Some of you may find this interesting and some may find it saves them an engine!

We (I live in the UK) just had some of the worst flooding in recent history. The roads all around my area as well as most of the UK sustained some horrendous flooding. The day after the rain stopped I was driving to work and going along as usual and in the darkness I hit a lake across the road. I literally buried the front of the car in 18 inches of water, it ran up over the hood and I figured the car was done for. I put it in reverse and backed out waiting to hear the car crunch to a halt. I had driven another car through a very shallow bit of water last year and luckily the water did not reach the engine but choked the car dead by filling the airbox. I figured I had now done the same with my MCS. It took me a while to figure out that the high intake on the S saved my bacon, the car never missed a beat and I drove to work.

Now at my Gym is a lady with a Mini cooper, She did the same thing, Said the water was no where near as deep as I hit, Engine is gone, sucked up water and bent the rods.

Now when I hit the water in my ford and had the car taken to a garage he mentioned that he sees plenty of cars come in that have this happen and mentioned that MINIs are the worst for it, the intake is very low behind the bumper. I guess he was talking about the coopers.

Basically, if you have a MINI i would think very carefully before driving through any standing water.

Sidenote, I must have seen 20 cars that had driven through the flooded areas around my house that had knackered their engines, Some quite new BMWs and Audi autos.

Peter

 

The Cooper intake snorkle is higher than the MCS but it is centrally located; the same can happen to an MCS. Perhaps the move in reverse saved your hide?

Example from hydrolocked Cooper model (holes in block not shown)

 

I think part of it also has to do with the design of the airbox, the cooper has it towards the front of the engine bay so there's a much shorter path for water to flow into that airbox while the the S has it towards the rear of the engine bay and also has a small hole in the lower rear part of the airbox that's open towards the firewall. Unless the speed is great enough to force large quantities of water up the into the intake, or the front snorkel is submerged and that rear hole is also plugged or submerged, it's going ot be difficult to suck water into the Cooper S.

 

WOW!!! those photos made me sick to my stomach. Just this moment ordered a new foglamp as I trashed one in the deep dive. I have to tell you I am amazed I didn't blow up the engine, I was in deeper than I would drive a 4x4.

Peter

 

Since no one has mentioned it lets discuss the Power Steering Cooling Fan. This fan is located at the lowest point on the chasis approximately 6 inches off of the ground. The fan is designed to push air,not water. Water being a much more viscous medium then air puts a lot of strain on the motor of the PS fan thereby inducing it to overheat=blown PS Fan fuse. There is no indication on the dash if this has happened. In short order the PS Pump will over heat leaving a large hole in your wallet. Lessons to be learned: After fording water make sure your PS fan still works; Never ford water more then ankle deep.
And for those of you who have Mini's in the 2002 to early 2003 vintage there is a good likely hood that your PS fan and your Radiator Cooling fan will be on the same circuit. If while fording water you overheat the PS fan motor and blow the related fuse you will also have crippled your Radiator Cooling fan leading to an eventual overheat of the engine.

 

Can I be a bit thick and ask how I know if the PS fan is working? It would be just my luck to dodge one bullet and walk into sniper fire.

Many thanks for the heads up BTW.

cheers. Peter

 

Peter, you'll have to get under the car and look. The fan is located just aft of the oil pan on the passengers side. The fan has no thermostat, as such, it operates when the ignition is on. Turn the ignition on ' jack the car up and support it on jack stands, look.

 

To clarify, turn the ignition on, but do not start the car! I could just see someone reading this and misinterpreting exactly what's meant.

 

Mine comes on with the radiator fan.