The rainy season can cause many cars to fall into flooding, especially when traveling through deeply flooded roads. In cases where water overflows into the entire engine compartment, improper handling can cause the engine to degrade quickly, cause many damages and significantly reduce the value of the car.
According to Mr. Dang Khac Cuong, owner of Viet Bac Car brand, the engine is likened to the "heart" of a car. When water floods the entire engine, water can enter through the air intake, ventilation holes, and even through the exhaust pipes into the engine.
In fact, many garages today only handle it by discharging water from the bottom of the engine, removing some details above and then filling the oil once or twice. According to Mr. Cuong, this method only removes a part of water and impurities, while water, mud and dirt can still remain in many closed compartments of the engine.
When the engine is completely submerged, no matter how it is repaired, it will more or less affect the operating quality. However, if handled according to the correct procedure, it will help minimize future damage," Mr. Cuong said.
To handle it thoroughly, according to Mr. Cuong, technicians need to remove many parts of the engine instead of just cleaning the outside. First of all, the trigger system, where water and mud easily enter the gaps. This part needs to be removed to clean the entire inside.
Not only that, the air intake neck also needs to be cleaned because this is a location that often accumulates mud and water after the car is flooded. In addition, the underside of the trigger, bottom of the carrier and gearbox must also be removed to discharge all dirty water, cleaned thoroughly and then replaced with new oil before reinstalling.
In essence, the repair process of a technically correct flooded vehicle almost requires dismantling most of the engine to clean each detail before re-assembling. Only when all water and mud are completely removed can the engine operate stably and reduce the risk of subsequent damage.
However, dismantling the engine also makes the car no longer maintain its original condition, thereby affecting the value of the car when there is a need to resell it. However, Mr. Cuong believes that this is still a necessary option if you want to ensure the long-term durability of the car.
A dedicated mechanic will remove the details of the engine to handle each part, even having to remove the entire engine compartment if necessary. Just spraying or cleaning carelessly will not be able to remove all the water and mud inside the engine," Mr. Cuong emphasized.
Therefore, after a car is flooded, car owners should take the car to a reputable repair facility for inspection and treatment as soon as possible. Trying to start or choosing a superficial repair plan can cause more serious engine damage, leading to large repair costs in the future.
