Team-BHP - Help! Car submerged in flood

There's been torrential rain in Kolkata since Sunday. The garage of my apartment got flooded Sunday night. Water levels were such I would not have been able to start the car and taken it to a safer place today morning. Sadly, all through today (Monday) the level kept on rising.

The situation at 11pm tonight, when I last checked, was around 18-20 inches of water. To give and idea of the level,
- the tyres are almost fully under water
- the water is just below the headlight; the number plate is fully covered.
- there is water inside the car covering the base of the gear lever
- front seats (the lower back part) has a pool of water
- an inch higher and it will probably overflow from inside the car and enter the boot
- in the engine bay slightly it is lower than the platform on which the battery is kept

Surely damaged as of now
- Recently installed Illusion EL62s in the front doors :(

Action taken till 11pm. I wasn't really sure what to do. Then I thought, lets take whatever I could away from the water, in case the water level rises further tonight. Hence,
- Disconnected subwoofer
- Disconnected JBL amp
- Disconnected battery
- Removed air filter
- Removed HU faceplate
- Emptied glove compartment
I have removed all 6 items above from the car and they are safe at home.

Now, I need help from you guys to compile a list of to do's, once the water level goes down. Am starting it off here with help from @razor.

- Discuss with Maruti service engineer on how to get it to the workshop
- Do not start car
- Remove all seats and clean/dry them
- Change engine oil
- Change gear oil
- Change brake oil
- Check wheel bearings
- Get underbody anti rust coating done
- How to dry/clean exhaust ???
- How and what to check in electricals ??
- Anything else ?

I just want to be well prepared when I deposit the car at the workshop.

If the water level hasn't risen further, you can open the intake pipe at the air-filter end and plug with some rubber-cloth or something. To prevent anywater making its way into the throttle body, if the level rises further. How many jacks do you have? You can put the car on bricks, although since the water is already there, its easier said than done.

But whatever it is, since the level has reached upto the battery, dont start the car at all even after water has receded. Let the workshop take control.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1100D (Post 574333)

Well it needs to rise almost another foot or so to reach the intake opening I guess. When I took out the air filter, I noted that the filter 'chamber' (arnd 8-10 inches deep) was still dry. If it rises another foot, then I'm anyway doomed. Might as well get a new car ;)

Got only one jack. And could have theoretically raised only the passenger side, since the car is parked with the drivers side a couple of feet away from the garage wall. But decided against it coz of two reasons
1. As you said, it'll be very difficult to carry out the operation under water.
2. I've been running a fever most of today

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvc (Post 574338)

What I am asking is that, since you have already opened the filter chamber, unclamp the pipe that goes from the filter outlet to the throttle body or MAS (if any). place a rubber cloth/plastic and then clamp the intake pipe back to the filter chamber. This will prevent any water from entering the intake pipe, even if the water level rises further.

Get well soon. Dont get tensed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1100D (Post 574341)

Right. Will try this tomorrow morning. It's 2:30 AM now. I can just pray that it doesn't rise further tonight.

Edit: The rain has stopped since around 10pm. So hoping the level will not rise further.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979 (Post 574344)

Why didn't you get down, put the jack and raise the car??
All you need is a few bricks and you can get around 10 inches more of height.
You just need to raise the front of the car.

Well as I said, have been running a fever all day. Inspite of that managed to wade around a bit to disconnect whatever I did. Sitting down and getting the jack in place would have meant me getting drenched upto my neck.

Getting bricks is out of Q. The garage water level at 18-20 inches is the lowest around. ALL the streets in this area and hence around the apartment are submerged. > 2ft of water easily. I see cycles with their wheels almost fully under water. The apartment elevators have had to be shut down. 1st floor flats (we live in one) have been requested to turn off their mains since the water is licking the mains boxes installed in the ground floor. I am staying the night in a 3rd floor (relatives) flat.

It's pathetic.

Update.

- Rains have more or less stopped. The sun is out for the moment.
- Overnight water level rose 5-6 inches more to cover the headlights.
- Inside the car the gear lever is submerged, climate control is submerged.
- The air filter chamber is full.

But I had kept the filter box cover loose last night. Hence the intake connected to it seemed to be unaffected. This morning, I have sealed the intake opening AND as a safety measure, propped up the pipe with the help of a stick anchored inside the filter chamber. So the pipe is now a foot above the water. Have kept the bonnet open.

- Called up Maruti. Service engineer said he'll send someone to check once the water subsides (which might take 2 more days), and then take it from there.
- @shuvd, I had disconnected the soomoku, amp, battery and kept them at home last night.
- There's waist deep water all around. Getting basic amenities is difficult. Cell network is very poor. Dunno how long this data card will have connectivity.

Will try to post some snaps later.

Is there anything else I can do/salvage now ?
Are these incidents covered under insurance ?