UKKid35

Major guesswork and probably wrong -> As the engine cooled with water in the exhaust system, some was sucked up in to one or more of the combustion chambers.

Very pleased to hear it's going again. I've always been fearless about driving through deep rainwater - now I may be more careful.

aircooler

Razor,

Glad to read that things have worked out. No one wants to say or read "Looks like I'll be parting this car, huh?".

Thanks to the Rennlist you saved yourself a tow, and a couple hours of shop labor. $$$

PS: Don't forget to get yourself covered in grease and dirt, and play up to the wife how much skillfull, backbreaking, professional work you did on the car to save it from the wrecker! Ya got to grab those brownie points whenever you can!

Cheers,
Mike

Kevin in Atlanta

Maybe now would be a good time to become a Rennlist Member?

-Tib

Chris

Yes, some prayers to the 928 gods are in order. Congrats !!

Chris

Jim_H

I am guessing the exhaust was under water when the engine died and so sucked it in through the exhaust. Did you check intake filter "after" driving it home?
You are a very lucky Shark owner.

RazorRacer

Yes, I am very lucky considering I thought it was toast. The intake filter was dry before it started. I mean there wasn't a drop of water. The correct assumption is water was sucked into the engine when it stalled.

Watercooler, that was too funny. I did come home with grease on my arms and face and my wife did join me in my happiness. It was funny for both of us to read your post.

Sharkskin, thanks for those tips. I'll check into them, but for now the car seems to be running fine.

Hopefully the next time I post, it will be about another Sharkfest fun run or something.

SharkSkin

Hey, if it quit steaming, don't worry about what I said above.

Jim bailey - 928 International

What actually happened is the car was hydrolocked one piston tried to compress water . Liquids do not compress ( which is why we use brake fluid in the brakes) . Even though the car is now running the feeling of the engine "hitting a sledgehammer" was pretty much what the piston and connecting rod thinks happened to it . It often BENDS the rod and the engine will run for a short time until it screws up the piston and cylinder bore . Now as for how the water got into the engine below the air filter element it was pumped in by the air injection (smog pump) whose air intake and filter is located low down on the right side of the engine 80-86 model 928s . The diverter valve which directs the air flow dumps into the air filter housing below the paper element . Now we probably know WHY Porsche moved the air pump filter way up on top of the fan shroud for the 1987 > cars . They figured out that the air pump could pump water into the engine especially on crowned roads where water is deeper on the right side . It only takes 15-16 inches of water to submerge the air pump intake . That fact that the engine is now running does not mean it is not damaged ! What happened was a very bad thing . I hope your engine is O K but would not want to bet on it .

Old & New

Nice call, Jim.

Maybe a compression test would give some indication of a bent (shorter) rod?

SharkSkin

Wow Jim... makes me want to put a snorkel on my air pump inlet. Not that I think I'll ever get into water that deep, but you never know...

Jim bailey - 928 International

the 78 79 has a "duck bill" baseball cap looking intake facing rearward mounted directly on the air pump it is somewhat higher BUT also the diverter valve still dumps air below the filter element which in this case is unfiltered air !

SharkSkin

I just replaced my air pump... the rebuilt part only has the one intake on the backside, that leads through the manifold & hose to the filter. The one I took out had the piece you describe... seems pretty stupid to me, going to all that trouble to mount a filter then bypass it...

This part can be clearly seen in the section of my site where I detail the air pump R&R.

Ron_H

I second Jim Bailey's comment that although the engine seems to run fine now, it may not keep running and it may all of a sudden self destruct. I would SHUT IT DOWN and inspect it with a scope below the crank to determine if any rods are bent or twisted. I wish I had done that on my 914/6 engine (new with only 1500 miles on it) when it was hydrolocked with gas in the cylinders on one bank. After thinking it was a defective starter and then towing the car 40 mph and letting out the clutch, I realized it wasn't the starter Skreetch!!! Rubber all over the road. Pulled a plug and out came the gas. We tried turning it over and it was possible. We looked into the cylinders with a scope but only the combustion chambers. If we had looked into the crankcase, we might have noticed the TWISTED RODS and stopped there. I would have saved my original numbered 914/6 case. Instead I drove it 40 miles until it let loose on the freeway outside Albuquerque and scattered pieces all over the road. UGLY ! UGLY !

Shut it down and inspect before assuming it is OK. Don't wish for anything more than the truth before you start it at all.

Lizard928

yah Ron we have read the story before and it is sad again,

I would like to make one commend, the starter on any car is a high torque electric motor, even trying to crank the engine over with the cyl full of water cause cause the rods to bend or the pistons to break, due to this I suspect the chances of a bent or twisted rod to be VERY high, and if they arent, then I dont think the boosting guys ever have to worry about changing the rods in the engines,

if I were you I would not turn it over again I would drop the oil pan and inspect the bottom end I would also while this is being done consider also replacing the headgaskets as they may have lost some of the hold from the hydrolock and could fail at any time,

bcdavis

Boy, this sure makes those intake scoops on the hood of that one car look like a bad idea...