WATER LOGGED ! need help

ALERO81 · 07-31-2008, 11:28 PM

Hey I need some help here I have a 1999 Olds Alero v6 car runs good Yesterday we got a lot of rain here the most I have every seen anyway it was very hard to see where I was driving I was only going about 30 mile a hour anyway before I new it I was in a big puddle about 2 feet deep ( water almost covered tires) anyway car died half way threw the puddle (it was about 7 meters long) it would not start back up so I pushed it out of the water to a clear spot on the road the car still would not even turn over after I tried and tried to start it I finally got the car to start about 25 mins later it smoked like crazy for about 30 sec the smoked stopped and I drove the car home now today the car still drives fine but now when i press the gas all the way down the car will on rev up to 300 rpm its like there is no power ??
does it need more time to dry out
is there anything I should do to help dry it out
as I said the car now start fine but there is just no power ???

Midgear · 07-31-2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALERO81

Hey, I need some help here- I have a 99' Alero with the LA1 V6.

Yesterday we got alot of rain here, heaviest rain I have ever seen, and it was very hard to see where I was going. I was traveling about 30 MPH and I drove straight into a giant puddle around 2 feet deep (the water almost covering the tires.)

The car died about halfway through the puddle and I tried to start it back up but it wouldn't. So I pushed it out of the water to a dry area and tried to start it for about about 25 minutes.. once it started it smoked like crazy for a good 30 seconds and the smoke tapered off and I drove the car home.

Well, now today the car still drives fine, but now when I press the gas pedal to the floor the car will rev up to about 3000 RPM's but it wont accelerate.. like it has no power at all. Does it need more time to dry out? What can I do to help dry it out? It starts just fine now, but it doesnt have any power.

fixed your post to make it more understandable

Depending on how much water was entering your intake.. you may have bent a valve or something. especially trying to start the car in the middle of the water.. not a good idea. If there was water entering the intake, you have to realize that water cannot compress like air does.. our engines are designed to compress air.. not a liquid.

Does it idle just fine? Does it spudder when you mash the throttle? let us know!

Vinalero · 08-01-2008, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALERO81

...today the car still drives fine...

If you bent a valve, you would know. It's like you probly cleaned your combustion chambers with the water and were lucky enough that nothing plyed.

Any dummy lights are on now?

Start by checking the basic stuff : Spark plugs (with that much water in the chambers, maybe they were affected, but again you would notice at all rpm). Wires? Maybe your IAT was damaged or the MAF?

Midgear · 08-01-2008, 02:54 AM

doubt the MAF woulda been harmed.. I'd check the spark plugs first-

Vtolds · 08-01-2008, 07:39 AM

Change your oil, check your plugs and let it dry out a little bit.

ALERO81 · 08-01-2008, 08:51 AM

I did not try to start the car in the puddle I pushed the car out into a dry spot
there is no lights on now and as I said the car runs fine the only thing it doing now is when you first start the car it revs really high and when driving the car there is no power
there is no spudder when I hit the gas
I will check the plug today after work and make sure there dry !

Valley olds · 08-01-2008, 01:46 PM

I would recomend you also change your oil like Vtolds said. If water is in your engine, you dont want it to be circulating inside affecting your engine's lubrication.

ALERO81 · 08-01-2008, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valley olds

I would recomend you also change your oil like Vtolds said. If water is in your engine, you dont want it to be circulating inside affecting your engine's lubrication.

I agree
the car now is rev very high when you start is and now when you drive it
so my new question is there anyway to reset the car computer ??
Im starting to think that that is is the mas air flow ???
last question when I change gears from part to drive it slams in gear do you think this all linked ?

Valley olds · 08-01-2008, 05:59 PM

Ive head that a faulty IAT sensor can lead to the hard shifting. To reset the computer you disconnect the negative battery cable for, I believe, ten minutes.

ALERO81 · 08-01-2008, 06:21 PM

Thanks Im trying that now

Midgear · 08-01-2008, 06:23 PM

If my battery disconnects at all my computer instantly resets.. I'm not sure about the 10 minute thing considering i've never tried it..

let us know what happens-

ALERO81 · 08-01-2008, 07:30 PM

well it did reset my computer but I think I may have some big problems now
I drove the car around the block it is NOT revving high now but the transmission shift gears really hard now and it acts like the tranny is shot ???
it revs o 3000 rpm before it changes then when it does it really hard shift
this tranny was working fine until this happen any ideas ???????

Nate's Alero · 08-01-2008, 08:19 PM

IAT Sensor

ALERO81 · 08-01-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate's Alero

IAT Sensor

WHAT IS THAT ? AND WHERE IS THAT

Midgear · 08-01-2008, 10:07 PM

IAT = Intake Air Temperature sensor

don't know its exact location right off the top of my head.. I believe its a little black sensor that's plugged into the intake somewhere near the throttle body.. it looks like it's got a little cage around the actual sensor when you pull it out and look at it-

ALERO81 · 08-01-2008, 10:35 PM

Well after I have read up on the IAT I have found out that it sounds exactly what is going on with my car so that is something that Im going to check out with the Junk yard to see if that what it is
thanks

Midgear · 08-01-2008, 10:42 PM

a junkyard? how much is a new one?

ALERO81 · 08-01-2008, 11:06 PM

not too sure what a new one will cost but a used one I can get free !
you think this is making the transmission shift hard ?

Midgear · 08-01-2008, 11:23 PM

for some reason I seriously doubt an air temperature sensor would make your transmission shift really hard.. just get the basics fixed and see what happens..

my transmission slammed into gears once when I was running on FUMES trying to get to the gas station.. once I put some gas in it.. it shifted normally- so I dont know

Vtolds · 08-02-2008, 08:17 AM

Resetting the computer is making the trans shift hard. It is relearning your driving style.