Source
r/E30•
RodoFloFlo

Need help! Heavy flood in my area, no compression, just a fast crank.

Woke up late for a final, didn't think much of the water or in general. Started up fine. Go out of my driveway thinking the water wasn't so high (didn't reach door seals) and got about 4 feet down the road until I stalled. Number one mistake was trying to start it again. Pushed it back to a level place in my yard and took the girlfriend's car to make it to my final. Get home and do some research to find a technique where you take out the spark plugs and start it. Eventually, the water should spurt out. Well when I took out the spark plugs, I cranked it and after one huge spurt of water, the car continued to only crank with no compression or anything. Everything electronic works and right now I have the plugs out hoping it'll all evaporate or something but right now anytime I try to start it I just have a fast crank and if I'm guessing correctly, a sort of slight bubbling noise. The engine does not move at all and all the belts are intact. We do have a spark. But I'm shit out of luck at the moment. Any advice that won't break my bank?

Posted May 4, 2017, 7:09 PM UTC

120
rudbri931991 BMW 325i S52•

Ok so after you got the water out and put the plugs back in it just cranks fast? When you say the engine doesnt move are you talking about the accessories (alternator, power steering pump, fan, etc.)?

1
RodoFloFloOP88' 325ic•

Okay it spit water out once. After that, there is no actual compression of the engine. The fan, power steering pump, everything works but the engine will not compress. At all. I just had the whirring sound and a momentary click every second or so.

1
rudbri931991 BMW 325i S52•

Crank while someone looks into the oil fill and see if the cam is moving. Also try and look in the spark plug holes to see if all of the pistons are moving. May have to stick something in there to see if you can touch the piston (not while cranking).

1
RodoFloFloOP88' 325ic•

The cam is definitely moving. Tried sticking a screw driver in all of them and felt nothing really.

1
rudbri931991 BMW 325i S52•

Well you could borrow a compression tester but its sort of a moot point, the head probably has to come off.

2
RodoFloFloOP88' 325ic•

I don't see any of the pistons moving

1
Grrrmachine1989 325i Touring•

This doesn't make any sense. You say the starter motor spins and the accessory pulleys turn, but the pistons don't move? Thats impossible, unless you've gaping holes in the side of the block.

You're using the word "compression" a lot. What do you mean? Have you put a compression tester on each cylinder and taken a reading?

1
mook613•

Have you checked to see if your fuel injectors are firing? Water may have gotten into the C101 connector or hit a relay, or any other electrical component that controls the fuel or ECU. I'd start probing to ensure that you are getting fuel, and if not then you have to work to find out why not.

1
zoucet•

I know this is a stupid question... But did you screw the spark plugs back in?

1
RodoFloFloOP88' 325ic•

Yes. And nothing

1