seeped in my Indica(it was standing in the open parking lot all the time) and created a mini swimming pool inside .I think i will need to change the rubber lining of the entire car :(

To take a cue from what ram said, most workshops do not clean the interiors thoroughly. I think Vinay & Co. recently started a Car Spa that offers some extensive car care services. You could give him a call and find out if they can help restore the interiors. I can vouch for the quality of their work.
If you need any help, gimme a call. Been trying to get in touch with you, but your cell is still not reachable.

I saw the pics today. Was really shocked. I can well understand what is going through you now. But I have a feeling that there would be less damage. Luckily you opened the battery and handled the intake pipe. Dont worry about the electronic stuff. They should be fine. Just have to ensure that before you start the engine, everything has dried up and your fingers are crossed. Just keep your faith on Suzuki :-)
The only pain would be thoroughly cleaning the car.
All the best for the silver arrow and your pocket

@binz - you're right. Water has probably reached the exhaust valves. But it shouldn't enter the engine from there.

@ram - your post actually gave me a lot of hope !

@razor - I have thought of the Vinay angle. But I guess all that will come later. The first thing I need to ensure is that the car is DRY and all fluids changed, before it is cranked. This, I can do only at Mohan Motors. If a Spa is required after I receive the car from there, then Vinay might come into the picture.

Cell network is still poor. Am at the 3rd floor flat now. You may be able to get through.

Current update - approx 40hrs after water entered the car. The level has gone down by 4 inches. The headlights are not covered anymore - it's just at the bottom of the headlights. I can see some water accumulation in both the headlight assemblies.

Maruti service engineer wanted to send a tow truck today. But when I mentioned the water level, he said it's best to wait till it goes down some more. They had sent the tow truck to another area (Dhakuria) yesterday. The truck stalled and broke down !

Man, this is terrible - what's frustrating to hear is the amount of time its taking for the water to go down even after the rain's stopped! Must be heart breaking for you, I'm sorry!

Reminds me of 1999 monsoons in Kolkata - we were staying in Golf Garden then. Place resembled a lake, water inside ALL our cars - Maruti 800s & a Fiat Delite. The rains stopped & the water receded EVERYWHERE except a one kilometer radius around our house:Frustrati . But it was nowhere near what I'm seeing here - though we did have to spend some bucks getting the Fiat back in shape. The worst bit was the STINK once the carpets had dried.............

Quote:

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno (Post 576037)

shuvc, that's a real sad situation with your car. Feel bad just seeing the pics. :mad:
Hope you get her back soon without any major damage (to the car and your wallet).

Arre sir he is a top shot in one of the biggest software companies, i am not at all concerned about the wallet (wink, wink) , it is just the car condition that kills me :-( !!