Engine replacement

[peekay74]

Hi all,
Wondering if I could get people’s thoughts.

In short the other night wife drove car (Mini Countryman S) through a large puddle, not particularly deep, maybe inch above my ankle, and car stalled. I towed car home and left till next day. Next day I tried starting and it turned over, started briefly then cut out again. It then returned to not turning over at all. Car has now been recovered to Mini and they are saying engine ‘hydro locked’ (?) and it will need a new engine.

Obviously an insurance claim and insurance are saying they want to use their approved garage to replace the engine however I am able if I want to use Mini to replace the engine.

What are your thoughts - would you have engine replaced by a Mini main dealer (Sytner) or an j independent Approved Mini garage ? My gut is main dealer given car is less than a year old and future warranty issues etc but also never really have any faith in main dealers and have historically witnessed shocking work coming out of a dealership - albeit not Sytners.
Just after people’s views on which approach they would take. I believe the company insurance would prefer to use is Autotechnic in Berkshire.

Thanks in advance

[stevemcs]

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/0761071...

Not sure they will be trading much longer ....

To be honest on a year old Mini i would want Mini to replace it. The problem is if you go against the insurance companies insurer should there be any issues the insurer will wash their hands of it. However if you have any issues with the engine Mini may drag there heals as its not the original engine and was fitted outside the dealer network. Its a tough one.

I cannot believe its hydrolocked on a small amount of water.

[GT4P]

Surely it should be replaced under warranty ? No engine should fail driving through a few inches of water? What's hydro lock?

[peekay74]

Hydro lock is I think where the engine sucks in water rather than air and seizes the engine. Alas not covered under warranty as considered driver error !!

[TimmyMallett]

An inch above your ankle wouldn't even equate to reaching the front valance, and the air intake is higher than that, so if it is hydrolocked, which will have bent allsorts (water doesn't compress and when you suck it into a cylinder and try to compress it mid engine revolution, it's going to invariably write off the engine) so I suspect a bow wave was generated which reached the intake height.

It's pretty simple to diagnose. Take the head off,if it's got water in the cylinders it's knackered. I think theyre just doing the easy option. If it wasn't covered under insurance, the cheaper route would be to rebuild the parts, like crank etc.but it's still going to be a bit of a dog that I'd want to sell on.

I don't think it matters who replaces the engine personally. Just depends on what warranty is offered from both of them. It will be a crate engine most likely.

Edited by TimmyMallett on Monday 17th August 14:33

[Majorslow]

If Op's wife was driving too fast when she hit the water it could easily suck in the H2O

But she ain't gonna admit that is she?

[blue al]

My feelings would be for any further warranty that may occur you would be better off in a mini approved dealer,
Paint and bumper is one thing, anything mechanical is something Completely else....
4years down the line perhaps take a view, but at this stage it’s your insurance company making the savings and not yourself.

[peekay74]

Yes agree with consensus and have opted for mIni to carry out the work.

Re comments about wife, think you are bang on !!! She claims she was driving slowly but couldn't possibly have happened if she was !! Kids (who were in the car) are being diplomatic and simply syaing she wasn't driving fast The truth will out eventually but for now its just over to the insurance company.

The cost to repair is aboslutley absurd - any guesses as to how much it will cost to replace with a new engine? Mini are claiming it also needs a new turbo.......... Just short of £14k is initial estimate !!!!!!

[Dave.]

I'm not convinced.

I can't find much info on RealOEM, but it look like the intake is quite high up & right at the front.

I don't see how you'd get that much water into the intake going through 6in "puddle" of water.

Edited by Dave. on Friday 21st August 13:59

[peekay74]

On our car air intake is at the front and fair bit lower down- I would say half way down radiator at a guess. I think it’s absurd these cars can suck in water but looking at some other forums it seems BMW/Mini are known for having low intakes.
I think maybe my initial assessment of water was a bit conservative but certainly not a lake ! I’ve added a photo where you can see the crud line on the alloys - it may have been as high as just below side spoilers.

[peekay74]

Dave. said:

I'm not convinced.

I can't find much info on RealOEM, but it look like the intake is quite high up & right at the front.

I don't see how you'd get that much water into the intake going through 6in "puddle" of water.

Edited by Dave. on Friday 21st August 13:59

Sorry misinterpreted your photos and the arrows - what you have presented looks pretty accurate

[Dave.]

On the image with the arrow, I reckon the air inlet ducts will start at roughly the same height as the top chrome trim, which is roughly a similar height to the top of the wheels.

[hyphen]

Would insurance pay out for this? Seeing as it's an accident?

[Dave.]

Granted, it say "walking pace", but still....

[Majorslow]

£14k for a new engine, bloody hell, i thought it would be about £5-6k....shows how little I know

At least the "puddle" would have cleaned any winter salt off the bottom

[irocfan]

peekay74 said:

The cost to repair is aboslutley absurd - any guesses as to how much it will cost to replace with a new engine? Mini are claiming it also needs a new turbo.......... Just short of £14k is initial estimate !!!!!!

£14k?!?!? and breathe....