FML, I’m 99% sure my motor is hydro-locked

[Faceplant]

So during an absolute monsoon today I drove through a new construction area with black rubber pipes blocking the drainage sewers. Went though water that was much deeper than I thought. Car shut off. I left it there for a couple hours, tried to start it and nothing. Towed the car home. I’m quite the car guy so I took it apart, took off the charge pipes, turbos full of water, I’m almost certain the motor hydrolocked and the rods are bent. I’m about to take out the spark plugs to let the cylinders dry out and hope for a miracle.

Onto my question,

1. Should I put the car back together before filing a claim and taking the car to bmw, I really don’t want to have to do this. I’m 100% demoralized and depressed about the situation

2. I have videos of the water, as well as videos of me sucking water out of the turbos via a turkey Baster, should I expect any issues from my insurance company?

3. Knowing what I know about motors, I would be uncomfortable with anything besides a new shortblock, as water most likely will cause contaminated bearings as well as other issues, is this going to be hard to get my insurance to cover a new/factory refurb motor?

[Poochie]

I'm afraid your worst fear has been confirmed..

Your comprehensive insurance coverage covers hydrolock; have it towed to a dealer.

Good luck.

This guy might help you commiserate:

[Faceplant]

Originally Posted by Poochie

I'm afraid your worst fear has been confirmed..

Your comprehensive insurance coverage covers hydrolock; have it towed to a dealer.

Good luck.

This guy might help you commiserate:

I hooked the maf back up and attempted to turn the motor (I know I know). It did a couple rpm, It turned Over and stopped. No knocking or any odd noises, but it stopped attempting to start. I’m gonna go to the 24hr autozone and get a spark plug socket, take out the plugs, hopefully blow out the water and see if I’m the 1%. I’m confident my motor is done though. I will update the results. Being a Floridian I know better than to drive through water, but this patch of water completely caught me off guard.

[Faceplant]

Calmed down and re-thought the situation. The fact that the turbos were full of water and the oil is likely to have seen some water, which can cause bearing issues, I’m just gonna leave the car as is. I’m gonna call the insurance company tomorrow and just file a claim. I’m hoping the car doesn’t get totaled out. It sucks that I spent months looking for a Yas Marina, 6spd, cloth and this happens.

[jpy1980]

Wow if you don’t mind me asking, how high was the water? Do you have aftermarket intakes?

[Faceplant]

Originally Posted by jpy1980

Wow if you don’t mind me asking, how high was the water? Do you have aftermarket intakes?

100% stock Intakes. Water was cresting over the hood when I realized I was fucked. My wife and I just went back to the area, it turns out the county, or the construction company actually blocked the sewer drainage with sandbags and a black tube. We went back and took tons of pics. We are also going to follow up with the county on Monday. I have a couple of pics for those interested. Like I said, I life in Florida and 100% know better. I literally drive for a living, this caught me 100% by suprise and now I know why. Blocked drainage. My wife luckily took pics and we were smart enough to go back and realize the drainage issue. I have the skills to swap a f80 and the tools to do so, but my wife and I talked and decided against it. I already spoke to my Friend who is good buddies with a very good Indy shop. So I’m going to get the car towed to bmw Monday, talk to my insurance. Maybe I can end up coming up a bit in this shitty situation. Also as we said, we will be in contact with the county. My wife was already on a local investigate report and knows the reporter who does this, so that’s another avenue to pursue. After seeing the lack of drainage I feel I should not be out any money.

https://ibb.co/tBWtRYC
https://ibb.co/YPk3GBw

[Faceplant]

Shit, after doing some research I’m realizing for a new s55 motor dealer installed my car might be totaled using my states 80% insurance guideline. I’m seeing 25-35k. This sucks. I don’t want another car. This is literally my dream car. Literally one of the worst days of my life is today. Going to be an interesting week. To top it off my wife and I have a 10 day vacation planned over seas that starts Friday, I have a feeling I will be thinking and dealing with this situation during that time. Wish me luck guys.

[TheDailyDriven]

I see cars getting stuck in these "rivers" here in South Florida all the time. Good luck and keep us posted.

[M3Fahrer]

The engine most likely will be totaled. A few years ago a friend of mine drove through a puddle in South Florida during some heavy rain and his E46 M3 got hydrolocked. Everything similar to what you explained. His car was in great condition, only owner, but insurance totaled the car. Sad to see that car go. Good luck with yours.

[mapster37]

instead of a new engine, your insurance might source a used engine from LKQ. that will help in not totaling your car(used engine much cheaper than oem reman) talk to your insurance adjuster and let him know your reservations and that you DO NOT want car totaled....

[Fast4d]

happens here in so cal when it rains (more often than you think) and people drive into underpasses.

[einscot]

if you drive for a living, and you're a florida resident, you should have known not to drive through a street with water covering the entire road. you realized you were f&&ked when water was over the hood? come on, you should have known better to start.

hopefully it works out, but this is why you shouldn't drive through water covering the road, no matter what car you're in. you just don't know how deep or fast it might be moving. as someone who "drives for a living", that should be at least the 3rd thing they teach you

[sna66]

Sorry to hear, I can only imagine how you feel. I have the same kinda connection with my car and as futile as it would seem, I would try everything to recover it as well. I have a friend that lost a 535i to hydrolock, on the bright side he was able to replace it with a 535i msport. If they total it, keep looking and don't settle for anything less than you had

[NickyC]

The water went over the hood? What a terrible feeling that must have been!

Sorry to hear all of this OP, I hope you get a quick and fair solution to this (insurance covers it!).

[allinon72]

If water went over the hood, that's double, maybe triple what BMW says the car can handle. That engine is done for as it was probably sucking in pure water from every orifice.

[icegrill]

🤮 I'm assuming you ended up in the deep pretty quickly and couldn't react to save the car. Sorry to hear, it will turn out okay though plenty of nice m3s to be had.

[joooiiiiii]

Damn man, sorry to hear that bro. I was actually in a similar situation as you a few weeks ago. Ended up putting my car in the gravel pit because of cold tires and decided to file insurance claim. Well, turns out that the TuV guy (estimate person) decided that anything the gravel touched needed to be replaced, and that was A LOT of things. So insurance pretty much on the edge of totaling out my car depending on Copart offer and front axles--well lucky me they decided to repair it. I was sooo depressed for a couple weeks waiting for the decision because I ordered the car exactly the way I wanted it and was so emotionally attached to it.

Anyways, don't be too down about it--my repair cost was about $60k+, so hopefully yr insurance will work with you. FWIW, I kept calling insurance every few days and mentioning that I REALLY wanted to keep the car.

[Faceplant]

Originally Posted by einscot

if you drive for a living, and you're a florida resident, you should have known not to drive through a street with water covering the entire road. you realized you were f&&ked when water was over the hood? come on, you should have known better to start.

hopefully it works out, but this is why you shouldn't drive through water covering the road, no matter what car you're in. you just don't know how deep or fast it might be moving. as someone who "drives for a living", that should be at least the 3rd thing they teach you

Ya I actually drive for a living 50 hours a week, my profession is a driver. Thanks for your input though fam.

[Faceplant]

Originally Posted by icegrill

🤮 I'm assuming you ended up in the deep pretty quickly and couldn't react to save the car. Sorry to hear, it will turn out okay though plenty of nice m3s to be had.

This is exactly what happened. There is no reason the water should have been that deep. It turns out the reason was the sewer drainage was blocked as I posted in a pic. Idk what holding the county or the developer liable will do as insurance is going to cover it. But I have some friends in the legal field and Im gonna see what they say, and also communicate to my insurance company with the pictures about the blocked off drainage sewer. Maybe they will go after the county or the developer then selves. Tomorrow the phone calls will begin.

[Faceplant]

Originally Posted by mapster37

instead of a new engine, your insurance might source a used engine from LKQ. that will help in not totaling your car(used engine much cheaper than oem reman) talk to your insurance adjuster and let him know your reservations and that you DO NOT want car totaled....

After some thought I’m going to push for them to total it out. Who knows what else got damaged. There could be Issues that will arise later. Looks like I’ll be driving my race car to work until I find another Yas 6 speed to my liking.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by Faceplant

Onto my question,

Knowing what I know about motors, I would be uncomfortable with anything besides a new shortblock, as water most likely will cause contaminated bearings as well as other issues, is this going to be hard to get my insurance to cover a new/factory refurb motor?

Originally Posted by Faceplant

Shit, after doing some research I'm realizing for a new s55 motor dealer installed my car might be totaled using my states 80% insurance guideline. I'm seeing 25-35k. This sucks. I don't want another car. This is literally my dream car. Literally one of the worst days of my life is today. Going to be an interesting week. To top it off my wife and I have a 10 day vacation planned over seas that starts Friday, I have a feeling I will be thinking and dealing with this situation during that time. Wish me luck guys.

99.% sure you will not get a new shortblock from Insurance.

There have been several used S55 for sale on forum for under $10k. I even have a low mileage one for sale.

What year car and mileage is your car?

[Faceplant]

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

I seriously doubt you will not get a new shortblock from Insurance.

What year car and mileage.

2015, 30k miles.