Drove through a flooded road, not too deep, been through deeper, when engine came to a stop. Stuck in the flood, engine definately jammed up (hydrolocked?). My common? sense tells me to remove spark plugs, clear air filter check oil in sump for water, drain if water present, spin engine with plugs out and hope that one day it will start. Had car 5 years (1999 model 3.0 V6 petrol) and it has been great until I stuffed it yesterday.

Dave Taylor, January 2008

engine fixed. car runs again. But, the starter motor failed. I was told that if I did not attempt to start the car in water, things will not be that worse. Hope everything goes OK when starter motor is fixed or replaced.

alex, May 2008

I drive a 1997 406 2.0 in Hong Kong. Two weeks ago, the car came across the same problem when a typhoon hit the city. Engine was taken aprt. One con-rod was bent! Could not find replacement. Local agent sells the pistons and con-rods in a srt of 4. Just brought it. Garage will replace it these few days. Hope it works!

alex, May 2008

hi dave, had same problem, a year ago exactly went through deepish water and my x reg 3.0 v6 petrol died. had it towed home and looked at by two different mechanics. engine wouldnt turn by hand, con rods bent. apparently these 406s are notorious for this (low air intake). year later still parked in garden, now looking for a new engine to change myself, seems the cheapist option, would like to know how you get on. stephen.martin533@ntlworld.com

steve martin, March 2008

Thanks for the info Rich, there has been a further development. Garage estimated repair at £1600 so that took care of the decision to repair or scrap off, especially as I looked on Auto Express website and found two for sale with less miles and less than £1200 each. I contacted garage and told them I would collect car for scrapping off. So, off I went with a neighbor who has a tow-bar fitted to tow vehicle back only to be told that as the garage was pushing the car back into the garage for safety overnight the front driver side coil spring broke on the suspension leg. can it get worse? It did. I decided to tow it home anyway (only 1 mile or so) but of course the broken spring was catching on the tyre (new tyre fitted 3 weeks before) and bang it went in a cloud of rubber smoke. managed to get it home though, took 5 neighbours to push it onto my drive. Next day (Saturday) I managed to get the scissor jack under the front jacking point by levering the car up enough to get the jack under when that collapsed. I gave up. I have now looked at the situation in a calm and logical way and have decided to re-fit the bits & bobs the garage removed, Coil, Plugs, inlet manifold Air filter box etc and see what happens. I might as well, thing cannot get worse Can they? Watch this space.

Dave Taylor, January 2008

Plugs out, rear cylinders full of water, no chance of starting. Local repair shop low loaded it away, did a compression test, two of the rear cylinders read only 22psi pressure, bent valves? bent con-rods? Bent crankshaft? They then checked height of all six pistons through the plug holes and all found all equal, so the suspects are bent valves. head to be taken off for examination but at what cost do you pull the plug and scrap car off? any ideas?

Dave Taylor, January 2008

That's the way to do it but you may have water in the carb,but do the other steps first and see if it runs as it might clear itself on high revs,take the plugs out FIRST in case you bend a rod.

Rich, January 2008