Had to use Morgan today. No choice. Very wet drive & silly me took a risk through water under a bridge. I had assed it but obviously wrongly. Car got swamped & spluttered to a halt just the other side of the water. Interestingly seat belt light & h/brake light came on. Tried started engine “hydrauliced” mmmm wait tried again after a few mins. No start but turning over. Waited another few mins engine started but very unhappy. Clouds of steam from every where both sides front & rear. After about 30 secs drove off. Engine still rough but after about 10 miles smoothed out. Chickened out of next flood. Eventually seat belt light went out & H/brake light now on but very dim. Found carpets soaked so not surprised.
But what I found interesting is no engine warning light and after being switched off for a couple of hours it has started first time.
Sometimes I believe our cars have a soul. Bless her.
Oh water can be deeper than it looks.
Phew. Will drive it home tomorrow with the carpets on the back shelf.

I had a similar experience and hit deep standing water in a railway underpass at about 50 kph. It was like driving under a waterfall with all the water spraying up over the car. Obviously it was not as deep as you experienced as I did not get wet carpets or any engine problem. In fact I was most impressed that no water came into the car (hood up because of the storm). What I did discover, after a few kilometres, was that my brand new pair of FIAMM horns emitted only a water sodden gurgle. They never fully recovered and I returned to the original single horn plus a matching second horn from the same manufacturer. .

Oh, yes... I've got the same experience.

It looks like some water on the road. But than I "submarined" the car. The next busstop was used for a small cleaning.

René

I have a friend who's Golf sucked water into the engine through the air filter and wasn't so lucky. New engine required.

It all depends on where the air intake is.
On the roadster it was high up, above the radiator.
On the Plus 8 it is low down inside the O/S wing behind the wheel.
So, I don't drive the Plus 8 through ANY standing water that is more than a normal puddle...

The newer Plus 8 only. Typical BMW engine layout low
mounted air intake! Trad Plus 8 much higher mounted air intake.

what makes no sense is that the low mounted air filter sends air up to a large intake trunk at the top centre of the engine.

Lucky escape though I would have removed the spark plugs and turned it over on the starter before trying to start it.

If the engine had truly hydraulic'd then I doubt that you would have been able to start it!

In my black museum, I have a con rod from a Ford Pinto engine which pulled in water in a Ford ironically - it is roughly S shaped! Only the head and rocker cover was salvageable from that engine!

Arwyn

I suspect if I felt there might be a chance of wading through water in my Morgan (or any other vehicle) I would have a look at the location of the engine air intake which seems likely to be trying to suck in cool air perhaps from rather low down location....? That being the case I would have a look at disconnecting the tubing and thus draw the air from higher up in the engine bay.... Though it may be the case that if there are sensors in the tube that you could create issues..?

BTW It is not possible to compress water.... engines can self destruct in any attempt to do so as Arwyn suggests..

Yes I was lucky. I thought the intake on the 4/4 was high enough. I suspect only a little water got past the filter(K&N) & it spluttered to a stop due water splashing over the coil packs etc. She. Hydrauliced on trying the starter. I was through the water but on a hill blocking the road. I guess the engine heat turned the water to steam & allowed it to turn over. Drove it home today 3 1/2 hours all well and seems happy up to 6500 rpm. The horn works too. I have just got to check that the cooling fan cuts in appropriately. Still surprised no engine warning light. Floor nearly dried out. Must think of something to treat the floor with to minimise any long term problems.