Bill --- if your refering to water into the engine cylinders -- than you probley have more problems than that -- first thing you need to do is drain all the oil -- should have lots of water with the oil -- so make sure your ready to replace the oil drain plug before your oil pan overflows -- be aware that oil floats on water -- so all the water will come out before the oil starts coming out. I would put the oil drain plug back in before oil starts coming out -- so you can dump the water in the grass etc and than when you get the oil -- you can dump it safely. Anyways-- once you get the water and oil out -I would remove the sparkplugs and turn the engine over with the starter -- most water should be gone from the cylinders already. Than put in the sparkplugs and see if she starts, leave the drain plug out and a drain pan under the motor. If it does start -- rev it up once or twice, maybe run it for 15 seconds and than shut it down. Most auto parts stores have stuff you can put into your motor to replace the oil -- its to clean the motor out-- follow the instructions and than drain it and replace the oil. Getting water inside the motor is really no big deal as long as your not running long. But you do need to drain it all -- flush it -- replace the oil (and myself, after the first oil change, I would run it for 5 minutes and replace the oil a second time.) You also dont really want to leave the motor sitting there for a few months with water in it and maybe start having a rust problem. The bad thing -- is if you got the car itself to deep in the water -- who knows what has happened to the electrical componts etc. I have flipped a ski boat over before and have had the motor underwater completley -- but once you drain it etc.. the motor itself is fine - its all the other things that can become a problem.
DavidL, June 2005
