Water In Car Engine? Don’t Make This Error, NJ Gas Station Says

WEST ORANGE, NJ — An auto repair shop in West Orange recently offered a vital tip for anyone who drives through deep water and gets it in their engine: “Do not attempt to restart!”

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency across New Jersey Wednesday night as Tropical Storm Ida wreaked havoc, spawning powerful tornadoes and significant flash flooding. >> Subscribe to Patch for local storm updates here

There were multiple reports of disabled vehicles amid the flooding in West Orange, which is the hometown of Prospect Exxon, a gas station and auto repair shop that has gained a reputation for “honesty and integrity.”

• See related article: West Orange Gas Station Owner's Secret To Success? Honesty.

Perhaps that’s what inspired Thursday’s social media post, which read:

“Tip for those who drove through deep water and ingested water in your engine: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RESTART! If your car has sucked water through the intake and caused it to stall, the damage may already be done (in the form of bent connecting rods) but attempting to restart it WITHOUT removing the water in the cylinders will definitely cause your engine to go bad! Connecting rods may be made out of strong metal but water is not compressible like air is!”

“So what would be the remedy?” one commenter asked. “I drove home in the rain and my car didn’t stall last night and I restarted the car today for a short ride.”

Here was the shop’s reply: “If it didn't stall then it didn't ingest a lot of water through the intake. If it does and the motor stalls due to hydrolock, then the plugs need to be removed and the water blown out before attempting to start it again.”

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