Help - flood damage A2 tdi!

J

johnimber

Member
I'm on holiday in S Ireland and have lost my engine due to driving through flood water on the road.

I am awaiting assessment but I suspect a new engine will be required. I am extremely sentimentally attached to my A2 and bought it new in 2002 and don't want to lose it. I am concerned that the insurance company will want to write it off.

I would be grateful to receive any advice or thoughts that members might have to assist me. In particular from anyone who has had a replacement engine fitted or who knows where I could source a decent second hand tdi engine. I am willing to consider anything (within reason) to keep the car on the road.

If any member could advise on a suitable affordable garage to do the work I would love to hear from you.

I am hoping that the insurance company will repatriate the car back to the UK.
 
Hello John,

Sorry to hear of your misfortune - never nice to learn about a poorly A2.

Having been through a similar experience recently, I'd say firstly, don't panic too much.

I bought my A2 new in 2004 and recently had an accident where the repair estimate came to just shy of £7000 - a certain insurance write-off I thought. However, it has been authorised for repair and I pick him up later today all being well.

In your situation, without wanting to get into the mechanics too much, I'd say that the engine was sound, it'll just be the electronics that are playing up, so a reasonably easy fix should be on the cards (just the unbolting of black boxes essentially, and a little computer work).

The important thing to remember is that you own the car - it is not the property of the insurers, or a repairer, even though they may have possession of it currently. Whatever you want to happen will happen, as you are the legal owner. So, for instance, if for the sake of argument it is written-off, you automatically get first refusal of the salvage (unless there's some very strange wording in your policy that you've agreed to), then the insurers just have to work out what to give you in addition in settlement (in my case, I was told it was market value less 10-20% for the salvage).

If the worst should happen, you're not a million miles from Stealth Racing in Southam, who are acknowledged as one of the best places for engine swaps/replacements and they own several A2s between the partners in the business too.

As to getting back to Blighty, I think you'll be covered, if not by the insurer, then by your breakdown cover instead.

Fingers crossed for you - keep us up to speed with developments.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Sorry to read the news.

In some cases it will not always need a totally new engine. I was once given a Pug 205 diesel that had the same damage as yours. My father was able to buy new con rods and 'simply' replace them. The car drove fine afterwards.
 
From your description it sounds like water was sucked up through the air intake and hydraulic locked the engine. If that is the case then as Will indicated, its possible at least one conrod is bent. There could be other engine damage like a snapped cambelt or you could be very lucky and find the engine works ok once all the water is removed from the cylinders and the oil and filters have been changed.
If you do need a replacement engine then check out this company - http://www.vegeuk.com/engines.php

Q. Was there any secondary damage caused by abandoning the car in deep water - wet carpets and trim, the electrics in the front footwells swamped etc or is it just the engine ?

Cheers Spike
 
Thanks for your responses so far.

I'm having to use internet cafes so my replies will be sporadic!

Thanks for all your very helpful replies so far.

I'm fairly certain that water has entered via the air filter, which I now know is located quite low down behind the bumper on the drivers side. When the engine turns over the whole engine rocks around in the engine bay.

There is no other damage as the water did not ingress into the car itself and all electrical functions seemed to be OK.

I'm hoping that I will be able to get the car back to the UK via the insurance and then take it from there.

The car is currently at the Cork Audi dealership who are doing preliminary investigations, but have supported my view on the engine.

I am finding communication with the organisations concerned difficult and expensive as I'm chasing for information via a mobile phone internationally!

As always this forum, and A2 owners are a great source of good and friendly advice and support. If anyone has anything more to add please feel free. All info will be gratefully received.

Conditions in S Ireland have been similar to those in Cumbria!
 
The one thing I'll add John is that although the air filter is under the drivers side headlamp, the entry for the air intake isquite high up, alongside the headlamp itself, so unless you were pushing a bow wave, it's unlikely that significant amounts of water have entered the engine.

Best of luck in sorting this out - do keep us informed on your return to the UK.

Cheers

Mike
 
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