Flood water

Phil FSI

Member
A message to newbies and reminder to those that have forgot.
The A2’s engine air intake is very close to the ground, NOT up the top of the engine like most cars. I believe doing it like this helps with efficiency. BUT not good for driving through a flooded road, even for a short distance.
I read somewhere on the forum anything deeper than 5 cm (the height of you tire) = NO!
Phil
 
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Could always pop the intake pipe off at the MAF sensor if you desperately need to use the car in flood water.

The alternative is to raise the suspension ?
 
Sorry bud, just follow the air pipe up from the filter and you’ll see a spring clip to release the pipe. You couldn’t do it for long as it would be unfiltered air, but in case of an emergency.
 
Sorry bud, just follow the air pipe up from the filter and you’ll see a spring clip to release the pipe. You couldn’t do it for long as it would be unfiltered air, but in case of an emergency.
Nice one Steve
I will familiarise myself with its whereabouts tomorrow
I’m surprised no one has come up with a mod for this...
 
Yes water especially flood water should be avoided if possible. The fresh air intake IS on top of the slam panel, not at the bottom of the engine. However the air filter cover is very near the bottom of the engine bay. Water is more likely to get in there either due to the filter housing cap not fitted correctly and its seal damaged or missing. Damaged filter housings are also possible especially if the car has had a front end bump in the right corner. The diesels also have the turbo outlet to intercooler hose low down.
In February this year I hit deep flood water after the storm. The wave went completely over the car when I hit the water at about 30mph. The car cut out and was floating on the water. After about 20 seconds I restarted the car and managed to drive out. Only damaged sustained was damaged paint to the front spoiler and the fuel filter heatshield nearly ripped off.
 
Well you could just stick a cone filter directly onto the MAF but it will be sucking hot air and lower power slightly.
 
No, believe the intake is much higher. Only the filterbox is located low, but the intake is high in the engineroom/top wheelhouse
Ah right, that sounds much more sensible!
I think we are going to need a diagram for this one.
Thanks
 
Being aluminium and light would expect them to float, MINE DID..... BTW when I got out the water I wend back and looked , it was about 7 inches deep.
 
A picture paints a thousand words!
Thank you
So as said above, the risk is more likely to be a faulty filter housing.
I commented back in 2018 ish that all my five airfilters were found to be wet....
Still not confident that I know were the water did enter... no common damage found to any of the filter housings

Cheers
dieselfan
 
I shall be sticking to my Discovery 3 for any flood issues, I think the air intake is slightly higher that the base of the Windows in an A2. ;-)
 
Just to add to note, when I got my car the air filter cap was not actually closed properly and if I would have went any deeper than bottom of air filter it would have started chugging water. Maybe just my luck though with cars.

When housing is closed properly it looks fairly water/air tight so in theory, assuming no holes in rest of intake system, you could go pretty deep! Then again ECU/CCCU are in footwell and if it seeps in there...
 
As you look at the grill from the front of the car, the intake is to the left of the Audi rings, at the base of the service flap.

*if* your air filter is closed correctly, that's the most interesting part for flood water. HOWEVER; the likelihood of that air filter actually being correctly sealed is another bet completely.
It should be water / airtight, but there's no guarantees.

There should be no easy way for water to in/egress from the secret compartments *if* the rubber bungs are still good. I would check on an irregular basis that they still are...
 
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