Hi, I took my car out a couple of nights ago and went through a puddle,
(as you do!) this all seemed fine until I tried to accelerate a few
minutes later. It just wouldn't, well nothing like what it normally
does. before going through the puddle, I was able to accelerate fine,
so I presume the problem is related.


This morning, I checked the oil - right between the max and min
markers. I then started the car. I drove it gently for about 8 miles
before stopping, still with the problem, and reving it in neutral. The
increase in revs was painfully slow, but once about 3500 rpm it picked
up. ( It used to go quickly throughout the rev range.)


After this, I tried to accelerate down a clear open road, acceleration
befor 3000 rmp was apauling, and only increased after 3000 rpm, however
the turbo (I think) made a much more noticable whine that usuall. The
top speed I could reach was 87mph and as the top speed is around 120,
there is obviously something wrong

I took the air filter cover off, and had a look inside, the filter was
abit dirty, but wasn't wet.

I am now lost for what to do. What could casue this loss of power?
Could the air filter have dried out in this time on rainy days? Could
the water have somehow broken the turbo?

I presume that the problem could be unrelated to the ttrip through the
puddle, but I've got no idea where to start without costly trips to a
garage.

Any help muh apprieciated,
Oliver

hi m8 have a look at my post rover 400 td cot the same sort of thing going on

I have had suggestions that the cold water shock could have destroyed the cat causing a restriction in the exhaust.
How likely is this? And how would I check that this is OK or not?
I have had a look at the intercooler hoses and they seem to build up a bit of pressure when revved.
Another suggestion was the MAF sensor, I'm not intirely sure how this could be affected by water.

Thanks,
Oliver

cant see it being the cat ,as you say its ok after 3000rpm
so if it was restricting the exhaust it would knock to topend off more than the bottom end power.
more likely to be the MAF i think

Sounds like some sort of electrical bit got wet, have you got the belly panels still attatched to the bottom of the car at all?

Just wondering as soemtimes people dont (including me) and water can get up into the bay and wet important bits...

Yes I do still have the belly pan on the car, however, having said that I did travel through the puddle at about 50mph so it may well have found it's way into the bay somewhere.

Is there anyway of checking the MAF without taking it to the garage or by buying a new one?

Oliver

Sounds like some sort of electrical bit got wet, have you got the belly panels still attatched to the bottom of the car at all?

Just wondering as soemtimes people dont (including me) and water can get up into the bay and wet important bits...
Im with this. What about MAF sensor? is this applicable? Sorry im totally splurting here just what springs to mind.

Hmm i wouldnt have thought the MAF sensor as this is from the air intake, unless alot of water went up and splashed it.

The 400 has the ecu on the back of the engine if i remember rightly, maybe a problem with the crank shaft sensor, EGR valve/sensor andburg mentioned, or could be a problem with needle lift sensor...
Problem is pinpointing something without changing every thing in your engine bay!
One of the best things to do with the engine running is play "wiggle the wire" check all connections etc... and make sure its all secure and no wires are exposed, this is how i found my crankshaft sensor problem when i wiggled the wire and the engine went bezerk!, changed it and no problems after that.

HTH! Regards, Stu C

I've had the air filter box right out and found that the air intake pipe in the bottom was not connected, so it may well have had water get into it more easily. Secondly after closer inspection of the dry air filter, it does look as though it may have got wet and then dried out.

Just a thought,
Oliver

disconnect the MAF and see how it runs....

I took the air filter out and gave it a run down the road, the acceleration seems better, but I still dont think it as good as it normally is.
What will disconnecting the MAF do and how will I be able to tell if this is the problem.

Thanks,
Oliver

if you unplug the maf you will notice instantly if the power is there!

it reduces the rev limit considerably to about 4000rpm but you should have instant acceleration.

mines gone on my 25 was a nightmare up to 3000rpm unplugged the maf and its fine!

could this be the problem on mine as my car has **** poor acceleration upto about 3k revs and then it seems to perk up
its a 25 td

I bought a new air filter and it seems much better now (although i've not driven it very far), I think the water must have made it more clogged.

I'll keep an eye on it and if problem still there i might try replacing tthe MAF although I hear they are quite expensive.

Thanks,
Oliver

A couple of years ago I drove my 200sdi through a flood and it sucked in a load of water. I was stuck for ages, waiting for the water in the cylinders to run down past the piston rings.

Anyway, I managed to get it going, limped home (only 1/2mile). The oil was full to the brim, as obviously the sump was full of water.

Anyway, I changed the oil & filter (used a wynns flush for good luck), changed the air filter, and it was fine. Carried on for another 20K until I sold it.

The moral is, they are pretty bulletproof engines, so you've probably got an electrical gremlin somewhere, i would think???

The cat can break internally as a result of going through a sudden cold like running through a large puddle (mine did) but it would make an obscene rattling noise so I think you can rule that one out.

I disconnected the MAF sensor wiring and noticed the improvement imediatly. Now all I have to do is persuade the warantee company to pay for it. lol.

Thanks for all your help,
Oliver

mine did this awhile ago, i put it down to geting the filter blocked.

its not the mafam as mine was unplugged at the time

mine did this awhile ago, i put it down to geting the filter blocked.

its not the mafam as mine was unplugged at the time
MAFAM is the box you attatch to the MAF, which compensates for a under performing MAF.

Cheers
Skelo

Hi, I had my car into the local garage a couple of months ago to have the MAF sensor replaced. This fixed the problem although there was still more power without it conected, but I spose that performance is sacrificed to keep economy good.

Thanks for all your help.
Oliver

mine did this awhile ago, i put it down to geting the filter blocked.

its not the mafam as mine was unplugged at the time

Sorry ment the Maf sensor its self, the car went falt and wouldnt pull.

if you look at the cold air pic up it drops into the arch so i would imagine getting a load of water into it not being much of a challange

Sorry ment the Maf sensor its self, the car went falt and wouldnt pull.

if you look at the cold air pic up it drops into the arch so i would imagine getting a load of water into it not being much of a challange

There should be a rubber pipe that goes from the bottom of the air filter box to the front grill area. On mine this rubber pipe had come off (I think garage didn't refit it when they did my reverse switch) and so the air was being drawn in straight from the wheel arch. If yours seems to be taking air in from the arch, then you may have a loose pipe about, which will save more water entering in future.

Oliver

i have a rover 25 2.0 td, the problem with mine was that i drove over a huge puddle a while back. since then whenever i start the engine i have to rev the engine above 3000rpm before i go, this is due to the idle sticking. if i dont rev the engine once started and try to drive off it will stall or continue to move at very low levels for a while, as a result i've unplugged the maf sensor and its damn fine now, so now ive purchased a new one from ebay for £35 inc postage. waiting for delivery..

my question is how possibly could the maf sensor hav gotten damaged if my air filter wasnt even wet?

The amount of air your engine sucks through it will quickly dry out a soaking filter (assuming the engine will still run).

The wires on a MAF sensor are very very fine and fragile so they can be easily broken by a puddle of water hitting them

The amount of air your engine sucks through it will quickly dry out a soaking filter (assuming the engine will still run).

The wires on a MAF sensor are very very fine and fragile so they can be easily broken by a puddle of water hitting them

yea but there was no water in the engine,

btw does anyone know when to change a timing belt on td ie 2.0ltr.

Unless you have asignifican't amount of water going through the engine then you'll not really notice it. If you have a lot of water you bend the con rods or blow the headgasket which isn't good.

Unless you have asignifican't amount of water going through the engine then you'll not really notice it. If you have a lot of water you bend the con rods or blow the headgasket which isn't good.
Minor understatement!:getcoat: